Summary: [Side story to Shadows of the Blue Moon] [One-shot] It's just a simple walk in the park, right? But Bakura finds out more than just that.
Memories
By Darkness-Fire
It had been a month. A month since they came back from their short trip into the memory world. A month since everything seemed to turn back to normal. But nothing was ever normal around the holders of the Millennium Items. As normal as it could be, anyway.
It was nearing the end-of-year examinations, and that foul Anderson woman had been force-feeding them homework every minute of school. Although they all knew the importance of passing the examinations in order to get into their second year, Keaira Ishtar, foster-sister of Malik Ishtar, was close to breaking under homework and tests. So were all of them, actually.
Which was why Bakura found himself in the park with her, taking a well- deserved break from homework. Bakura didn't actually care for homework at all, if not for Ryou's constant needling. So he had agreed to escape the suffocating mass of papers in the Bakura residence with Keaira, to the local park.
Everything had just been so hectic lately.
The trip to the memory world had brought up painful memories.
Memories he wanted to just forget. But they wouldn't be memories he had already forgotten them.
He had liked her in the past, yes, but that was in the past. Now he didn't know what he felt. Since when had he even have feelings for her anyway? She was better off without the painful recollections of her past life, after all.
So he settled for a comfortable silence between the two of them, feeling the wind tease his silver hair, laughing in his ears. Keaira seemed okay with the silence. And so he stayed silent.
He hated feeling weak like this. First Ryou, his hikari, who he was supposed to protect. Now her. He decided he didn't feel anything for Keaira.
But a nagging voice in the back of his mind told him it wasn't so. Bakura thought that the voice sounded a bit too like Ryou.
Why did you shed your first tear for her then, 3000 years in the Pharaoh's palace? Why did you cry again, when she killed herself again in the Shadow Game she had with Marik?
True, why had he done so?
He didn't know. He didn't want to know.
"Tell me again, Malik, why are we hiding in a bush?" Ryou said.
"Seeing if there's anything going on between Bakura and my sister?"
"And why are Atemu and Yugi-kun here too?" Ryou asked further.
"Because they wanted to get in on the action?" Malik said, lavender eyes trained on the two who were strolling casually.
"Tell me, why exactly are both Kaiba brothers also in on this stalking?" Ryou asked even further.
"This is not stalking. This is... monitoring."
"Don't get us wrong, Ryou. We do not want to be here. Quite the contrary, in fact. Anyway. You know the dreams about me being the High Priest, Malik? Even though I do not believe in this... so called 'High Priest' thing, tell me how come I've got you invading my dreams – correction, nightmares – as a palace maid?" Seto Kaiba spoke up, even as a wave of sniggering broke out among the others, specifically Atemu (Yami), Yugi and Mokuba.
"..."
Ryou fought to keep the chuckle from bubbling in his throat, choosing to sigh sufferingly instead.
He was jerked out of his deep reverie when the one beside him spoke.
"Ne, Bakura. Some people are following us."
"The paparazzi?" Damn. He'd been too lax in his defenses. He didn't notice any people suspiscious.
"Close," smiled the Egyptian girl. "Ta men. (Them.)"
Bakura took a while to translate the foreign language, remembering that she had been schooled in Taiwan, and that she had picked up Mandarin there. He had grown used to her mixing in Chinese phrases in her manner of speech, and had more or less learnt to understand them.
Bakura swept cold violet eyes over their surroundings, spotting a particular bush which was rustling rather loudly in comparison with the other bushes. He spotted bit of silver, blond, red, black and russet each. The he understood what Keaira had meant by 'them'. Oh. That them. Couldn't he ever get any peace around here? Apparently not.
"What do they want?" Bakura realized a second too late that he had replied too fast. Too irritated. Too hasty.
Keaira shrugged. The simple gesture made her golden and silver hair cascade gracefully down her shoulders. She hadn't bothered to keep it up in her usual ponytail. Bakura realized too late too, that he had been lately been observing her detailedly, from her hair to the dark kohl markings under her eyes, to the simple gestures that would indicate her moods.
Especially her eyes. A shade of dark hazel, lighter when she was one of her better moods, even darker when she was irritated, or angered. Like blood when she was on the verge of breaking and when she was angered.
They continued walking, falling into step with each other.
The feelings within Bakura were running wild. He sought to control them, to bring them under that cold, homicidal mask. But he wouldn't. He couldn't. The relived past of 3000 years had stirred up something within him.
Memories he wanted to forget. But they wouldn't be memories if they were forgotten.
Something further than the Yami-Hikari relationship.
Something further than what he had ever contemplated in his last 3000 years in the Millennium Ring.
Something that was awakened.
They were stalking them to see if there was anything between them, hadn't they? He'd give them 'anything'. His feelings were finally brought under control, as he reached a decision.
"Keai..."
"...?"
With a quick reflex he reached out to pull at her wrist, turning Keaira around to face him.
"Bakura, wha—"
"Keai, I really, really like you."
Her dark hazel eyes lightened shades to just hazel.
Then Bakura dipped his head and kissed her.
Malik just about stumbled out from his hiding place behind the bush with the others.
"What..." Ryou was speechless.
"Mokuba, cover your eyes," Seto ordered.
"But 'Nii-sama I wanna see! I'm not a kid anymore you know!!"
"Do as I say."
Yugi blushed in embarrassment as Atemu's mouth dropped open.
"Yugi, cover your eyes."
"Yamiiii-"
"Do as I say."
"Holy crap," Malik said.
Bakura decided he didn't want to let go of this memory. He wouldn't want to forget it. But then again, memories wouldn't be memories if they were forgotten, wouldn't they?
Author's note:
Thanks to all who reviewed Shadows of the Blue Moon! showers all of you with plushies raining from heaven I would really appreciate it if you review this too! hinthint If you haven't read Shadows of the Blue Moon before this, I suggest you read it, if not some parts of the story might not make sense to you. I'm working on a possible sequel to Shadows of the Blue Moon too, so please look out for it! Love you all!!
Completed: 03/07/2004