I sat with Ryou on the floor playing Rummy. Beside us, Bakura curled onto the sofa with his laptop. He was supposed to be checking for apartments in Osaka, but by the sound effects and his cursing, it was pretty obvious he was playing Duel Monsters online.
"Well fuck me sideways on the ceiling with a roasted turkey leg, the Mighty Pharaoh just signed into his Duel Monsters account."
"How did you just say that entire sentence with a straight face?" Ryou wrinkled his nose.
"I know right? Atem's actually online. It's astounding."
"You know that's not what I meant."
"Are you going to play him?" I asked.
"Can't, I'm playing Seto right now. You can probably hear him screaming all the way from Kaiba Corp If you listen for it." Bakura chuckled. "He can't challenge Atem unless he forfeits our game first. The decision has to be eating him up inside."
"He better hurry up before someone else challenges him," Ryou said.
""Ha, he just gave up. The bastard couldn't take it any longer. You guys should come up here and watch this game with me."
It sounded like a good idea, so I set down my cards and curled up to Bakura's right side while Ryou took his left. We rested our heads on his shoulder and watched the screen as each player set up their cards.
"I never thought our little talk with the Pharaoh would have actually worked, but first Seto emails me saying I had a special new employee account to set up, and now he's finally online. Kaiba better kick his ass."
"So did Kaiba make Atem a janitor?" Ryou asked.
"No, he's in the mail room. Hehe, and guess who picks out the security codes? That would be me."
Bakura grinned the most magnificent grin, and I found myself matching it. "What did you make his code?"
"PrettyNilePrincess. He has to punch in every time he goes through a door."
"Bakura that's so mean." Ryou managed to keep a straight face for three whole seconds before laughing. I didn't bother trying to hide it- I laughed right away.
"Eh, I'll change it after a few weeks… maybe."
"Sure you will." I winked.
We quieted as the game started. All three of us cheered for Kaiba, and he did well, but in the end, of course the Pharaoh won.
"He only won because Kaiba was drawing the worst cards possible." Ryou pursed his lips as he stared at the screen.
I rolled my eyes. "The Pharaoh won because the gods kiss his ass and let him cheat in life."
"Kaiba will win next time. I'd bet on it," Ryou insisted.
"Bet what?" Bakura raised an eyebrow.
"Kitchen duty for a week."
"Hell, I'll take that bet. At the worst it's one week of Kek not being able to cook chicken."
"See these?" I lifted up my shirt and rubbed my abs. "These muscles you can't keep your hands off of at night? These are made out of all that oatmeal and chicken and greens that I eat."
"That may be true, but Ryou's beautiful, round ass is made out of pastries and those are more fun to eat."
I stick my tongue out at him, but it's hard to be insulted while thinking about Ryou's ass. It's too early for bed, but I wanted to go to the bedroom and get Ryou out of his pants- Bakura too.
"Who's dueling Atem now?" Ryou asks.
"Jounouchi."
"Sounds boring." I stretched like I was tired. "Hey Ryou, let's drag Bakura to the bedroom before he has a chance to play next and embarrass himself by losing against PrettyNilePrincess."
"You know, Bakura." Ryou smiled. "I could hack into his account and make that his sign in name as well."
"Is that your attempt at foreplay?" Bakura raised an eyebrow. "Because it's working. Although if you did, you know I'd be the one to get blamed for it."
"That makes it the perfect crime." Ryou toyed with Bakura's white hair.
"You being evil is hot." Bakura winked. "Let's go to the bedroom."
He reached out to close his lap and froze, eye growing wide. Something in my stomach tightened and the hair prickled against my neck. I'm not sure why, but I feel a sense of dread creep over my skin because of the way his complexion waned before my eyes.
"Bakura? What is it?" I asked.
"Marik's online," he whispered back to me, hardly breathing as he spoke.
Oh no, I thought as I looked at the screen. Oh no. Oh no.
It's the first time he's been online since we've been back. A message box appeared at the bottom of Bakura's screen.
"Hey."
"Hey." Bakura typed back.
The dread in my stomach is heavy and twisted. Bakura will leave us after all. We finally convinced him to stay, but he'll leave us after all. And it hurt. Anubis might as well crack open my chest and pull out my heart because that's what it feels like.
I'm happy that I don't have to leave the gym. I haven't even been able to bring it up to Kyubi yet. But I would have… I would have for Bakura…
I'm happy for Bakura though. I am. I am, but damn it still hurts, and I can't breath.
"So…" Marik typed, and then there was another pause before he added, "I think I lost some cash. Any guesses where I may have dropped it?"
"No you asshole!" I yelled at the monitor like that could make Marik somehow hear me. "Who cares about the money- ask Bakura how he's doing!"
Bakura chuckled, much too softly for my preference. "Kek, have you been so long removed from your other half that you forgot how he is?" Then he typed. "Maybe the aquarium? Or perhaps the pier?"
"Don't play his game. Dammit, Bakura just say you want to see him! You two are stupid!"
"Yeah," Ryou agreed. "Forget the usually tete-a-tete. Just tell him you love him."
"Ha, no way." Bakura shook his head.
"Good idea. I'm actually in Domino right now," Marik responded.
Bakura looked haunted, his face taunt. He stared at the screen, fingers hovering over the keyboard, but refusing to type. Marik responded again.
"Mind if I stop by?"
"Asshole." Bakura closed his eyes. "You're such an asshole. Why not three weeks sooner? Why now? We're suppose to move to Osaka now."
Despite the pain in my chest, I grabbed the laptop. Bakura reached for it, but Ryou held his wrists. I stared at the message box. Part of me wanted to write fuck off he's ours now, but whatever person I've become over the last six months took over and did the right thing. I typed.
"I'd like that. I need to see you again."
"Don't you fucking send that!" Bakura shouted. "Tell him no! Tell him I'm busy!"
"Blow me, Bakura."
I hit send.
"Dammit, Kek!" he growled, but I didn't care. Let him be mad at us. That'll make it easier for him to say goodbye.
"You'll thank me later," I tried to joke, but I wanted to scream and tell him not to go.
I notice the screen shift as Marik added another message.
"Then open the door. I'm right outside."
We all froze that time. Shocked, we're all shocked. I don't know why. It's Marik, of course he wanted to make an entrance, but I expected a little more time. At least enough to get away and go to the sports bar until Marik left.
Ryou started crying. He buried his face against Bakura's shoulder.
Bakura's breath rasped in his chest. For some reason it made me think of our first night together. Marik was such a shit. He could have at least let us have one last night together. He didn't have to just appear like this.
"I can't." Bakura shook his head. "I can't even move."
It fucking hurt. It hurt bad. I didn't want him to go. I didn't want him to go. I stood and walked to the door and opened it, smirking somehow. I was breaking inside, but my face was as proud and sinister as it ever was during Battle City.
If nothing else, I didn't want my alternate self see me break down. He hadn't earned that. So I grinned, I grinned, I grinned.
"What's up, bitch? Long time no see."