Yami Marik will be called Malik.
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh.
"Security cameras are taken care of."
Bakura reached up to adjust the volume on his earpiece.
"Keep watch. We're heading in," he whispered, turning his gaze to Akefia and nodding.
The duo slithered through the window that someone had conveniently left open. People these days could be oh so very helpful. Five steps forward, three steps to the left- bingo, there was the safe; right where Marik told them it would be. Pale fingers cracked the combination easily and the steel door swung open. But what the two thieves weren't expecting was an alarm inside the safe.
A high pitched wail sliced through the air.
Akefia snatched the diamond and sapphire blue eyes white dragon statuette and ran to the window. His lavender eyes scanned to the left, expecting to see his companion beside him. However, Bakura was still kneeling beside the safe.
"What are you doing, 'Kura? Run!"
Bakura waved a hand dismissively and clutched his earpiece closer.
"Listen to me, you have five seconds to get up off the floor or I swear I'll come over there and drag you out the window!"
"Unless you want to get caught, I suggest you stay away from the window until the coast is clear. Malik told me that there are three armed guards just below the window. Once they are… removed we can proceed."
"Coast is clear. We'll be at the apartment if ya need us. Remember to throw the police off your trail before you come home,"
The police burst through the door just as the thieves slipped out through the window.
Fire tore through Bakura's lungs, his breath coming in short and shallow gasps. Either the cops were getting better or he was just getting predictable. He stepped into a crevice in the alley wall, almost blending into the ominous shadows.
All he had to do know was wait for the cops to run past foolishly and then he could go home.
It was close to midnight when Akefia and Bakura met up outside the apartment they shared with Marik and Malik.
"Took ya long enough. Must have been one tough chase," Malik joked, throwing water bottles to the duo.
"You have no idea how ea-…"The doorbell rung, cutting Akefia's statement short.
"If it's the cops, don't answer it."
"Really, Marik? I was going to invite them in for tea and crumpets!" Bakura snapped back sarcastically, looking through the peephole in the door. "Unless the police is sending small homeless children to do their bidding, we're safe."
He opened the door a bit.
"P-please excuse me s-sir. I'm d-dreadfully sorry. C-could you help me? I-I'm so cold and hungry." The child's weak voice barely reached Bakura's ears.
Before the pale thief knew what he was doing, he opened the door fully and ushered the child into the apartment.
"Are you crazy? We can't take care of this weakling. Think of how often we're on the run. Not to mention he'll eventually spill our secret and-…"
"Malik, just give him a chance."
"Why?" Malik hissed, "Why should we take pity on anyone? Nobody took pity on us! Who cares about us? NOBODY, that's who. So why should we care about this weak pitiful excuse for life? Why should we give it a second chance?"
"He's just a child. A second chance could save his life."
"Fine, but you're taking care of it."
Malik stormed out of the room, grabbing Marik's wrist and dragging him along. Marik cast an apologetic glance at the child before he was pulled into the darkness of the hallway. Akefia handed the child his bottle of water and followed the blondes.
Bakura sighed and knelt down next to the strange child. "Hey, kiddo. I'm sorry about my…friends. Don't worry, I'll take care of you. But you have to trust me, okay?" He reached up and brushed some of the dirt and blood-matted hair away from teary chocolate brown eyes. "Can you tell me your name?"
"R-Ryou."
"See that wasn't so difficult. Now can you tell me why you were out wandering the streets so late at night? Especially in November."
Ryou whimpered and closed his eyes, holding back the tears that threatened to spill. Horrible memories flickered through his mind, memories of not so long ago, memories that left his scarred- both physically and mentally.
He didn't realize he was crying until he felt himself being hugged- one arms around his waist, the other running through his hair soothingly.
"Ryou, it's okay if you don't tell me. But it might make you feel better if you do."
"Promise to listen?" Ryou looked up at Bakura with pleading eyes.
"I promise."
Ryou took a deep breath and began. "My life was fine until about a year ago. My father started getting angry. He and my mother would get into fights- something about the… fine Nancies?"
"Finances. It means money, Ry." Bakura corrected.
"And then he started hitting her. She would tell us that she was fine, and not to worry about her. One day my sister, Amane, asked dad to stop hurting mom. After that, he started hurting Amane as well. Last night I got caught in the middle of one of mom and dad's fights. H-he… He k-killed…" Ryou broke down crying again, clutching the front of Bakura's shirt desperately. "I j-just want my mom a-and sister back!"
Bakura felt sympathy tear at his heart, ripping and slashing its way to the core, where his worst memories were hidden away. Memories of his parents, killed right in front of his eyes; Memories of the making of the cursed items. They were memories that He and Akefia tried to keep locked up and forgotten. Memories were painful, and pain had no place in the heart of a thief.
"I-I know how hard it is to see someone you love being killed. I know how difficult it is to run away from the life you knew and loved to start a new one on the streets. A-and I…" He paused to dry the tears running down Ryou's face, "I want you to know that you don't have to be alone like I was. I'll keep you safe. I promise."
Ryou nodded weakly, sniffling pitifully and drying the remaining tears with his dirty and torn coat sleeve.