A/N: Time for a bit of fluff before the storm and that's all I'm saying. Enjoy!
It was raining hard, a change from the warm sunny day that it had been hours earlier. Ryou stared out the window, the bracelet that Amane had sent to him held loosely between his fingers. He could remember seeing it on his mother's wrist; it had been a gift from Ryou's grandmother on Emiko's graduation day, and she was never without it. Amane used to talk about it all the time when they were little kids, sine it was the one pink thing that she actually liked. On the day that she turned twelve, Emiko had taken her aside and given it to her as a special gift. After that, Amane had been the one to wear it day in and out, only taking it off to sleep and to shower.
He swallowed the lump that had been forming in his throat and wiped a hand across his forehead. The room was warm and he opened up the window, allowing the wind and the rain to lash him in the face. It had been two weeks since they'd returned from Illusion Island and he hadn't been able to bring himself to visit his family home. Seto and Bakura had gone, just once, to make sure that the house was still in good condition. He wondered if the front window was still in pieces, or if Seto had had it replaced. Who would live there now? Ryou certainly couldn't go back. He couldn't live alone in the house where his family had grown up, not anymore, not now that he knew his father would never be coming home.
The weight of his grief was heavy but he didn't know how to let it free. He leaned his head against the frame of the window and didn't turn around when the door opened. Bakura stepped into the room and the bond between them was instantly humming with connection, muted feelings bouncing back and forth between them. Warm hands settled onto his shoulders and turned him around. Ryou allowed him to do it, not protesting when his head was pressed into the hollow curve of Bakura's shoulder. It was easier, he knew, for Bakura to deal with his pain in this way. It meant he didn't have to speak or do anything expect stand there and wait for Ryou to be alright again. Not this time.
"Why do you think she sent it?" Ryou asked, the words spilling out raggedly.
"I don't know," said Bakura quietly.
"I know it's her bracelet. She was buried with it, you know. I wanted to keep it but my father thought it was too girly. He convinced me that it wouldn't be fair for me to separate Amane from something she had loved so much when she was alive."
Bakura didn't say anything in response to that for a long time. Then he said, "Even if that package really was from your sister you know she can't be trusted."
"I know," Ryou said, because he did know, even if he didn't want to believe it. He'd been so happy when Amane returned, but he hadn't seen her since the fight on Illusion Island when Pegasus killed himself. It hadn't taken him long to realize that it was all too likely that Amane's so-called plan to "play Hafiz by pretending to be on his side" had actually likely been a play on them. He pulled away and rubbed at his eyes, which were sticky and salty for some unfathomable reason. "Bakura, will you kiss me?"
A flicker of surprise passed over Bakura's face. It was obviously not what he was expecting to hear. "Rabbit..."
"Just kiss me," Ryou urged, tilting his face up.
And a moment later, Bakura did, his hands cupping the back of Ryou's head and pulling him into a kiss so dizzyingly deep that Ryou's knees felt weak. The warm sensation of the bond fluttering in his chest made him feel alive. He whimpered and kissed back eagerly, wishing he could bottle this emotion for the moments when he felt like everything was weighing him down. Bakura was an excellent kisser, even when he was deliberately keeping it light with gentle touches that made Ryou want more of the things that neither of them were ready for. He breathed in slowly as Bakura pulled away and held up the bracelet.
"Would you put it on me?"
It wasn't hard to miss the way Bakura's face twisted at the request, and Ryou had to bite his lip to hold back a laugh. Bakura had often accused him of being "weak" and he suspected that wanting to wear a rather feminine bracelet was not helping matters. But to his credit Bakura took the bracelet and put it around Ryou's wrist, fastening the clasp. It fell against Ryou's pale skin and glittered in the light, the pink stones sparkling. Ryou moved his hand and smiled when he saw the way the light refracted into a dozen pale sparks. The inscription on the bottom pressed warmly against the underside of his wrist, directly over his pulse.
"I believe that warning was from my sister. What do you think it meant?"
"Honestly, I think it was probably designed to play with your mind," said Bakura. "Change of Heart is a dangerous card for a reason. It plays both sides of the field and never picks one until the winner is inevitable. I was suspicious of her from the beginning and I warned you about trusting her too deeply." He sighed, knowing that the warning was too little too late. "I don't know that you can consider this real. There's a good chance she's trying to make you paranoid."
"Amane wouldn't do that," Ryou said weakly, more because he wanted to think that she wouldn't than because he really believed it. She had changed so much that she was nearly unrecognizable to him now. He wondered if she was really with Hafiz and if Bakura was right and she'd sent him the message just to make things worse. Or was she really trying to warn him about something? He lifted his wrist and looked at the bracelet.
"Malik and Mariku are going to look into the scroll," Bakura told him. "Just in case."
That made Ryou feel a little bit better. "That's a good idea. Even if it turns out that she was just messing with us, it's better to be safe than sorry, right?" He didn't know what he would do if something happened to Bakura. It seemed strange to think that just two months ago, he hadn't even known who Bakura was, and when they had first met he'd been upset at the thought of being with Bakura for the rest of his life. Now he could imagine it very easily, even if there were times that Bakura drove him crazy or called him a weakling. He closed his eyes and leaned against Bakura again with a small sigh, knowing that there was nowhere he would rather be.
STGY
Malik could count on one hand the number of times that he had visited Isis at the museum, and there was a good reason for that. Isis vastly preferred to keep her work life and her personal life separate. He suspected that the people she worked with didn't even know that her birth name was Ishizu, not Isis, and that Isis was just the name she preferred to use. They definitely didn't know that she had a little brother… or at least, most of them didn't. Very carefully, he hunched his shoulders and peered over his left arm to see if the man he'd encountered the last time he'd been here had left yet. But no, apparently the idiot had set up shop in the glass case right in front of the entrance to the offices.
"Why don't you go take a break already?" Malik grumbled softly. He was getting tired of pretending that he was fascinated by a stupid rock display. It had been interesting for about the first two seconds but now all he wanted to do was check out Isis's office for any mention of the Scroll of Shadows. He knew she had a lot of research books in there that could pave the way to a little enlightenment, if he could get back there without causing a fuss.
"What's the matter, pretty hikari?" An arm was slung around his waist and Mariku stepped up next to him, pressing their cheeks together. From the back it would look as though they were just two teenagers out and about for the day.
"That guy will recognize me if I go past him," Malik replied, keeping his head down. "He was here when I found the Millennium Rod and I – " He stopped suddenly as Mariku smiled wickedly. Malik stared at him for a moment and then sucked in a sharp breath when Mariku's hand slipped into the waistband of his jeans, cold fingers sliding across warm flesh before curling around the Rod and pulling it out. The gold gleamed in the lights and Malik's heart sank. "You can't be serious," he said weakly, knowing what Mariku's intentions were even without the surge of devious excitement that slipped through their bond.
"Oh but I am," Mariku purred, tightening his grip on Malik's waist. "Come on, Kitten, it's not like you're going to hurt him. Just make him so invested in his work that he won't notice anyone who walks by. We'll go in, get the books and come out and he'll never even know what happened. It's either that or you waste more time standing here and risk getting caught, because eventually someone is going to get suspicious."
Damn but Malik hated it when Mariku made his plans make sense. He wavered for only a moment more before shaking his head and letting out a sigh. "I don't know how I let you talk me into this sort of thing," he complained. The last time he had put someone under the mind control of the Rod it had truly freaked him out. He didn't think he'd ever forget the sight of Miyamoto blindly following his every order. But for something like this, he supposed it wouldn't be too bad, as long as the man really did nothing but stand there.
Mariku grinned. "I'm just a good influence in you," he explained smugly, taking Malik's hand and lacing their fingers together. The Rod was pressed between their palms and together they pointed it at the man. Malik felt a tug from somewhere deep inside of him and the eye symbol on the Millennium Rod flashed with a golden light. The man dropped his cleaning cloth and his shoulders went slack.
"You'll stay there," Malik said, clenching his free hand into a fist to hide the fact that it was shaking. "Stay there and keep working until we come back."
Obediently the man picked up his cloth and hunched back over his work. Malik stared at him in a kind of horrified fascination until Mariku gently but firmly pulled him past, ushering him down the hall towards the offices. It was no big deal getting into Isis's office; she'd given Malik a key back when she started working there and she ended up spending the majority of her nights in her office while Malik stayed with Ryou or Yuugi. He pushed the key into the hole and twisted, pushing the door open. Mariku guided him inside and closed the door behind them before he let go, leaving Malik holding the Rod while he started to prowl around.
"I don't like it," Malik said softly.
"It's a power of the Rod," Mariku said, knowing what he meant. "It's meant for you to use it."
"That doesn't mean I have to like it. Every time... I think about what my father could've done with it." Malik shivered at the thought. With that kind of power there was no telling what Hafiz would do.
"He'll never have it, Malik," Mariku replied. There was an unusually serious look on his face, at odds with the normally playful exterior he strove so hard to maintain. "I promise you that. The Millennium Rod belongs to you and I don't want you to be afraid of using it just because you think it's wrong. That power could very well save your life someday, you know. You can't hesitate to use it when you really need to."
Malik looked at him before glancing away, unnerved by the strength of his stare. "Maybe I'll just have to depend on you," he said. "After all, that's why Nee-san was so bent on getting us together."
"I might not always be there," Mariku said. When Malik stiffened, he went on, "I'm not going anywhere. You're mine for life, you know that. But you saw what happened with Yami and Yuugi on Illusion Island. Sometimes things happen beyond our control. I need to know you can protect yourself if that happens."
"I can," Malik said. His throat suddenly felt unusually dry and he swallowed hard, tightening his grip on the Rod. "I will."
Mariku's face softened. "I know you would, my pretty hikari. And no matter what happens, I would come back to you."
Something about that hurt, deep in his stomach. Malik bit his lip and forced a smile, trying not to think about what it might mean. "I'm glad to hear it." He turned away. "Let's get looking. I don't want to be here any longer than we have to be, alright?"
STGY
"What do you think, Nii-chan?" Shizuka hovered over his shoulder, her hands clasped together. Her auburn hair had been tied up into two pigtails with silky blue ribbons that made her eyes pop. Jou shot her a warm smile that didn't entirely cover up his nervous twitch.
"It'll be alright, Shizuka. If you want to stay here with us, you can. No one is going to make you go," he said gently. "I'll talk to Seto about this and I'll let you know what he thinks. In the meantime, I don't want you to worry about it."
"I know. I'll try not to, but... It's hard." She looked miserable as she toyed with the hem of her blue sundress. "I like living with Kaa-san but I miss you when I'm there. And I feel like I should be here to help protect Yuugi-kun and Yami-san and the others. I can't be a very good guardian if I'm living two hours away." She must have caught the look on Jou's face, because she added determinedly, "And don't even think about telling me to go home just because you think you should be trying to keep me out of danger. I'm meant to be here and you know it."
"Yeah but that doesn't mean I agree with it," Jou replied. He knew that Shizuka was a competent guardian; she'd proven that much on Illusion Island. But she was also his little sister and her safety would always be paramount, no matter what. He tucked the print-out of the e-mail into his pocket and stood up, squeezing her shoulder. "I promise I'll do what I can, okay? I won't try to send you off just because it would be safer. Unless you'd like to change your mind and would consider going willingly, in which case - "
"Never gonna happen," Shizuka said, a tiny smile finally breaking out across her lips. She kissed him on the cheek. "Thanks Nii-chan!" She ran to the door just as Seto walked in and there was nearly a collision. Seto ducked out of the way just in time and Shizuka continued on her way, tossing a quick apology over her shoulder. Jou smiled as Seto raised an eyebrow, but he knew that Seto could see straight through it.
"Something wrong?" Seto asked, walking over to him. He took Jou into his arms without waiting for a response and eagerly guided their lips together. Jou submitted eagerly to the kiss, tilting his face for better access, before he regretfully pulled away when Seto's hands began to wander down to cup his bottom.
"Wait," he said breathlessly, eyes fluttering shut as those long fingers slid underneath his pants and boxers. Bare skin met equally bare skin and he squirmed. "Oh fuck… Seto, I need to talk to you."
"So talk," Seto said with a devious smirk, hands lifting and separating, fingers slipping between. Jou's knees went weak and a ragged gasp escaped him. It wasn't very often that Seto came home early during the week and apparently his lover had some plans for the two of them. He leaned more heavily against Seto, bringing their hips together, and both of them groaned at the pleasant friction that resulted. Pleasure swam through Jou's mind and he brought his hands up, holding onto Seto's suit, torn between hating and loving the way that Seto could overwhelm him so easily even after they'd been together for so long. He kept his head tilted back, eyes trained on Seto's beautiful blue eyes, as one slender finger worked its way inside.
"It's… it's about Shizuka," he managed to gasp out. "My mother is… ah! … back in town and wants her to… oh god… move back home."
Abruptly Seto's exploration stopped. "Are you serious?"
"Yes," Jou said shakily, finally allowing his head to rest against Seto's chest. He felt deliciously rumpled, impaled and unable to move, and it was a struggle to focus. "She sent Shizuka an e-mail this morning. That's what we were talking about."
"Does she want to go back?" Seto asked thoughtfully, not moving either of his hands an inch.
"I don't think so. She said she wanted to stay here with us and keep being a guardian – fuck!" His voice rang up the scale into a high-pitched whine and he wavered, torn between pushing back and squirming forward.
"Hmm. Technically your mother does have the legal right to her, but there is always the chance that something could be worked out." Seto's eyes took on a calculating glint, the look he always wore when he was presented with a problem and he was determined to find a feasible solution that would work to his benefit. The gentle motion of his fingers never stopped, and neither did Jou's whimpering cries. "I'll have one of my lawyers get into contact with her, pup, and see if there is any way that she can be persuaded to let Shizuka stay with us. Try not to worry about it for the time being."
"That's not at all what I'm worried about at the moment," Jou gritted out, head swimming. "Either fuck me, Seto, or knock it off, because I can't take this much longer, you damn tease."
"I'm only a tease if I don't intend to follow through," Seto pointed out with a smirk. "And believe me I definitely intend to follow through." He reaffirmed this statement by lifting his free hand and pulling his puppy into another all consuming kiss, swallowing the next moan that fell from those perfect lips. This time Jou made no effort to pull away.
STGY
"Ha! I win!" Mokuba let out a triumphant crow.
"Not quite," Yuugi grinned as he twisted the controller and used the very last of his character's energy reserves to – yes, there. He watched with satisfaction as Mokuba's character went flying across the television screen and hit the ground opposite. The tinny music used to announce a death started to play and Mokuba groaned, throwing his controller down.
"Between you and Yami, honestly." He shook his head in amusement. "Sometimes I don't know why I keep trying. You guys are impossible to beat."
"Sorry?" Yuugi offered, setting his controller down more gently. "I've always enjoyed playing games. I think it comes from having a grandfather that owns a game shop. I don't mean to win all the time. It just happens." He shrugged sheepishly. Games were the one thing, he felt, that came to him naturally, and it didn't seem to matter what kind of game it was. "We don't have to play anymore if you don't want to. I understand that it's frustrating."
"No, I don't mean to sound bitter. It's giving me good practice. I can beat every kid in my class at this now." Mokuba smirked. "Now they're even more scared of Kaiba Corp than before."
Yuugi laughed. "Then how about another round?"
"I can't. Nii-sama will kill me if he finds out that it's this late and I haven't done my homework yet," he replied. "Of course, he's been busy with Jou ever since he came home this afternoon, so there's a good chance he might not even notice, but I don't want to risk it. Maybe later?"
"Sure," Yuugi said. He got up to switch the box off while Mokuba walked out of the room. Technically, he should've been doing his homework, too, but there was just so much of it. Their teachers had piled on the make-up work. His arms actually ached from hauling home so many books. Just the thought of trying to sort through it all was enough to make cringe, and even just being in classes had been enough to give him a massive headache.
He settled back on the couch and curled up with his knees against his chest, watching a cartoon. He wasn't really sure when he fell asleep, but at some point he woke up when the cushions sank next to him and he was tucked against a warm body. A contented sigh escaped him as the distant jangled throb in his chest finally went silent. "Yami…"
"I'm here, Aibou," Yami murmured in reply, stroking a hand lazily through his hair. "I was helping Malik and Mariku to search through Isis's books for any information on that scroll. We found one or two mentions of it but nothing that would give us a hint as to what it might have been for. We do, however, think it's one of the things that her clan might have been protecting so Malik is going to try to get into contact with her. Maybe she can ask them for help with that as well."
"Mm, sounds like a good plan," Yuugi sighed, nuzzling closer. "I missed you last night."
"I missed you too, little one. Being back in my parent's house was…" Trailing off, Yami shook his head and made a low sound of disgust. "It's not an experience I am anxious to repeat anytime soon, let's put it that way. They couldn't have cared less about me until they found out that you solved the puzzle. Now it's all about wanting to know whether I've contacted the clan to prove that I'm the reincarnated pharaoh so that they can their hands on all of my riches." He sounded suitably disgruntled by the idea.
"Just ignore them, Yami," Yuugi advised, tilting his head up. He pressed a kiss against Yami's lips, loving the way his frustrated darker half slumped against him at the gentle motion. "I bet Seto could have you emancipated or something like that if you couldn't."
"The idea has occurred to me," Yami admitted, resting his head on top of Yuugi's. Yuugi gave a low hum of enjoyment and curled in, snuggling into Yami. He could sleep right here, he realized. It wouldn't be the first time he and Yami had fallen asleep on the couch together and he doubted it would be the last time. He was about suggest it when he paused, realizing that the rhythmic rising and falling of Yami's chest had stopped. Yami's body grew stiff, arm slipping away from around Yuugi's shoulders as he doubled over with a strangled gasp, and Yuugi sat up, suddenly realizing that something was wrong.
"Yami? Yami, what's the matter?" He leaned forward, moving to put a hand on Yami's back. But, much to his horror, his hand went straight through Yami's body, falling limply to the couch beside him. Yami was fading away, his figure becoming more translucent with every passing second. Yuugi's eyes grew wide with horror and he leapt to his feet. "Seto! Something's wrong! Help!" he cried, not daring to leave the room. Even their bond was becoming weaker. "Yami!"
"Aibou…" Yami's voice sounded very far away, distant, like he wasn't actually in the room. His crimson eyes focused weakly on Yuugi's before falling shut as he slipped off of the couch. He never hit the ground.
"YAMI!"
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