Motorcycles Are Only So Useful, Afterall
Disclaimer: Do I look like a Japanese male? If you answered no, then you're correct, I did not create Yu-Gi-Oh! If you answered yes... You'd better watch your back.
Author's Note: If you haven't read my story Eye Spy, this still ought to make a coherent one shot.
To anyone who has read the other one: Okay, so I run the slight risk of being decapitated for not updating that right now - but this story links to Eye Spy. I decided I wanted to tell this little background anecdote, and as subplot it definitely wasn't going to fit anywhere into that narrative. Plus there's a hint or two about events relating to Eye Spy that are about to come up. PLUS, I'm sick and grumpy so I can write whatever I want.
Finally, slight language warning, okay? Now... Y'all know the R&R drill.
Marik stormed along the footpath in a bad mood... Stupid roommates, couldn't manage to navigate the supermarket themselves without knocking over a display, scaring some two year old, or having a very vocal fight about sending the old lady in front of them at the checkout (counting out her twenty-two dollar payment in five cent pieces) to the shadow realm.
He was not a freakin' errand boy.
But they still had to eat, and now that Bakura had his own body (psycho-klepto tomb-robber finally managed to steal something worthwhile) there were three mouths to feed.
Marik swept his long blonde hair back from his face, where the spring breeze was repeatedly throwing it. The sun was out and the day was going to be hot. He was not looking forward to carrying home the shopping. Maybe he ought to get a car - turns out motorcycles were only so useful, afterall.
He was so busy with his silent fuming that he didn't notice the girl coming out of one of the stores lining the footpath. Suddenly, and with a squeak, she collided with him sending his annoyed striding off course and forcing him to pause to keep his balance. He intended to ignore the wench and keep moving, when suddenly he heard a sharp intake of air from her. He turned his head.
The brunette was tall - only slightly shorter than him - and was clutching plastic shopping bags and a brown packet of bread from the baker's she had just come out of. She was dressed in some pastel - yellow and pink - ruffled skirt that hung just below her knees and a dark green, figure-hugging t-shirt that complemented her pale blue eyes nicely. Dark brown hair was cut in a bob, some of which was pushed behind her left ear, but most was fluttering around her face in the same breeze that was annoying the hell of out Marik.
Those blue eyes were wide with fear.
"What, Gardner?" Marik sneered at her.
"N-nothing," Téa stammered. "J-just surprised to..."
Marik glared at her, but when he spoke his voice was even. "Yeah, I bet the whole world is one big surprise when you don't watch where you're going. Are you sure you don't need glasses?"
Téa's jaw dropped slightly.
"They'd probably help you look more intelligent, too - though it's a shame no one can do something that actually cures your stupidity, not just disguises it," he continued, before turning his back on her and resuming his angry walk.
He only got about five paces away before something hit him in the back of the head. Reaching one hand up as he turned, his fingers found the sesame seeds stuck in his hair at the same moment his eyes spotted the breadroll on the ground.
Marik growled.
Téa, for a moment resembling an animal caught in the headlights, gave another loud squeak and fled back inside the bakery.
He stood on the footpath for a moment. Interesting.
"Wait!" Téa shrieked as her schoolbus pulled away. In frustration, she hurled one of her textbooks after it.
Unfortunately, instead of the heavy algebra notes doing something devastating like denting the bus and causing the driver to swerve off the road, it collided with a motorcyclist that was temporarily filling the gap where the bus had been - and he did swerve.
"What the fuck?" the cyclist shouted, tires skidding.
At least, that's what it looked like he shouted. It was a little difficult to hear over the roar of the engine. The bike stopped beside her.
Oh, shit, Téa thought, assessing its rider. He was young, slim, with black leather pants, a lavender tank top, gold armbands around the tops of his arms... And a mane of long, sandy-blonde hair.
"Oh, shit!" she squealed aloud now, as she recognised him before he even pulled off his helmet.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Marik shouted at her, removing it. His Egyptian accent thickened in anger. "Why do you keep throwing stuff at me? Jesus fucking Christ, now I know why law requires I wear a helmet!"
Téa stood in front of him, managing to blush and look terrified at the same time. "I'm so sorry!" she shrieked.
Marik jumped off his bike and strode up to her, at which point she suddenly gasped, dropped the rest of her books and put her hands up in front of her.
"...What?" he asked, halting.
"Please, Marik, I'm so sorry! My alarm - and my shower - and then the bus - and I was - didn't mean to - didn't know it was you!"
The girl in her Domino High uniform was getting hysterical.
Marik narrowed his eyes. "Well Christ, it's not like you did any actual damage."
Téa took a step backwards, still pleading. "...Just want to get to school on time!"
Marik observed her coolly. "You're a spazz." He said finally, before turning to go back to his bike.
He was stopped in mid-gesture, putting his helmet back on, as he heard the girl behind him give a strangled sob of relief. He turned back around. She was sitting on the footpath, legs splayed beneath her.
"Overreacting a little, aren't we?"
Téa stared up at him, tears welled in her eyes.
"If you're that desperate to get to school on time I can give you a ride." Holy shit, why did he just offer that? Marik frowned at himself. Stupid bimbo. It wasn't his fault he didn't know how to act around irrational females. Ishizu would never behave so idiotically - even Mai had more sense.
Téa shook her head, her eyes still impossibly wide. They were a pretty colour. Double damn. Marik sighed.
"Okay, what? What's the matter?" he demanded. "Tell me, for the love of Ra."
Téa opened her mouth and closed it again.
"Now!" Marik barked at her. "You think I want to stand on the sidewalk all day?"
Téa turned her eyes downward, mumbling something Marik couldn't quite catch. The few words he did manage to grasp happened to be 'Shadow Realm' and 'Millennium Rod'.
...Oh. Well, that explained a lot, he thought watching Téa still sitting there, distraught. Marik suddenly wished his other self was back from the Shadow Realm, just so he could banish the fucker again.
"Gardner!" Marik said, the word sounding more impatient than he intended. "...Téa. It's me. You know, Marik. Not the other Marik."
She blinked at him.
He threw his hands in the air. "You know, the good me? The one that did not use mind control on you? Jesus, would I even be standing here talking to you if I was... the other one?"
Téa watched him for a moment, considering. Okay, so he didn't look as crazy as he did last time she saw him. And the others had told her that Evil Marik had been sent to the Shadow Realm. But still, this was the second time she'd run into him in the space of a week, and both times he'd behaved like an asshole.
"Well excuse me!" she snapped eventually, getting a grip and pushing herself to her feet. "How many crazy assholes do I run into on a weekly basis anyway? You sure didn't act like some hikari!"
Marik's eyes narrowed. "Well, now that you're feeling fine, I'll be going." He said icily, pulling his helmet on.
"Gee, did I offend you?" she shouted sarcastically.
"No! Why would you get that idea?" he shouted back at her, lifting the visor. What was with this girl? She was either cowering in fear or flying off the handle. He was right the first time: spazz.
Téa blinked.
"I just love being mistaken for a psychotic murderer!" Marik caught himself before he could shout anything else. No way. He didn't have to explain himself to this ditz. He turned his back to her and climbed onto his bike. Stupid bloody mistake coming back to this Ra-forsaken town, why did he let Bakura and Ryou and Mai talk him into it?
Someone touched his arm as he was about to rev the engine to life. He looked down at the hand, and then up at Téa's face.
"Give me a ride." She said quietly.
Marik searched her eyes. For someone demanding a ride from him, she didn't seem too thrilled with the idea. In fact, she seemed frightened - but quietly determined.
"Why should I?"
"Because you offered to and if you don't, I'm going to be late."
"And that bothers me, why?" He snapped his visor shut.
Téa trembled slightly. "Because you're supposed to have a conscience now. You're supposed to be... Good."
'Supposed to.' That explained it. This was some kind of gesture on her part. Marik snapped his helmet's visor back up again and stared at Téa incredulously. She was still terrified of him, but ashamed for being rude and, and - possibly hurting his feelings.
"What, you want to trust me now?"
She nodded, hair shaking.
Great, he had to go out of his way so she could do him a favour. Ought to just say no, for Ra's sake. Only... Fine, okay, he did have a conscience now. So freaking what?
"Get on," Marik barked.
Téa tottered onto the bike uncertainly. He looked over his shoulder at her and grinned slightly evilly. "Aren't you planning to hold on?"
Téa leaned forward and placed her arms around his waist. She didn't seem too happy about it - though, Téa thought to herself, being terrified didn't quite keep her from noticing that Marik did have a nice body - and she was currently pressed quite close up against it.
His head was still tilted back at her, where her chin was almost resting on his shoulder. Marik murmured in her ear. "Don't let go, now. You have no helmet."
She nodded slightly.
"And Téa? I am good." He muttered darkly. "Very, very good."
Téa felt a small shiver not entirely unlike her fear of the guy she was clinging to - but more pleasant. Unfortunately, it was disrupted with yet another mental Oh, shit! as the bike screeched and roared away from the sidewalk, almost colliding with a mini-van in the process. What the hell had she got herself into?