Important Story Note
I highly recommend going back and re-reading the entire story before continuing with this long-awaited new chapter, as many major changes have been made.
April 2018: This story was previously titled Blood on the Moon. It has undergone major, heavy editing... The story is now in 3rd person, something I think many readers prefer; this will also allow me to write more about what is going on outside of Téa's POV. The 3rd person overhaul took a long time, as I have not updated in 3 years. Much of the tone of the story has been rewritten to fit the serious dramatic mood of the plot, many parts have been added or changed, and the present tense was changed to past tense. Also, I have changed Anzu's name to her English one, Téa. Almost every other character is called by their English name, and I realized Téa Gardner was a bit out of place; hopefully this doesn't bother any of you too much. Finally, I also decided to rename this story. I never really cared for Blood on the Moon, and I felt it sounded too much like one of my other stories, Once in a Full Moon.
If anyone is still out there, please drop a line?
Summary: When Marik begins stalking Téa and ruining her life, Ryou Bakura offers up his home. He wants her safe at any cost, but Ryou is continuously plagued with illnesses. Téa finds herself left with only Yami Bakura for protection, but the tomb robber is far from anyone's savior. As Marik's attacks grow worse, Téa finds that not everything is as it seems...
Sanctuary
By: Chi Yagami
Something smelled good.
Téa woke to the sounds of monitors beeping, doctors shouting, and footsteps echoing down the hallways. She blearily gazed at the clock mounted on the opposite wall. 6:24 AM. So early… She wanted to just tuck back in under the blanket and sleep, but instead she closed her eyes and stretched slightly, her feet kicking the arm of the sofa. Huh? Since when had she fallen asleep curled up on the couch?
Oh right. She had fallen asleep out here last night with Bakura. Where had he gone? Téa sat up groggily, and something slid off her legs and fell to the floor.
Bakura's black trench coat?
She picked up the coat and stared at it. Téa had sleepily thought it was a blanket, but no, it was definitely the coat Bakura had been wearing yesterday. He must have draped it over her sometime last night after she was asleep. Blushing at the thought of Bakura actually doing something nice for her, Téa slipped it on.
She breathed in deeply and smiled. It smelled spicy, vaguely familiar, and so, so good. Cinnamon was the first thing that came to mind, but somehow, Téa didn't think that was quite right. She wondered if Bakura used a scented detergent. Hmm. No, that couldn't be it; Ryou did all of the laundry, and Téa seen the detergent in the basement. Definitely not the detergent. Gah, whatever it was, it was driving her senses mad. The nurses must think she was crazy, sitting here sniffing a coat.
Thankfully, as she left the couch and head back to Ryou's room, the coat wasn't dragging on the floor. For the most part, members of the staff ignored her; a few nurses glanced her way and stared, and Téa had to assume it was the ridiculous overcoat. It was June, so most people wouldn't have on a trench coat anyway, but she was glad Bakura had worn it, as the hospital was fairly cold.
The friendly nurse from yesterday was in the room when she got there. The woman informed Téa that Ryou should regain consciousness today or tomorrow but that he wouldn't be released until his stitches were removed in about a week. Téa didn't know how she would make time to walk back and forth from the hospital to dance class… she supposed she could ask to borrow Ryou's car; Kaiba had ordered it towed from the beach to the hospital yesterday. Téa was glad that he had dealt with all of the police reports, and that her friends had given enough statements so that she didn't have to do anything.
Bakura wasn't in the hospital room, so she could only guess he was probably in the bathroom or somewhere. She needed to use one too, and get something to eat. Before leaving, Téa paused next to Ryou's sleeping form.
"Feel better soon," she whispered, brushing a lock of hair away from his face.
Her stomach growled loudly then, so she gave Ryou's hand a squeeze before grabbing her wallet from the big tote and heading off to the bathroom. Once Téa finished there, she headed off to the downstairs main lobby. There had to be a cafe down there, or possibly even a full cafeteria. She took the elevator down to the first floor. The machine was quiet, and she briefly recalled how one of her last elevator rides had ended in assault. But she reached the lobby with no troubles at all. Cafe, cafe, cafe… there!
The lobby atrium was large, with a high glass ceiling. The entrance here was mostly used for visitors of long-term patients, while the emergency room was on the other side of the building. So the open space wasn't too noisy, just chatter here and there along with the bubbling of the center fountain. There was the gift shop near the entrance doors, and next to that… the cafe!
Oh good, they'd been open since six. She was going to be disappointed if they weren't open yet, or she would feel bad ordering if they'd barely just started for the day. They had a sizable amount of coffee selections, a few teas, and several packaged breads. Téa ended up buying two of the breads, a small black coffee, and a small green tea. The bread would have to do for now, though she would need some real food later.
Téa tucked the bread and her wallet into the large pockets of the coat while she carried the drinks. It was a bit challenging to press the elevator buttons with her elbows, but she managed in the end. As soon as she had stepped off the elevator, Téa heard Bakura calling for her.
"Gardner, there you are," he grumbled, striding over. "I get up for one second and come back to find you've disappeared…" He huffed in annoyance.
"Oh, I didn't mean to worry you," the girl replied, smiling.
"But I wasn't–"
"Here," she interrupted, holding out the coffee. "I got you some bread too."
Stunned, Bakura gingerly took the coffee, his fingers sliding over hers. Once her hand was free, she dug through the right pocket and fished out one of the packages. Téa held that out for him as well, but he simply stared at her. His mouth was drawn is a tight line that was hard to read.
"What?" she asked. "I just got you a plain one, since I wasn't sure which kind you'd prefer."
"You're wearing my jacket," he said simply.
"Yes," Téa replied, shaking the bread slightly so he would take it. He didn't. He was still looking at the jacket.
"Oh, do you want it back?" she asked anxiously. He probably didn't want her sullying his coat with her mortal cooties or something. Or maybe he was just cold.
Bakura didn't respond, but his cheeks appeared slightly flushed. Raising an eyebrow, Téa once again nudged the bread packet in his direction. "If you want me to take it off, I have to free up my hands, you know."
Bakura blinked out of his stupor and finally acknowledged the food. Snatching it from her hand, he turned and headed back into Ryou's room. "Don't ruin it," was all he muttered, busying himself by sitting and messing with the package. She rolled her eyes.
They ate and drank in silence after that, although it was not completely uncomfortable. Seeing as Bakura wasn't up for idle chitchat, Téa took this time to think about how she was going to juggle hospital visits, dance class, and other things. She would have to go home tonight for a shower, change of clothes, and to prepare her dance bag. Téa knew it was a silly thought, but she was afraid to leave Ryou alone. If she went home, she would just feel that she was getting off easily while Ryou was suffering in a hospital ward. And what if Marik came back to kill him? Well, if that happened, it wouldn't matter if she was here or somewhere else. Marik would do whatever he felt like. However, Téa still felt it would be better for everyone if she left Domino and went somewhere else. Then Marik would follow her and leave her friends and everyone else alone.
As for class, Téa decided to just bite the bullet and ask Ryou if she could borrow the car, even if it was a huge favor. Hopefully he woke up today… since she had to be there tomorrow. The class was Tuesday through Thursday, from 9am to 4pm. Afterward, she could stop at the hospital to check in on Ryou, and then go home at night. She couldn't keep sleeping on the hospital couch. Bakura also needed proper sleep; maybe she could persuade him to come home, too.
Bakura stood up suddenly and quickly left the room with no explanation, but Téa could tell he was heading off towards the bathrooms. She glanced across Ryou's bed at the door opposite her. Why didn't he just use the one attached to Ryou's room? Was he embarrassed about going to the bathroom in front of her? Téa giggled slightly.
She stretched and stood, throwing away her breakfast trash. Ryou looked no better today than yesterday. Téa frowned; this was all her fault… She ran a hand through her friend's hair gently. Poor, innocent Ryou. He would have these scars forever, all because of her.
"Oh Ryou," she cooed softly, brushing a finger across his cheek.
"Téa…"
She yanked her hand back, startled. He had just said her name! It was a bit of a whisper, but he had certainly said it! "Yes, I'm here," she told him happily. "I'm right here!"
He slowly opens his eyes, blinking a few times to focus. Téa was so relieved that he was finally awake! "Hey," he said in a tired voice, finding her eyes. Then he blinked more seriously and glanced around. "Umm, where am I?"
"You're at the hospital," Téa replied, biting her lip. "Do you remember anything…?"
He peered around thoughtfully before looking down and catching sight of his bandaged arm. "Oh my god. Téa, what happened to me?!"
It took a while to recount the events of the past few days to Ryou. He listened with rapt attention and wide eyes. Unfortunately, he didn't remember much about the attack, only that someone one hit him in the head from the side. Téa sighed. So he wouldn't be helpful in telling the police who the attacker was. Not like she needed any proof it was Marik Ishtar, but the cops apparently did... assuming, of course, they weren't already Mind Slaves.
"So I have to stay here another week?" Ryou disappointingly asked the nurse after she had come to check on him now that he was awake and talking. She nodded.
"What a bummer," he replied, sinking back into the pillows. "Téa, your dance review starts tomorrow, right? You're going to home and rest, aren't you?"
"Oh, well, I was just so worried about you…"
"Take my car, too! That way you don't have to walk everywhere," he said, grinning. "And of course you can use it to drive here; I want to hear all about your class whenever you have the time to visit!"
"Oh Ryou," she murmured, so lucky to have a friend like him. "I'll come visit you every day!" Téa leaned over and hug him gently. "You're the best," she whispered.
He let out a sigh. "I know," he replied quietly with a hollow laugh that turned to coughing. Téa waited for him to catch his breath before continuing.
"I'll tell the others to come visit too," she exclaimed, pulling away and sitting in a chair.
Ryou nodded. Then, he looked at her rather curiously and pointed. "Is that a new jacket? It looks like Bakura's black one."
"Oh," she replied, her face turning pink. She had forgotten she was wearing it! "Umm, it is Bakura's jacket."
"He let you borrow it?" Ryou asked.
And there it was again, that tone in his voice… just like the other day when he had asked if she had invited Bakura to the beach. Perhaps Ryou was just suspicious of things relating to Bakura; the spirit was fairly unpredictable these days. Well, I suppose he's not a spirit any longer, she mused. Remembering her conversation with Bakura about not ruining his reputation, Téa decided to do something impulsive. She lied.
"Oh, no, I got cold so I just took it," she stated. Now Bakura couldn't accuse her of painting him as a do-gooder who gave his jacket to women. Besides, just taking the coat was something she would do. Especially now that she knew how good it smelled.
"Where is Bakura?" Ryou inquired, looking around for the tomb robber.
"I don't know," Téa responded. "He got up a while ago and hasn't returned–"
The door opened as if on cue, and Bakura strolled in. Speak of the devil himself…
"Ah, so the weakling is awake," he barked, closing the door and sneering at Ryou. "Took you long enough."
Ryou sunk into his pillows. "Sorry…"
"Hurry up and get well so I don't have to come here anymore," Bakura lectured. "These mortals are complete morons when it comes to medicine–"
"Take all the time you need, Ryou," Téa interrupted with a smile. "We'll visit every day, right, Bakura?"
The tomb robber merely sneered again and turned away.
Téa chatted with Ryou for several more hours until the afternoon arrived. Bakura stood in the corner, occasionally making snide remarks about Ryou's health, Téa's stupidity, and their friends in general. They usually ignored these little outbursts from the Egyptian, which only seemed to piss him off further. Around four o'clock in the afternoon, Ryou was quite tired after all the conversations, and the nurse who came in to check on him advised the guests to let him rest. Téa promised to visit tomorrow after dance and bring him a change of clothes and some crossword magazines or something for him to do. Ryou smiled and gave her the keys to his Honda.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she promised, hugging him once more. Téa turned to find Bakura sulking in one of the chairs. She wasn't sure what he was going to do, but she doubted he wanted to spend more time alone with her. Shrugging, Téa removed his coat and handed it back to him. "Sorry for borrowing it," she said, smiling softly.
Looking confused, Bakura took the coat from her hand. As she left, Téa could feel the gazes of both boys on her back. She doubted Bakura would stand guard over Ryou all night, but she wanted to give them some alone time in case they needed to talk. Preposterous, considering it was, well, Bakura, but lately, who knew?
The two white-haired men stared at each other without saying anything for a long time. Well, Ryou stared, but it was more of a glare on Bakura's part. Finally, Ryou was the first to speak.
"You're... umm, not going to stay here with me, are you?" he asked uncertainly. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. Was he safer with Bakura nearby, or without?
"I inhabited your body for two years and tried to dispose of you any chance I could. Do you really need to ask such stupid questions?" the tomb robber growled.
Ryou blushed and mumbled an apology that was routinely ignored. His eyes slid back to Bakura after a moment. "What about Téa?"
He saw Bakura tense ever so slightly. "What about her?"
"Aren't you going to follow her?" Ryou pressed. As much as he didn't want them spending time alone together, it was unavoidable until he was released from the hospital. "Marik's out there looking to kill her; she needs protection!"
The spirit grunted. "And how, exactly, is that my problem?" He was pointedly avoiding Ryou's eyes.
"Because I–!" the frail boy faltered, blushing heavily. "Téa is a wonderful, sweet person who just tries to be nice to you time after time. She lives with us and is a part of our lives now. I really care about her, so can you just do this favor for me one time?" He stopped to get a breath, looking the spirit dead in the eyes. "I know you don't hate her as much as you want her to think. So just go after her already!" The last part came out harsher than Ryou intended, but he couldn't help it. Here he was, injured and trapped in a hospital bed, unable to watch over the girl he cared so much about. He hated that Bakura got to spend so much time with Téa. He hated that Bakura took it for granted, that Bakura didn't deserve it, that Bakura would likely manipulate Téa's kindness and hurt her. And Ryou hated that he couldn't be around to prevent it.
Bakura, meanwhile, was infuriated. How dare that little pipsqueak raise his voice? And to tell him to go protect Gardner? One, Bakura didn't protect anyone; if anything, people needed protection from him. Two, Téa Gardner was high on his list of "Stay Away From" and that wasn't changing any time soon.
And for Ryou to suggest that he... That Bakura might actually tolerate the maddening woman... If Ryou wasn't possibly so messed up from the medications, Bakura would simply have to take him seriously and kill him. Thief King Bakura cared for no one. He'd kill anyone who stood in his way, and the only reason he hadn't killed anyone recently was because he had to figure out how to kill Shadi first.
Or at least that was what he kept telling himself.
"You had better be thankful that you're in a hospital," he hissed at Ryou, who flinched at the deadly tone. "I should kill you right now for all that bullshit you just spat. However, you aren't worth my time. And neither is the she-demon," he added for good measure. "She could drop dead for all I care."
A haunted expression crossed his face at these words, but Bakura wasn't aware. And what he wasn't aware of, he couldn't hide from the other boy in the room.
"However, I refuse to stay here with you," he bellowed, shoving his arms into his jacket. "Don't expect me to visit, either!"
The tomb robber threw one last murderous glance at Ryou, before he stormed out of the room.
Ryou stared after him, jealousy and contempt burning in his eyes.
. . .
The next few days went by in a blur for Téa. As much as she reveled being on the dance floor once again, with the wood flooring under her feet, walls lined with mirrors and barres, and the smell of rosin powder in the air.. she discovered that her body was terribly out of shape, and overall, she was completely out of practice.
She had felt the other girls' gazes several times throughout the workouts, but Téa had tried to block them out. She had pushed through the routines and the pain, though even her teacher seemed to be watching carefully. Téa knew there would be a written report from this prep class mailed to the Osaka Ballet Academy before her audition. She couldn't afford to be out of practice.
She had mustered up enough energy to swing by the hospital on the way home to drop off a few things for Ryou, but he quickly sent her away after seeing her state of pure exhaustion. Even Bakura seemed to notice she wasn't in the mood for their usual arguments, begrudgingly making his own dinner after she passed out on her bed still in her day clothes.
The following two days had gone by similarly, though Téa's muscles ached twice as much. Her feet had blisters from the toe shoes, and everything was just so sore. She was so relieved when Thursday's practice came to end, for it meant that she had four days to recover before going back to class.
Téa had planned to visit the hospital for a long time today, but it had started to rain, and honestly, she just wanted to go home and rest for a while. A few of the other girls had invited her out for dinner, but she had declined. She made her visit to the hospital a short one, as the rain was picking up. She talked to Ryou until it was time to change his bandages, and then she drove home. Once inside, she didn't even bother changing before she laid down on the couch to watch television. The evening news had barely started though, before she fell asleep.
She woke up several hours later, past dinnertime. Feeling dirty in her dance clothes and dried sweat, Téa quickly showered. Her stomach was growling loudly, so after she was all nice and clean, she began to think about food. It was only then that she realized the tomb robber wasn't home.
Bakura really shouldn't have been out wandering around in such weather. The rain was lashing against the windows in droves, and the weatherman on TV had said there was a chance Domino would feel up to typhoon-force winds tonight. Téa knew she shouldn't feel so concerned about him after yet another argument last night (about the radio, of all things), but she couldn't deny that she felt safer having him around.
It had been four days since Ryou awoke in the hospital, and his condition was steadily improving. Today when Téa had dropped by to visit, he had told her the doctors were even thinking of letting him out early if his health kept improving as quickly as it was. Such wonderful news! It made her very happy to know he was doing well. Despite what must have been boring stories to him, Ryou of course made her describe everything that happened at dance class, even though the third day was really no different than the first two. Tomorrow was Friday, and Téa didn't have any class, so she could visit Ryou around lunchtime and then maybe go grocery shopping after. She and Bakura were running low on food in the house.
She was cooking the last of the noodles for dinner, along with most of the tempura. Téa hoped Bakura was in a good enough mood to eat with no complaints when he got home. Though if he wasn't, she could always save the leftovers for tomorrow. She hadn't seen him at all today, and she wondered if he was avoiding her due to their fight last night. How such a trivial argument over the radio station had escalated into a full-blown shouting match, she couldn't even remember. It seemed so ridiculous now.
The phone rang, the shrill noise cutting through the silent house. Turning the stove heat to low, Téa hurried over and glanced at the caller ID. Hmm, that was odd. There was no name or number listed, not even a 'number not available' message. It was just blank. Probably a salesman, she thought, but on the off chance it was Bakura using a payphone somewhere after getting into trouble… She quickly answered, shoving the phone to her ear and greeting the receiver.
"Hello?"
For a minute, no one responded. "Hello?" she repeated, wondering if this was one of those spam calling machines that left a message after detecting a voice. When no message played, Téa started to suspect it was a prank call.
Then she heard it. Someone was breathing into the receiver on the other end.
"Erm, hello? Is someone there?"
More breathing. This was seriously starting to creep her out. "Bakura, if that's you on the other end, just tell me where you are and I'll come pick you up," she finally fussed, frustrated with the lack of response.
"So you're alone."
She clutched the phone tightly. Marik's rasping voice had scared the shit out of her, but thankfully Téa managed not to scream. Damn, why did it have to be him?!
"Leave me alone, you creep!" she screeched, immediately ending the call and practically throwing the phone back onto its charger.
Not a moment later, the phone rang again. The caller ID was blank.
She didn't dare answer, and instead Téa tried to focus on finishing making dinner. It was a little hard to concentrate though when the voicemail machine kicked in, and Marik's heavy breathing once again filled her ears.
"Téa, I know you're there. Just answer the phone."
No way in hell was she touching that phone, except to call the police. As soon as she had decided just that, however, a large flash of lightning and booming thunder caused her to jump. And then the lights went out.
The electricity went out, to be more specific. Marik's breathy voicemail was cut off, and Téa was thrust into the darkness of the kitchen. Only the brief flashes of lightning offered any help in navigating around the house. She quickly turned off the burner, dinner all but forgotten for the moment. The fact that Marik was making creepy calls and that the power went out were too much to all be a coincidence. Entering Ryou and Bakura's bedroom, Téa hastily snatched the baseball bat she had once threatened Bakura with and held it close.
Loud banging on the front door had her almost shrieking in terror. Keeping her voice down so Marik couldn't hear her, Téa let out a terrified squeak before peering around the bedroom door, down the hall, and into the living room. The pounding continued.
There was a slim chance it could be someone other than Marik… but it was very slim. Bakura had a key, and no one else would try to visit in such a storm. Yugi had texted her earlier today to ask how Ryou was doing, but nothing in his texts suggested that he or Yami would be dropping by to check on her. Téa gripped the bat securely and entered the living room, standing warily behind the couch. The banging stopped, and she could hear someone shouting.
"Damn it, woman, open the door!"
Bakura!
She dashed over and unlocked the front door, throwing it open. Sure enough, Bakura was standing there, soaked to the bone with his fist raised as if he was ready to go back to pounding on the door again. She had never been so relieved to see him.
"Fucking finally," he swore, storming past Téa into the house. She quickly closed the door and relocked it. He headed straight for the bathroom, grabbing a towel and proceeding to dry off. He noticed that Téa had followed him. "What's with the bat?" he asked.
Realizing that she was still clutching it, Téa quickly propped the bat up against the wall. "Well, you were gone, and the power went out, and Marik was leaving creepy messages on the phone, so I just grabbed it… You scared the crap out of me! I thought you had a key?!"
"Left it in my other pants," he muttered, stripping himself of his wet jacket and shirt. He left the bathroom, still toweling his hair, and headed for the bedroom. Téa followed, not liking the way shadows from the trees bounced off the walls every time lightning flashed outside.
"I thought you were Marik," she explained quietly, even though he hadn't asked why she hadn't let him in right away. He grunted in response, digging through the dresser for pajama bottoms. Téa blushed and exited the room as he took off his pants.
Going back to the kitchen, she proceeded to put the uncooked dinner in the refrigerator; she was a bit too shaken up to keep cooking. Téa didn't know if Bakura was hungry, but he could just make something himself. Now that he was home, perhaps she could relax a bit and maybe even go to bed; that nap seemed ages ago. Class had been extra tiring today since her muscles hadn't had a chance to recover, and all Téa wanted to do right now was crawl under her comforter.
Poking her head back into his room, she could see that Bakura had slipped into his pj pants, but he was still lacking a shirt. Hearing movement outside his room, he looked up. "Uh, I'm heading to bed now," Téa said, grabbing the bat from next to the bathroom and returning it to him. "I didn't get to finish making dinner or anything, but I'm sure there are snacks in the pantry if you are hungry. Hopefully the power comes back on soon." Bakura said nothing, so she turned to go to her own room.
"Don't worry about Marik," he grumbled. "My Ring…" He trailed off, decidedly not looking at her.
Téa smiled. "Thank you." And then she slipped off to her own room, changing into pjs and crawling under the warm blankets. She was asleep in a matter of minutes.
. . .
Red... There was red everywhere. Téa knelt down and picked one up. She rubbed the rose petal between her finger pads. As she did so, the petal melted, covered her hand in its red juices.
No, not juice. Blood.
She saw that the other petals scattered about were blood, too. Then she heard the laughing, detached and cold. Where had she heard that voice before?
Suddenly she was drowning, and when she tried to swim, she realized it was blood and not water. She tried to scream for help, but all that escaped from her lips was more blood. She coughed and flailed her arms around, finally letting out the screams she'd been trying to voice.
A loud banging sound had her jolting out of bed, the screams still coming out of her mouth. She then shrieked as she fell out of bed in a tangled mess of blankets, shielding her eyes when the light flipped on.
"What the fuck is going on?" Bakura's threatening voice demanded to know. "You were screaming like a demon from hell." He snorted. "Trust me, I would know."
Still a bit delirious, Téa tried to glare at him, but she was unsure of which direction to face. Then the nightmare came flooding back, and she whimpered. She clutched her blanket and tucked her hands under her legs, burying her face into them as the tears fell.
Bakura stood awkwardly in the doorway, unsure of what exactly had happened. Téa sniffled as she unraveled herself and put the blanket back on the bed. How embarrassing. A roll of thunder outside caused her to jump.
"I'm sorry," she sobbed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "I-I didn't mean to wake y-you…"
She noticed that he was holding the bat, and he moved to place it against her desk before approaching the bed. "I wasn't asleep," he muttered, looking over her tear-stained cheeks. "Were you having a nightmare?"
Highly embarrassed, she nodded slightly, jumping again at the sound of nearby thunder. Bakura noticed this and chuckled. "You're such a wimp," he said, but it lacked his usual bite. "I told you, my Ring will sense Marik if he even enters the vicinity. So stop worrying and get some sleep." He spun on his heel to leave and return to his own bedroom.
Téa leaned forward, catching his wrist in her hand. She flinched under his glare but refused to release his wrist. "Can't you stay with me for a bit?" she pleaded, trying not to whimper too much at another loud round of thunder. She knew she must look terribly pathetic, but that dream had scared her shitless.
He sighed again, scratching the back of his neck with his other hand. Just when Téa started to wonder if she was pushing her luck, Bakura turned back to her, hesitant. Hoping that he was in one of his better moods (or at least one where he wouldn't rip her head off), she tugged gently on his wrist that she was still grasping. He tentatively sat on the edge of the bed. Téa smiled gratefully and released his hand, attempting to snuggle back under the covers.
The wind howled particularly loudly, and something scratched against the glass of the window.
Téa scrambled out from underneath the covers and clung to Bakura fearfully, her fingers digging into his skin. It was only then that she noticed he was still shirtless.
"Calm down," he scolded gruffly.
"But it could be Marik!" she squeaked. The curtains had been drawn tight earlier so that she wouldn't have to see any creepy shadows. For all she knew, Marik could be outside the room right now!
Bakura's hand came to rest on her hip. "I thought I told you–"
She leaned into his arm as more thunder roared and that terrifying scratching against the window tore through the room. "I know what you said but what if he's out there?! What if he can get around undetected?! Like, if he left his Millennium Rod at home!"
"Even if he's not carrying the Rod, which I seriously doubt, I'd still be able to sense a presence outside," Bakura informed her tiredly, squeezing her hip. "It's probably just the tree."
Noticing how exhausted Bakura sounded, she wondered if he was only acting nice because he was so tired. If he hadn't been so sleepy, he probably would have never even agreed to stay. She wrapped her arms around one of his. "You'd really be able to tell if he was outside?"
"Well, not specifically him, if he wasn't carrying the Rod," he explained, shifting so that he was fully sitting on the bed. "But I would know if someone was out there."
Téa hummed in response, still a bit suspicious. Closing her eyes, she wearily rested her head against Bakura's shoulder, feeling his muscles grow tense.
"You really should lie down and sleep," he told her after a moment, pulling his hand away from her waist. She blinked and peered up at his face, flinching again at the storm.
His eyes searched hers for a while before he breathed out, long and slow. "I'm not going anywhere," he finally said, quietly.
She breathed a sigh of relief. The fact that having Yami Bakura around made her relax was just crazy. Téa could have never imagined the day she would actually want him right here next to her, his face inches away from her own. "Bakura..." she started gratefully, "Bakura, I–"
But Bakura cut her words off with a swift hand to her lips. She looked at him with startled eyes, but he was focused on something off to the left. She flicked her eyes in that direction, towards the window.
"Come on," Bakura urged roughly, pulling his hand away, only to grab her upper arm. He moved so quickly that Téa barely had time to make it to her feet before he was practically dragging her from the room.
"What's going on?" she asked in a whisper, nearly stubbing her toe on the door frame.
At first he didn't answer but merely shoved her into the bathroom before stalking off. Téa made to follow him, but Bakura was back before she could leave. He was carrying a flashlight, which he promptly handed to her, and, fear ran down her spine at the sight, the bat. He was also carrying a shirt and jacket. He very quietly (and uncharacteristically) inched the door shut.
"Someone is outside," he grimly informed her, throwing on his clothes.
Téa squeezed the flashlight between her hands and slumped to the floor. He was here; Marik was just outside the house. Suddenly the walls felt too thin. She sensed Bakura crouch in front of her.
Her voice sounded so tiny. "Is it him?"
"I don't know," Bakura answered gruffly. "Whoever they are, they don't have a Millennium Item."
She tried to stay calm. It could be anyone out there...a neighbor, a jogger, a deer even perhaps. "What are the chances of it being an animal?"
He watched her carefully. "Absolutely zero. My Ring only picks up on human energy." Bakura stood, took the flashlight from her fingers, and glanced at the door. "I'm going to look outside."
"WHAT?" she squeaked, lurching forward to stop him. All she really did was land on his foot. Aware of how silly she must look and just who she was dealing with, Téa sheepishly stood up and tried not to seem too afraid. Bakura's expression told her she was failing miserably.
"I mean, do you really have to go?" she asked timidly, clasping her hands.
He sighed exasperatedly. "Would you prefer Marik to just stalk the house all night long?"
"Well, err, no... but..."
"Then damn it, woman, let me go," he replied, rolling his eyes for emphasis. Téa stuck her tongue out in childish retaliation. Bakura was not amused.
"I could throw you out there with him," he threatened.
Téa grew pale. "You wouldn't," she responded, trembling. What if she had been wrong about him? What if Bakura was working with Marik again, just like in Battle City? Or what if he wasn't and just felt like getting her killed off?
There was a weight around her neck, and Bakura was walking away. He paused at the door, not looking back. "For protection," he explained, before taking the bat and slipping out of the bathroom completely. The door closed and Téa was alone in the darkness.
She groped at neck, wondering what he could have possibly placed there. Her fingers came into contact with something cold and round. No way...!
It was the Millennium Ring! She couldn't see it to be certain, but she ran her fingers along the perimeter; it was definitely Bakura's Millennium Item. But... Why would he give it to her? Bakura never let anyone touch his Ring, not even Ryou. He was extremely possessive of the powerful and evil weapon. But he had given it to her?
Almost as soon as she had thought of Bakura, images began to dance through her mind. Téa felt horribly nauseous, and she sat on the closed toilet when her legs gave out. The images playing out in her mind were not her own. They were changing so rapidly she didn't really have time to study any of them, though there was always a gray blob. Finally they began to slow down, and Téa recognized the person she kept seeing.
The gray blob turned out to be a mass of hair attached to someone who looked strikingly like Ryou, or rather, like Bakura. He always had the same conniving, malicious grin on his face as he killed victim after victim. Téa realized everything she was seeing involved Bakura killing someone. She felt sick. It was almost as if a chill had settled over her as she watched Bakura stab, strike, and spear numerous people, most of whom looked to be soldiers in old uniforms. Were these images from Ancient Egypt?
"Bakura..." she tried to call out to him. To the one checking the house for intruders, or the violent one in her mind, Téa wasn't sure. She just wanted the horrifying visions to stop; they were frightening her like nothing she had ever felt before. Her throat felt tight and constricted, and Téa forced all of her strength into her voice. She called louder, "Bakura!"
It could have been minutes or even hours before the door finally opened, but Téa could not tell. She was bathed in the glow of the flashlight as Bakura stood in the doorway panting. His gaze went straight to the Millennium Ring. "Shit."
He dove into the bathroom, dropping everything and yanking the Ring off her neck. Or he tried to, at least, but the Item would not budge. "Let go," he growled, tugging with no success.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing; he thought she was trying to stop him from ripping it from her throat? "I'm not..." she started, but another wave of nausea and visions stopped her.
"Not you," he retorted, though with less venom. Bakura braced his legs on either side of her and pulled.
The Ring gave in at last with one final, powerful yanking, and it flew off her neck and across the room. The visions faded from her mind, and the recoil sent Téa falling off the toilet.
Bakura picked up his Ring and examined it closely before putting it on and hiding it beneath his shirt. Téa didn't bother picking herself up from the floor; instead, she chose to remain there, taking deep breaths as the nausea slowly eased. "What..." she could barely speak. "What happened?"
She finally struggled to sit up, and Bakura was there with a hand behind her back for support. His touch was surprisingly gentle, but his face was all but a glare. She shrank back a bit, as if this was all her fault for some reason. He must have noticed, for his expression softened as he helped her lean against the sink cabinet.
"I heard you calling me," he started, sounding unsure. "I was heading outside when suddenly your voice was in my head, loud and clear, and so I..." He trailed off, shaking his head.
Thank god he had heard her. Téa wasn't sure how much longer she could have taken those visions without passing out. "But why...? Why did that happen?" she asked wearily. "I..." she bit her lip, unsure if Bakura would appreciate what she said next. "I kept seeing Ancient Egypt, these visions of you, I think..."
"You saw visions of me?" he asked harshly. "What exactly did you see?"
Téa told him. She told him that she had seen him kill numerous people. That the visions now seemed to be fading from memory, but the imprint was still there, as if her spoken description would soon be all that remained. She couldn't remember specifics anymore, but the nausea still lingered in the corners of her mind.
"Why wouldn't the Ring come off though?" she wondered aloud.
Bakura had gone stiff and eerily quiet during her story and had taken to staring at the shower. "It didn't want to let go," he answered lowly.
Téa scooted closer and waited for him to continue.
"The Millennium Items aren't just some magical trinkets that give you power. They were forged from death and have a wicked essence," he explained, sounding old and tired. He held up a hand before she could interrupt. "Yes, even innocent little Yugi's Puzzle is an Item of malevolence in its own way. All seven of the Millennium Items share this, never forget." He glanced down at his shirt to where the Ring was just hidden from view. "The Items run on an equivalent exchange. One isn't simply granted their power, they have to give something in return."
He finally looked to her face, taking in her wide-eyed expression that was rapt with attention.
"Your soul," he darkly elaborated, watching her eyes flicker down to his chest. "The Items feed on the souls of those who want to wield them. And only the sound of mind and strong-willed survive. If you are weak, the Millennium Items will consume you.
"You won't die," he added, noticing her face grow pale. "But you essentially become a lifeless puppet, filled with evil. That's why the pharaoh placed only the most devout priests in charge of protecting the Items; mere men would have fallen victim. But don't think the pharaoh is using his Millennium Puzzle without consequence. He uses much energy to control it without it controlling him."
Téa blinked in realization. "That's why you're always tired after using them, isn't it? And Yugi... without Yami's soul, he could barely last while using the Puzzle..." She thought back to the many card games involving the Millennium Items. Yami always did fine, but Yugi took a beating during those magical duels against Pegasus and Joey.
"Correct," Bakura responded, glad she had caught on so quickly. "Many have tried to wield the power of the Millennium Items, but very few have succeeded. I wasn't the only thief who tried to steal them; I was just the only one who survived."
Her face darkened again, thinking about of the murders she had just seen. "Are you sure?" she said quietly, the words slipping past her lips. She immediately regretted it.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said that." But something in his silence told Téa that perhaps she wasn't entirely wrong.
"So... erm, do you mean to say the Millennium Ring was sucking out my soul?"
Téa wanted to laugh, because it sounded so ridiculous. But Bakura wasn't laughing.
"More or less, yes. The Items can steal many souls at once, but rarely do they give in return. I'm not sure how you managed to tap into its consciousness, since it requires a great amount of concentration that I doubt you were intending to give, but it seems it gave you knowledge it thought you wanted in exchange for some of your energy. That is why you felt ill."
Her brows furrowed. "Does that happen to you too? The nausea?"
He smiled grimly. "You get used to it after a while." He caught her pitying eyes. "I don't need your tears, girl," he said gruffly. "I made my choice a long time ago. I told you I don't want pity, remember?"
She nodded, muttering an apology. They sat together on the bathroom floor for another minute in thoughtful silence. Then the power flickered and the hallway light came back on.
"Shit, what about Marik?" Téa asked quickly, rushing to stand only to have her knees buckle from weariness.
Bakura caught her elbow. "Whoever was outside is gone now," he replied after a long minute.
Relief washed over like a tidal wave, and Téa could only smile as Bakura helped her out of the bathroom. Shaking him off when she felt fine, Téa headed for the kitchen.
"So why did you give me the Ring?" she asked curiously, trusting that Bakura was still following. She began to pull out a pot and prep the stove.
Bakura's cheeks flushed slightly, but she didn't comment on it. "I... I didn't think that would happen." But he offered no further explanation.
Téa couldn't believe he had willingly taken it off and placed it around her neck. But his intentions hadn't been malicious; he hadn't known the Ring would try to possess her. Bakura had given it to her for protection, a thought that made her cheeks grow warm.
The tomb robber watched as she bustled around the kitchen, taking out the cold dinner she had tried to prepare earlier. Téa supposed it had something to do with her depleted energy, but she was starving, and she suspected Bakura wouldn't mind the food either.
"So what did you mean by the Millennium Items needing concentration to master?" she asked as the noodles began to boil.
Bakura chuckled. "No one ever really masters the Items, Gardner. It is a constant battle for your soul, of never letting your guard down lest their evil possess you. You must be intentionally trying to use the power and willing to give up your own energy. It requires an extensive amount of mental will to use an Item, which can take years to achieve. Not that anyone had the chance to practice, since the Millennium Items were highly coveted, which is why the wars fought over them were always so bloody."
She gaped at him. "You mean...?!"
"Yes," he replied, amused at her disbelief. "In order to 'win' the Millennium Item from its previous owner, you must kill them."
The look on her face was priceless.
He laughed when she finally realized he hadn't been serious, stomping around the kitchen and setting the table with a pout.
"Oh don't sulk," he chided, not even flinching as she flicked him with chopsticks. "If that was true, the pharaoh would have been forced to kill Ishizu Ishtar before she handed over the Millennium Necklace. Killing was just the easiest way back in Egypt, otherwise the previous owner might come back to reclaim it."
They began to eat, slurping down the noodles and shrimp. The warmth of her food spread across Téa's body, as if she could feel her energy returning. Yugi always ate a lot, too, after dueling with Shadow Magic, she recalled. Bakura was being awfully forthcoming with information, and Téa let her curiosity get the best of her.
"So who did you kill for the Millennium Ring?" she dared to ask.
Bakura almost choked on his noodles. His eyes narrowed in her direction, and Téa wondered if she had pushed her luck yet again, something she seemed to do often.
"I killed one of the pharaoh's priests," he answered after a moment. "You've seen him before, actually."
This was news to her. "I have?" she asked, confused.
"In little Yugi's deck," he clarified. "The Dark Magician."
They ate quietly after that, both deep in their own thoughts. Téa pondered over all of this new information she had learned about the Millennium Items, their powers, and even about Bakura himself. All of those people he had killed... when he had told her about 'succumbing to the darkness'... Had that been Bakura? Or had it been Bakura under the influence of the Millennium Ring? She was too afraid to ask the tomb robber directly, but these thoughts collected and became a tiny sliver of... something (hope?) that perhaps Bakura wasn't completely evil. Just misguided.
After they finished eating, rather then heading for bed, Téa went into the living room and, not bothering to get the light, sank onto the couch. She turned on the TV and began channel surfing. Bakura paused at the edge of the room, watching.
"What are you doing?" he inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"Watching television," came the answer.
"I'm aware of that much," Bakura snapped, rolling his eyes. He walked over and leaned on the back of the sofa. "Why are you out here watching television and not in bed sleeping?"
Téa chose not to answer, and instead she continued browsing through the programming guide. She didn't want to say it aloud, but she was terrified of going to sleep. Although the images had somewhat faded like a forgotten dream, the terror was still running wild within her own mind. She knew she'd have nightmares about Bakura killing people now, and she had already had nightmares about Marik. The adrenalin from earlier still coursed throughout her body, and so she didn't exactly feel sleepy either. She was hoping that some relaxing television would calm her nerves.
She paused on a late night marathon of Cardcaptor Sakura, a favorite series of hers when she was a child. Believing in the heart of a different card, she thought wryly. She had just selected the program when a hand gripped her shoulder roughly.
Startled by how harsh the touch was, she shrieked and flew to the opposite end of the couch, dropping the remote in the process. Téa peeked up to see that it had only been Bakura; she hadn't forgotten he was there, but she also wasn't expecting him to all but attack her. And to think, several months ago, she'd have been afraid to be alone in the same room as the tomb robber.
"I don't ask questions just to hear myself talk," he barked, unamused by her fright. "Are you so stupid that you forgot I was here?"
Cheeks colored with embarrassment, Téa put a relieved hand over her chest. It was only Bakura, she sighed. Reflecting on his insult, she huffed and rolled her eyes. "I didn't forget you were here."
Bakura glared at her as if to say, oh really?
"I just..." She bit her lip when she couldn't think of anything. She glanced at the TV, where Sakura was trying to pass Kero off as a plush toy in front of her older brother. "I... I can't sleep right now."
He narrowed his eyes suspiciously but didn't press for any further explanations. She watched as he came around the side of the couch and picked up the remote. He pulled up the guide and thumbed through the channels quickly, not really paying attention to their shows. He must have seen something that caught his interest though, for he changed the channel to a history program, something on medieval France, from the looks of it.
Bakura sat down and propped one leg across the other, ignoring her open stare of confusion.
"I'm not watching some pansy children's show," was all he offered.
Which meant that he planned to be here for a while. She relaxed into the cushions, warmth spreading through her. He probably hadn't meant it, but Téa was grateful for the company. She didn't want to be alone right now, and it might not be Cardcaptor Sakura, but the history program was soothing in its own way. Glancing at him, Téa thought Bakura looked rather uncomfortable with his arms folded across his chest and his leg propped up like that, but his face held a different story. The television reflected off his eyes in the dark, and he seemed to be chewing on his cheek, engrossed in the details of the Hundred Years' War. She wanted to thank him, but pointing out his kindness would only yield a negative response. Why he had to be that way, she couldn't understand, but there were a lot of things she didn't understand about Bakura. However, after tonight, Téa thought she might understand him just a little bit better.
She curled into her end of the couch with a smile on her face.
The girl had fallen asleep about an hour into the program. She was still curled into herself on the other end of the couch, legs tucked into her chest with her arms wrapped around them. Her head lolled against the armrest, pressed in a way that would surely leave marks from the fabric lines. Her breathing was slow and even, having been asleep for some time now.
Deciding that staring at her wouldn't accomplish anything, and besides, watching her sleep gave him a creepy feeling, Bakura grabbed an afghan blanket from the back of the couch and tucked it around her.
Lately he had stopped asking himself why he was doing such things; instead, Bakura seemed to be acting on impulse and thinking on it afterward. Taking Gardner to the dance, kissing her forehead at the beach, giving her his coat. Teasing her suggestively. If he had thought about those things beforehand, he would have never gone through with any of it. Those weren't the type of things he did; perhaps a softie like Ryou wouldn't think twice about it, but not Bakura, thief king and feared murderer. Yet he couldn't stop, and he didn't know why. He had tried to avoid her for a while after Seto Kaiba's party, but that hadn't worked very well. He was back to taunting her within the week.
But what was I thinking, giving her the Millennium Ring? He could have kicked himself. One of the most powerful weapons of all time, and he'd handed it over to a teenage girl. For protection. What foolish logic, as if the Ring protected. It was created for death and destruction, for evil purposes. Not to protect the love interest of his former host.
There was an unfamiliar twinge in his thoughts. Ryou had all but admitted his love for the girl that day in the hospital, not that it had been necessary; the idiot had been head over heels for Gardner even back when Bakura had still possessed his body. But hearing it practically confirmed like that, while Ryou shouted it at him... Bakura didn't know what to make of it. Ryou had even argued that Bakura himself cared for her. He bristled at such an idea, but considering he had just handed over his Millennium Item to the damn woman, perhaps the notion wasn't completely and totally farfetched.
I don't care about her, he told himself firmly. The blanket around her shoulders told him otherwise.
Casting about for a safer subject to think on, Bakura pulled out his Millennium Ring. Why had it shown her such things? She shouldn't have been able to tap into its power at all; it took a certain amount of willpower and emotion that the average person did not possess, and yet she had managed to use it. The amount of fear he'd felt upon seeing it drain her life force... But no, thinking about that was unsettling, too. Back to the Ring. What she had been thinking to trigger it, he couldn't fathom, but it had showed her visions of his past. He should be angry that she knew so much about him now, but Bakura couldn't find it in him to be mad. And even after that, she'd made dinner and sat with him at the table as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn't seen him spill blood with his own hands. He knew she was scared, she'd admitted as much when she'd refused to go to bed. But she didn't seem to be scared of him.
Even while she watched him murder in the past, she had called out for him. Bakura had been heading for the front door, unsure of what he planned on doing if he went outside and was confronted with Marik (after all, he'd stupidly left his real weapon in the bathroom with her), when he'd suddenly heard her voice in his head. It had been as clear as if she had been standing next to him, but somehow he'd known it was in his own mind. She had sounded terrified, and he didn't stop to think about what could be causing such terror, Bakura just ran for it.
Téa hummed in her sleep and pulled on the blanket, drawing his attention back to her. Bakura sighed and ran a hand through his hair. She'd have to sleep here for the night, which meant he would have to sleep out here for the night. He didn't like the idea of sleeping on the couch all scrunched up, but it was either that or the floor. He wasn't about to leave her out here by herself.
Not when he could still sense that someone was outside the house, someone who had been in the same place for the last few hours.