A/N: Sorry it's been sooo long. I got busy and then was hit with writer's block and doubt. I've been chipping away at this but found I wasn't too happy with where this has been going. So I've been doing some thinking and I'm going to be steering us down a direction I think is going to be more exciting. This involves bringing in some old characters, remembering POV's of other characters and focusing on not just the romance. A lot of story lines are coming in together and I'm trying to keep it all paced without forgetting one so bare with me haha I think we might nearing a conclusion so I can work on other fics before I get burned out. Til then, updates will still be slow and sporadic.
Yugi's pov
"I've been waiting for this all day." He says huskily, biting and sucking on my lip as he kicks the door closed behind him. His hands are hastily climbing up the inside of my shirt to claw at my bare skin, completely ignoring my jacket I need to take off first. And I love it. How needy he is and desperate to touch and taste. My mind almost goes blank when he slides his tongue in my mouth, exploring thoroughly and claiming me as his own. I feel my knees grow weaker and begin to buckle under his spell but I must fight him. For now anyway. At least long enough to …
I summon my strength to push him against my door and I steal this chance to lock it. He gasps, giving me time to regain a little control and I use it to keep him stunned by raking my fingers through his hair, massaging his scalp as I sniff and nuzzle his exposed neck. His hoarse moan makes my body hot and I want so much to keep pushing him. I know I won't have a lot of control when I finally relinquish it, so I'm going to enjoy this.
"No you haven't." I breathe into his ear hungrily. A single hand slides down his chest, taking his zipper with it. I purposefully make sure to grind my hips against his as my hand releases his jacket fully, letting it fall open to hang off his shoulders. One pull is all I need to make it fall completely.
"You've barely been able to keep your hands off me all day." I continue, nipping at his neck and gliding my tongue up to his jaw. He moans in the same breathless husk I love, muttering something under his breath I can't understand. I've been letting him get away with a lot of Egyptian phrases lately and I want to know exactly what he's saying.
"Use my language, Temmy." I command as I pull him from the door. He melts and glides away with me, letting me walk him and control him as I please. He's captured my lips in a tantalising dance as my hands skillfully slip off his jacket; one of way too many layers. I let him breathe enough for me to remove the Puzzle and the Key he's had snuggling inside his belt as I do he kisses my temples, running his hands along my hips to pull me close to him.
"I said I need you." He whispers, dragging my attention right back to him. Never mind I haven't quite placed them down, never mind we've both yet to even half undress ourselves. He is so hungry for this and my patience is running thin as well.
Hastily I toss the items onto the floor by the desk and his hands are quick to slide off both my jacket and my shirt soon after. He wastes no time pulling my waist into him, dipping me back to lick and suck on my collar bone. My skin prickles under the sudden chill of the room and the intense heat stirring within that his skittering touches encourage. I can feel my control slipping into his territory but I don't know if I'm ready to let it go yet… still… to be at his mercy, to be his meal is divine. I cannot stop the moan that escapes my lips as licks my throat and I can barely stand in his arms now. He takes no chances with me and before I realise it he's swept me off my feet, eliciting a surprised squeak from me as I cling to his neck. He places me on my bed, crawling over me to keep kissing my chest as his hands press and squeeze my abs, my sides, my hips. I arch my back towards him with the overwhelming excitement that courses through me like an electric current. I can barely breathe but it is the most delightful sensation that lasts only a few glorious seconds.
He kisses my ribs and I roll into the warmth of his hands, melting under his heat against the chill of my skin. He runs hot naturally and I may have made him wear too much today, so this contrast is bliss. He is almost burning on my body and he is purring I think from how cold I must be under him.
"Are you cold or just as excited as I am?" He asks me as he crawls back up to my nipples. They're sensitive already and I shudder when he rolls his tongue over one of them. It almost hurts when he squeezes the other but immediately I feel my cheeks tingle and burn with the blush taking over my mind. But I'm not completely at his will yet. Not yet.
"A little of both. You'll need to excite me more before I forget about the cold though." I breathe easily as my hands run down his back, following the curve of his spine and the way his muscles move under his skin. God I love the mental image of his back and his shoulders working to move into me. Watching the muscles in his arms and abs activate and flex when he's above me is hot as fuck let alone thinking about how behind of him works.
He moves down, kissing my ribs again as his fingers slide behind the arch of my spine and I manage to glimpse the way his shoulder blades roll with his body. The heat curling in my stomach grows fierce and the tightness in my jeans is almost unbearable. I want him so badly, I don't even care if he's in control.
"God your gorgeous." I moan to his kisses, closing my eyes and letting my fingers trace his fine contours.
"You can talk." He purrs, kissing lower to my stomach. I have half a mind to disagree with him but just as his hands are I let it slide. They busy themselves with my belt, skillfully freeing my erection but he doesn't touch me yet. Instead he gives me a little blow, teasing me and making me squirm. Its cold and I'm hard and its difficult to maintain. I don't want to go soft in front of him but I don't want him to stop teasing me either.
"Do you have anything in mind?" He asks me, kissing the areas of my thighs as his hands massage my hips and my stomach, reaching for my chest. Honestly? No. My mind is blank and numb and I am totally lost to his touches, to the anticipation of his mouth around my cock. Yes… that's what I want.
"I wa-want … hah!" I say but my words get lost when he bites my inner thigh. He hums in encouragement as his mouth is full and busy. I want to say I want him to suck me dry but I just can't. I am stuck on this feeling of paralysing excitement and I am wishing we were still linked together so he could read my mind like we used to. He must know what I want though. He's just playing with me.
He lets me go and my skin feels cold but that is quickly forgotten as he nuzzles my cock. I moan and groan, rolling my head to the side as he slowly pushes against me,keeping his mouth painfully closed. God, why won't you suck me already!
"Use your words, Yugi." He sings in that beautifully sinful husk of his. I am positively shaking and quickly losing my patience. If he doesn't take me in soon I'm going to make him.
"I want you to suck me. Please. Please take me in your mouth." I whimper and beg, raising my hips to him and hoping he'll do it without any more teasing.
Bastard doesn't though. He smirks and snickers, pushing my hips back down and tracing along my shaft with a single finger. God damn it. I need to be taken or squeezed, or something. Anything but ghosting fingers.
"Hmm...tempting offer. But you didn't say the magic word." He hums in annoying satisfaction. The hell does he mean?!
"I said please." I whine, fighting against his hands again but he's much stronger than me and my erection is not leaving me with much strength.
"Mmm… that's not the magic word though."
Oh fuck.
"Temmy please." I beg loudly, and desperately and in an instant he licks up my shaft, letting his tongue flatten and curve to my contours, all the way up to my head where he lets his lips form around my cock. The wet heat surrounding me almost pushes my limits and it doesn't stop climbing even when I feel his nose on my naval and the back of his throat close around my head. His tongue is massaging me, rolling masterfully and I think… oh my gooooood…. Yes. Ah…
He's rubbing around my entrance, daring to push and succeeding even without lube. It hurts a little but oh my god does it feel good. I cant help but move my hips into him, encouraging more of everything. His fingers are sliding more easily but not deep enough, and his tongue. Oh by the gods his tongue.
He pulls off me and I hear him taking hungry breaths but that's okay. Oh my god, if he didn't pull back I think I'd have came already.
"Where's the lube?" He asks me, keeping his voice low. Lazily I wave to roughly where I think my jacket should be and he gives my head and my hips a little kiss before he leaves.
I watch him undo his belt, slide off his jeans to reveal his godly legs and ass to me. His muscles are slick with sweat, making him almost shimmer in the pink and orange light of the evening. He kneels down and I feel my cock throbbing, begging to be touched again, so I take myself and stroke slowly, squeezing in hope of relieving this pressure. It helps a little but it's his touch I want.
He finds the lube still snug in its paper bag and he smirks upon spying me touching myself. Its embarrassing but I also love that smug, arrogant look in his deep red eyes and the way he licks his lips as he watches. God he's so hot. Maybe I should play with him some more. He seems to like watching me. So I throw my head back, running a hand through my hair and licking my arm as my other hand strokes and pulls. I lift my hips into the hole my hand has formed and moan from the pleasure. I know I'm meant to be teasing him but gods if I don't have any control right now. Pleasuring myself as he watches, knowing he's undoubtedly hot by this is bringing me very close to the edge.
Suddenly I feel the bed shift and I pause in my motions to see him returned, lube in hand watching with intense hunger as I very slowly roll my wrists smoothly. Hes kneeling between my legs, lips parted and his breathing is shaky. His cock is fully hard, standing on its own and dripping with lube. Oh God… I dont want to play any more. I need him to fuck me now.
I don't ask. Instead I wrap my legs around his hips and pull him forward. He lands over me, both his hands flat on the bed beside me before he could fall and I giggle cheekily. His cock runs against mine, sliding and slipping as I grind my hips eagerly towards him.
He giggles with me, capturing my lips in a wet, passionate kiss. I love the way his tongue tames me. I love the taste of him filling me up. I love his scent made stronger with lust. I love his warmth filling my body from his heart to mine. I melt to it all, slowing my movements and just enjoying this moment. I feed moans into his mouth and he hums bliss into mine. God I love him.
He shifts, but he doesn't break our kiss, and as he moves I feel his hand brush against my skin as he takes his cock and positions himself. He slides it against my entrance, letting the lube coat me before he pushes himself in with a surprising amount of ease. This lube stuff is amazing. How easily he fits into me is unreal and it feels incredible. He's barely fingered me and he's burying himself so deep inside with barely any encouragement.
I have to break our kiss to gasp and breathe as he reaches depths I didn't know were possible. Hes very gentle and careful and to be honest, despite liking it rough, this is incredible. He kisses my cheek sweetly, muttering something in Egyptian again and I have half a mind to dismiss it. Almost.
"English." Is a I say for him to nuzzle me.
"This is incredible."
Oh my heart.
"My thoughts exactly." I sigh. We kiss again, deeply and slowly as he pulls out and pushes back in. Our rhythm is slow, but oh so passionate.
"I want to watch you." He whispers, catching me off guard. Watch me? How? What?
Before I can answer he slides his hands under my back, pushes deep inside me and in one surprising and yet smooth motion he rolls us over. If his cock wasn't buried so deeply inside me I'd have been airborne for a second but with some minor adjustments for comfort, I am now seated on his lap, riding him. I'm still close to his chest but I understand now. It's embarrassing like this but I want to do this too. I give him one more kiss before I push myself up. The position pushes him further into me and I can feel him so close to my spot that it help my body move. I roll and grind and gyrate my hips on his cock and I love the moans and sighs escaping his lips. I love how he closes his eyes and furrows his brow in concentration. I love how his fingers knead my thighs and how tense his hips feel. I love how he bites lip and holds his breath if I move a certain way. This is fun. I love this.
I quicken my pace, turning my grinding into little bounces and the moan he fails to catch is thrilling. He cracks open his eyes to watch me, spreading his fingers up my stomach, towards my chest as I bounce on his cock. My own is bouncing too and while I want to grab it to keep it still I am almost lost to how he feels inside me. I let out breathless moans with every fall and I am climbing quicker and quicker to release, more so when he moans and his breath catches, when his hands squeeze my thighs and he throws his head back if I've moved the right way. I know how he likes it now. He likes it when I fall straight down and grind to the left just slightly, but he likes the fall to be hard and the grind back up smooth. Its a little difficult to maintain, my thighs aren't so strong, but he loves it and I want to keep bringing him this pleasure. So I push and focus on maintaining my breathing to keep this rhythm up.
He moans out something and I don't need a translation to gather its meaning. He starts thrusting up into me, helping me as he squeezes my hips to keep me still. My thighs are thankful for the help and I am loving every pound and every thrust he serves me until I can't anymore. Oh my god. I feel the release I can't control spurting from my cock to fall on his chest and a few hard pounds later I feel him freeze, his muscles tense and the choked moan confirms my belief. He's cumming too. I feel his cock throbbing and twitching until finally he breathes and slowly relaxes.
I grind on him slowly, rolling my hips to work out everything he has and he moans with me, letting me soothe him until he's gently trying to stop me. He must be sensitive now, and its kind of fun to watch him squirm but I'll get off him now.
I lift myself off him, letting him slide out if me and immediately I want to lay down but also… being on top of him like this… feeling his muscles beneath my palms is glorious. I've touched him plenty of times but not like this. I've massaged his back, I've let my hands roam but like this I can take in everything. From every ab muscle to his firm pecs, to the smallest hairs trailing at his naval. He is a God. And I just fucked him. Until now he's fucked me but this was my ride and I did this to him. I like this.
No… I love this.
"What are you thinking?" He murmurs, beckoning me toward him. I follow his call, leaning heavily on my arms so our bodies are flat against each other. His heart is beating rapidly and his breathing is sharp still but hes relaxing, coming down from the high I took him too. I nuzzle his nose, push his jaw affectionately and love the way he laughs and smiles with such giddy glee. Gently his fingers brush against my back, tickling my spine but I love the gentle touch. Hes not meaning to tickle me, its just pure affection. I breathe him in and he sighs. I stroke his hair and he purrs. He nuzzles my cheek and my heart soars.
"I love you." The words fall from my lips as easily as breathing. Its not the first time I've told him this but this feels so natural, like breathing. So pure. I feel so close to him right now like we don't even have bodies separating us.
He pulls his head from me just enough to gaze up at me, with the sweetest smile on his lips. There's a world in his eyes I am drawn to. He looks like he's swimming and I want to join him. He is open to me, whole and completely and yet he is such a mystery. What is he thinking?
"What are you thinking?" I ask him and his smile grows. The glint in his eyes sparkle and I can't fight the pull at my own lips. He strokes my cheek with the backs of his fingers and sighs.
"I've come to a realisation." He hums magically. It's like I'm under his spell … and I am so happy.
"Whats that?" I ask him, leaning into his touch.
He moves my hair behind my ear, not that it stays there but he eventually holds it there.
"I would very much like to spend the rest of my life with you." He says softly, almost airily as if he's floating on clouds.
My heart is anything but calm though. I never thought of my life without him, so what is he saying? Don't get hopeful. Your 17, he's 17. Don't run away with this. Relax.
"I-I'd like that too."
He smiles and I noticed the breath he took before he quickly wraps his arms around me in a big, firm hug. I laugh as he nuzzles me, squeezing me in his embrace. I don't know what just happened, but I am not complaining. Whatever he just said, whatever I replied with, he is over the moon and I might not understand the significance of this, but I adore every laugh of his, every affectionate nudge and loving hold. He has given his heart to me and I will cherish him for the rest of my life.
Mariks POV
There. That should have done it.
Pleased and hopeful, I slide out from under the bike and turn the key in the ignition. She roars to life, purring beautifully a loud, smooth rumble like a rolling thunder. I don't hear the rattling anymore and testing the gears only confirms that she is in fact happy now. Good.
"Odion. Call Mr. Shevenkas. His bike is ready." I request happily as I turn her off.
"Right away, Master." Odion says with a slight a bow. A twinge of hurt tickles my nerves but we've been through this many times. I know he is not unhappy… in fact it is only clear to but a few people just how happy he is. Most can misunderstand, but I hear as clear as the day. The subtle inflection in his tone, the faint glint in his eye and the hint of smile upon his lips tells me he is truly at peace with his life. But still…
"Odion you know you can use my name. We're brothers. I'm not your master any more." I say, leaning heavily on one hip as I wipe my hands clean of the grease and oil.
"Yes Master…. I mean. Marik. Force of habit." He says shyly, which is very rare for him, before he leaves the garage.
He is happy. And I am too. Being free of the Millennium Items has done us good. And knowing Yugi and his friends are helping the Pharaoh eases the weight on our shoulders. It concerns me a little what happened a few weeks ago. We haven't heard from them much but if what they say is accurate then the Pharaoh has indeed returned. The tattoo upon my back is meant for him, but he has yet to read it with his knowledge of the language. But … if i understand it then he does not need it. He should already have his memories back. What follows is beyond any of us. Though I did not expect him to get his old body back. That does not sound possible… but then this is the Millennium Items and the ancient magic of the Egyptians. I dont think any of us know truly what to expect.
I felt a presence enter the area and turned casually, expecting Orion but to my surprise I am met with someone else. He is hunched over and leaning heavily on the wall clutching his his head. His white, sandy hair is draped messily over his face but he appears in pain. His clothes are ragged and falling to pieces, his tanned skin looks unwashed and uncared for. This man is in need of medical attention… right.
"Hey there sir, don't worry. I'll get you some help. Odion!" I call out as I race to the man. I need to inspect his injuries but as I get to him he grabs me. His hands grasp at my shoulders and he digs his nails into my skin, leaning heavily on me with weakened knees. The scar over his face is the first thing I notice followed quickly by the lethality in his muted violet eyes. He's Egyptian… but this is small town and I have never seen him before. But his eyes… he screams familiarity. Its like he knows me but I have never met him before. I know this.
"Why?" He asks me. His voice is rasping and hoarse with use, like he's been yelling or screaming or something. I do not understand though.
"Why what? I'm sorry… what do you need? I'll help you." I offer and his glare deepens. His lips curl to a snarl and his fingers are digging into me too much. As much as I want to help him I am not safe like this. He's a threat and I must get him off me. "Sir your hurting me."
"Why do they not listen to me?!" He screams at me. He pushes me over and I fall onto the concrete hard. My head is pounding as blinding pain washes over my skull to my eyes but as I regain focus the man is now straddling me, perfectly blocking out the light above him and reaching down his shirt for something. A weapon maybe? Shit!
"ODION!" I scream as I try to push him off. He is remarkably strong for an injured person though.
I stop resisting when he pulls out something gold. Something so chillingly familiar. Something so … frightening.
I am terrified to see it, let alone to see it in anyone else's hands that's not Yugi's.
The Millennium Rod.
How?
How does he have it? What happened to Yugi and his friends? Who is this man?
"How?" I whisper but I have a million questions.
"Tell me why! The blood of my people, MINE! Will not listen to me!" He screams at me … but there is more than anger here. The tears in his eyes… the desperation… the loneliness. I dont know what the Rod has done to him and I can sense there is danger here but … there's more to this than a mad man who stole the Rod.
In any case I must get the Rod from him and return it to Yugi … which means I must be on this man's side for now.
"The Items choose their masters. If you let me up we can talk about this. Tell me more, tell me how you came across this item and how you found me. Talk to me."
"No." He growls in a dangerously low voice. I dont like this. This just got more lethal. Odion where are you? "You will help me, but not here. Not where you can betray me." He says, grasping my shirt to pull me up to him.
Yugi's POV
Finally I'm finished. God that took forever!
Throwing my pen down I can finally stretch my fingers and lean back, feeling the ache and burn in my spine spread throughout my body in protest. I've been sitting here for hours completing all this homework and copying Tea's notes down for later that I hadn't realised how much I was hunched over for.
"Finished?" Atem's soft, smooth voice asks from the couch behind me. I look over to him to gaze upon the hopeful spark in his eyes and apprehension clear in his posture. For as long as I've been working he's been sitting comfortably behind me doing whatever it is on my laptop, all curled up in soft blankets. He's so cute. As strong a person as he is it's pretty adorable to see him so vulnerable to something as simple as cold. He wasn't this affected by winter last year, or the year before that… but it seems with this body… with his body … he's truly his own person.
"Yes, finally. Until tomorrow anyway. I finished copying Tea's notes and today's homework but I still have an assignment to finish and entrance exams papers to prepare for. But that can wait for tomorrow." I say happily, laying back on the floor to stretch out wide. My spine hurts to lay flat but I know it's better I push through this pain or it'll get worse. Only reason it's this bad is because of my posture. I'll have a shower soon I think… maybe. Maybe I'll just go cuddle with Atem instead.
"Come here." He says softly, gently closing my laptop and making room for me to come snuggle with him; and like that my decision is made for me. I hastily roll over and jump on the opportunity to climb under the blanket beside him, snuggling in nice and close it's almost invasive. I don't care though and his chuckle is to die for. He's like a furnace under here and I've gone hours now without a cuddle. Greedily I wrap my arms around his waist and nuzzle against his chest into his neck.
"You are so warm." I purr happily. His hands curl around my arm and I feel his head rest atop mine as a pleasant hum vibrates in his throat.
"You're so cute." He says back to me quietly...but he's awful pleased with himself. How dare he call me cute? I keep telling him to stop.
"You can talk Mr. All-rugged-up." I pout, playfully tugging at the sweatpants he's wearing too. I like being warm but how is he in sweatpants, a jumper, under this blanket and with the heater on?
"If it's cute enjoy the warmth then so be it. I am cute." He says confidently… but… no he wasn't supposed to agree with me on that. What?
"Well… good." I said in a desperate attempt to sound tough. That's not fair, I wanted to win that. Oh well. "Have fun on the laptop?"
"I figured out how to search things on the internet if that's what your asking." He says smugly. I wonder what kind of stuff he'd look for though. Any time he's asked to look up something its been about his past, to which we found nothing except the era. He hasn't expressed an interest in it until now.
"What did you look up?"
"Hmmm… various things. Tried to look up anything to with the new cards that are coming but save for a few rumoured leaks I couldn't find anything of use."
The new cards. Right. I'll be able to select some soon to use in my match with Kaiba. I have no idea what they'll be but knowing Kaiba he'll use dragons. The only reason why I know there'll be dragon cards is cause if there weren't, he'd use his blue eyes deck. If there are dragons there should be spell casters for me. But perhaps that would be too predictable.
"I should be able to see what they are soon. I expect Kaiba will give me a few days to look through them before the match."
"You should. Mokuba called earlier today and told us that on the weekend you'll receive a booklet with all of the cards inside it. You can look through them from there and on the day form your deck." He explains. But if he knows I'll get to look at them on the weekend…
"So why are you looking them up now?"
"Interest. Curiosity. I was always the first to know everything, its unnerving knowing that we are so close to preparing but just out of reach."
I have to laugh because that is so him. It must be hard not being a Pharaoh anymore and being first in line to be told whats what.
"Yugi." Grandpa announces by the arch. "Call for you."
I wonder who that could be. I leave Atem with a small kiss on his cheek and bounce off to the phone. Its 8:30 so it could still be one of the gang but I don't know. Grandpa would have said wouldn't he?
"Hello?" I ask politely and in no time at all I am greeted by a rushed, frantic woman's voice. I know this voice though… Ishizu?
~Yugi! Thank the gods are you alright?~
"I'm fine, what's up? Are you okay?"
"No. Yugi. Mariks been kidnapped. By a man we don't know. We can't go to the police because of what we've seen in the footage but Yugi… this man had the Millennium Rod. The Rod Marik gave to you. What is happening? Do you still have the Rod?"
Shit.
I didn't tell her. I was hoping to get this back and sorted before having to, but now Mariks been kidnapped? But what would Bakura want with him?
"I'm sorry but no. Ishizu I have a lot to explain."
Atem's POV
He's been gone a while. I wonder how long he'll be and if everything is okay. Well I suppose if he's going to be a while I can keep researching.
Alright, sliding the laptop comfortably back to me I navigate back to the page I was looking at. Figuring out how to use the internet wasn't difficult but considering how much information is out there its a little … disheartening to say the least concerning the laws of this country. Not that my country was much better but a lot of other countries seems to have grown a little bit further than Japan. Its hard enough securing my own identity here, let alone proving who I am to other countries too. And not everything is accepted everywhere. This is a lot more complicated than I thought it would be.
"So I was thinking." Mr. Moto announces with a fresh hot chocolate for me. It smells nice and I gratefully take it from him. I have to admit, even if I don't like too much sweetness he can sure make a nice hot drink. "Have you thought about returning to Egypt?"
I stare at him, frozen in place with my lips pursed to blow my drink. A chill tickles my skin despite the heat all around me as a hundred questions explode in my mind. Why is he asking? Does he want me to leave? Does he think I want to? Am I intruding? If he thinks these things, then what of Yugi? Does he think ill take him from him? Does he want me to? What if he doesn't approve of us. What if he's hoping I'll return home and leave Yugi here with him. What if I didn't. Would he approve? I just … why is he asking?
"I … haven't really given it that much thought. It would be nice to see my country again but there has been quite a lot going on here. Besides that I cannot just yet. Not without identity, or the money for a plane ticket."
He grimaces and nods from his comfortable place in his chair but I don't know what to make of it. Would it be rude of me to ask?
"If I may ask, what provoked this question?" I ask nervously. Just… please don't tell me you want me to leave.
"Yugi is talking to Ishizu Ishtar. She sounded upset. It made me wonder if you longed for home." He answers easily with a tired shrug.
Could it be that simple? Am I worrying over nothing again?
"It would be a lie to say I did not. Especially with this cold season." I try my hand at a joke and he laughs heartily to my relief. I must be overreacting. "But it is not high on my priority list right now."
Did he say Yugi was talking to Ishizu? And she was upset? "Do you know what is wrong with Ishizu?"
"I don't. She sounded impatient though. She does know about the Items missing does she not? Does she know about you?" He asks. Thats a good question. I remember all of us talking about it ages ago but I don't know if Yugi actually told them.
"I … don't know actually. So much has happened so quickly."
"It would be good for them to know, but I suspect Yugi will be explaining to them now."
He sounds tense. Like there's something he wants to say. He is unsure though. I know his tone of voice from Shimon, but unlike Shimon he is hesitating to speak his mind. Very unlike him.
"Are you alright?" I ask him pointedly and he smiles to himself because he knows he's been found out.
"I am. I just … you are right. Much has happened so quickly. And it doesn't look to be slowing down soon. Yugi has his duel with Kaiba to save his life, you have yours soon after to secure your future and Bakura is still free searching for a way to steal the Millennium Puzzle and hurt you. Beyond that Yugi has his entrance exams soon and with everything going on I worry for the future he fears he won't have. I just … I wonder if the answer to his safety, lies in Egypt. Perhaps if the Puzzle is taken from him he might be safe. If the Ishtars might bury them, or store them away … then maybe our lives might be safer. His life would be safer."
I understand his concern. I am afraid it is not quite so simple as that but I do share his sentiment. If protecting him was something as simple as returning the Items to Egypt or keeping them away from Bakura I would have done it already. But right now, we can't find him and if we could we have no plan on how to separate him from the remaining Items. We have the Key and Puzzle … hardly enough to fight him with.
"Rest assured if protecting Yugi means to abandon the Items and to secure them somewhere Bakura cannot get his hands on them then I will not hesitate. Yugi's safety and well being is my top priority. I vow this to you." I say in all earnestly but his bellowing chuckle makes me uneasy. Have I misread him?
"Come now boy, there's no need to be so serious. You are young and need to be taken care of just as much as Yugi. You neednt vow to take any drastic measures. These are just the musings of an old man." He says kindly and my heart warms to them. Young… hmm.
I smile warmly at the sentiment, wrapping myself around those words in fear ill never hear them again. The only other person to have ever called me young was Shimon, but back in those days I was. Today I am 5000 years old; by comparison Solomon Moto is the young one between us and I would never expect any one else to ever call me young. It is… surprisingly nice to hear.
"If we are talking musings of an old man then you are much too early. When you get to my age then we may talk further on the matter." I say and he laughs more.
"Oh my boy. When I reach your age I shall enjoy meeting this Shimon character I have heard so much about. After all, if he can tame a restless, stubborn, irritated Pharaoh then I believe he and I will get along quite nicely." He says, chuckling to my dismay. I am never going to live that down.
… Some time later...
"We used to …" I trail off when Yugi comes back. His head is down and he looks tired and troubled. He's been talking with Ishizu for a couple of hours now; so long that Mr. Moto and I have been talking about Egypt and what it was like then compared to now. But those stories can wait. Looks like Yugi needs us.
"Is everything alright?" Mr. Moto asks him. He knows its not, but its enough to address the issue.
"Bakura kidnapped Marik." He says stiffly. He isn't tired. He's angry. Furious even and he's doing everything he can to keep himself cool. It's obvious now. The way his eyes are cast down. The way his fists are balled. The pink in his cheeks are both from tears and frustration. I understand. Mariks been kidnapped. It is one thing to attack us, to attack those here in order to get to us… but Marik? He no longer has a connection to the Items and no longer needs to guard my tomb… so why take such a cowardly action as to target him and the Ishtars. This fued… Bakura has gone too far.