Naming the Flame
Trei
Note: ^_^;; I'm afraid I have to put myself at the mercy of my readers…. *Nervous cough* I'm so, so sorry about the delay for this chapter. Summer activities got a hold of me and my laptop wasn't able to get internet access…it also doesn't have a floppy disk drive (too modern, I guess), so I couldn't put the chapter onto another computer. -_-;; I'll do something to make it up to you all (check the end of the chapter), but I'll leave it to you to decide what. ^_^
Chapter Eight
When the pharaoh worked out by his behavior that somehow Yami no Bakura was involved in the Rod spirit's inexplicable return, he asked Yugi to call Ryou Bakura to the Turtle Game Shop to "discuss" the incident. Having never spoken to the child directly, Yami no Yugi would leave messy explanations and such to Yugi before he made his appearance.
Unfortunately, he hadn't planned for the unscheduled arrivals of Anzu, Mai and Otogi and was additionally cheesed off when Bakura turned up with a cousin and a delinquent koibito in tow. Sensing his yami's irritation, Yugi enlightened Bakura without giving away the Ring spirit's screw up just yet and inwardly promised the pharaoh that as soon as his friends left, he would speak to Bakura privately.
To entertain himself through the ensuing "party game", Yami no Yugi gave several failed attempts to catching traces of his koi in Bakura's molten chocolate eyes. The pharaoh was then astonished at the other spirit's lack of defiance at being trapped in the body Malik Ishtar was presently snuggling. Then again, Yami no Bakura had acted fairly graciously as of late regarding his host's activities. After all, Bakura and Ishtar had lived the past two years in a harmonious relationship without sustaining any injury from the Ring spirit. Perhaps the thief was finally growing self-discipline of some kind.
Or maybe he was just biding his time for a shockingly horrendous ambush that would leave mental scars on all involved.
Yami no Yugi found he was only mildly dreading the day when such a thing took place. A Puzzle without electricity loses its mystery and awe after the first six million bricks counted on the western staircase.
Boredom crept through the pharaoh's carefully guarded blasé atmosphere and began prodding the former monarch with a rather sharp stick. After hearing Mai's explanation of the inane activity, Yami no Yugi had to force himself not to take control of Yugi's body and march his hosts legs back up to his room to redo his summer homework. There was no way - none at all - that he was going to sit in his soul room quietly like a good spirit while his host made a total slut of himself in the body he was sharing.
Unfortunately, Yugi seemed keen on the idea of kissing Anzu.
Ugh. Modern teenagers and their idiotic senses of "fun". Back in Egypt, there was no "kissing". Not like the kind he saw these kids using. Disgraceful, messy business, modern day courtship. Thank Re he had died without going through it.
So he hoped.
Being without the majority of his memories - especially those regarding a somewhat elusive thief - grated on his nerves to the point where he wondered if maybe he could use force to drag whatever secrets Yami no Bakura hid behind those taunting chocolate eyes. The Shadow Realm really wasn't so horrible once one got used to it. And besides, the tomb robber hadn't been that scared. All right, so maybe Yami no Yugi had never heard the other spirit scream quite that high before, but as Yugi had once told him, there's a first time for everything. Even for an ancient Egyptian tomb robber robbed of his macho aura by screeching like a ten-year-old girl because of a silly reaper of death keen on obliterating his soul.
It was only when bizarre Fortune matched Ryou and Yugi for a kiss that the pharaoh perked up long enough to witness it. How peculiar, he thought, then frowned. Isn't Malik courting Bakura? One look at the furious Egyptian was enough to confirm that.
Yami no Yugi smirked. This ought to be interesting.
**
From the hallway separating the powerfully dissimilar soul rooms, Yami no Bakura watched as his host wandered to the center of the circle. He had only just awakened from a disturbing slumber when he became distinctly aware of the tsunamis of anxiety flowing from his young host. Standing witness to the scene, Yami no Bakura's face began to lose its bemused frown as what an outsider could assume was understanding took control of his expression.
The hikari of his koibito knelt surrounded by leering faces, one of which was the Ishtar boy's. Whose face, Yami no Bakura must have noticed by his a smug smirk, was glowing crimson with jealousy. His entire frame was shaking, tanned fists draining blood until his knuckles were bleached white.
Having apparently lost interest in his former ally, Yami no Bakura passively turned his attention to Yugi. Ryou had paused in front of him hesitantly before glimpsing over his shoulder. With a small grin at Malik's blatant irritation, he leaned in to the younger boy.
Slender black eyebrows lifted at this, Yami no Bakura's mouth set in a slightly curved line. From the dark atmosphere of the hallway, the tomb robber's cackle broke free. A spark of his trademark insanity caught in a beam of light as Yami no Bakura grabbed the back of Ryou's neck and yanked the boy's command from his body.
Several gasps filled the room as who they assumed was Ryou practically attacked Yugi with a kiss fiercer than was natural for his personality. Poor Malik choked on something rather putrid in his throat. From his soul room, Ryou gaped.
"I'm…beyond screwed."
**
Yami no Yugi felt the pattern of his hikari's emotions shift violently from vaguely nervous to full-on panicked and understood why with only a moment's surveillance. Instead of taking the noble road and seizing control of Yugi's body to put the demonic thief back in his place (he was already certain that Ryou was trapped in his soul room watching the same scene with a queasy grimace), the former pharaoh traveled down the road more often traveled. Pre-guilty fun.
At the first touch of lips to his, Yami no Yugi rewrote his plan of action. Ignoring the mortified yelps coming from a mortified Yugi, the former pharaoh instead fastened an arm around the tomb robber's neck and responded quite agreeably to the kiss most likely intended to shock his hikari into premature grey fern - er, hair.
Yami no Bakura smirked against his lips, obviously sensing the change between hikari and yami with ease. Nobody save Yami no Yugi would respond to his kiss. Well, nonviolently, anyway.
[What are you doing?] Yugi cried from the saner regions of his mind. [What are you thinking?!]
Yami no Yugi calmly indulged in selective hearing…selectively hearing his former self applauding his wickedness. Too much time spent with Yami no Bakura had begun to allow him to absorb and resurrect his old king-of-the-world-so-kiss-my-sarcophagus ways.
Not that the former pharaoh saw any dilemma with this….
[Mou hitori no boku, stop!] begged Yugi. [Please!]
Wincing, Yami no Yugi cursed and drew away from the tomb robber's arms. Cursed pleading. Why could he never resist pleas from Yugi? Damnable midget…. The pharaoh's eyebrows arched in surprise.
Far too many hours spent around dark influences….
On the other arm of the scales, said influence didn't seem to be having any trouble whatsoever with his host-personified conscience. Yami no Bakura was most likely drowning out what Yami no Yugi could assume was a flustered, beseeching monologue…as was usual for him. Yami no Yugi snickered inwardly as he restored control of Yugi's body back to his host.
A native to fine breeding Athari is not….
…Though how amusing would that be?
**
Yami no Bakura departed from his host's body in a flurry of less-than-sane cackles, retreating to the darkened hallway to oversee the aftermath of his game. In the same matter of moments, Malik dove into the circle and wrenched Ryou from Yugi, successfully snapping both hikaris into dumb shock. The Egyptian wrapped his arms around Ryou's chest from behind, scowling poisonously enough to put the fear of Re into everyone in the room. Every person whose gaze was unfortunate enough to meet Malik's decided wordlessly that the kissing game was categorically concluded.
Once he'd reclaimed rightful control over his body, Ryou felt the smothering embrace and winced. Malik's going to kill me…. From mere feet away, Yugi began to back away from him, frightened by either seemingly rape-happy Ryou or his possessive, composure-shot-to-Hell koi. Or maybe he'll go for Yugi-kun. Hopefully Yugi-kun. …! Nani?! Where did that thought come from?
Dubious, Egyptian-accented cackling filled his mind.
Ryou glared upward at his forehead. "Oh, shut up, you cradle robber," he snapped irritably.
Mai's expression was brighter than her grin. "Well, that was educational," she praised. "Was everyone paying attention?"
Jounouchi rolled his eyes. "Substitute teacher from hell," he said to himself, shaking his head.
Malik was on his feet in a heartbeat, fists white at his sides. The moment Ryou turned to gaze up at him questioningly, he lost whatever remained of his control.
"What," he cried, "was that?!"
"That," Ryuuji said matter-of-factly, "was your boyfriend's tongue down Yugi's throat."
"And vice versa," Jounouchi added.
Malik's eyes narrowed lethally at the pair, who quickly decided that staying on Malik's bored side might increase their chances of pain free lives and shut up.
"Kichou," Ryou tried, "it wasn't me - "
Malik stared at him in disbelief, the mere look in his eyes enough to halt Ryou mid-sentence. "Don't even," he said quietly, rage trembling his fists.
Then, before anyone could tell him to do otherwise, Malik stormed out of the Game Shop with a loud CRASH of the door slamming to punctuate his mood.
With a glance around the circle, Riku asked, "So, is it Yugi's turn now?"
**
For a few moments Ryou was content to stand on the doorstep, his premeditated plan of action seeming less and less feasible by the second. The youth winced as his traitorous mind began exhibiting possible scenarios for him - most of which ended with a rather grisly death at the bulky end of some household object - and grimaced.
Just as a mental image of his koi appearing in the doorway with an ancient Egyptian blender flitted through his mind, the door opened. Ryou recoiled instinctively, one arm rising to ward off any incoming artillery. When none came, he sheepishly lowered the limb. Malik's eyes widened marginally before his default mask of disdain took control.
"What do you want?" he snapped.
Ryou tilted his head curiously, otherwise completely nonchalant about the pretense. "How did you know I was out here?" he asked.
Malik glared coldly at him. "After two years, there's not much you can do that surprises me," he said flatly.
Silently, Ryou marked that as a truth he would have to disprove later. Though for now, he merely arched his eyebrows and said evenly, "I don't want to fight with you over something this stupid."
The Egyptian sneered, his hand twitching on the door's edge as though he were sorely tempted to fling it closed in Ryou's face. Evidently the issue didn't sound so stupid to him.
"What? You do?" Ryou snorted.
Malik folded his arms with deliberate obstinacy, his eyes sharp as broken diamonds.
Ryou flung up his arms in frustration and snapped, "All right, I'm sick of this." Closing the space between them he scowled up at his grudge-bearing blond venomously.
Malik's eyes narrowed promptly at the challenge.
"I don't know what happened or why," Ryou ground out slowly, "but it did and it's not fair to blame me and you know it. If you can hold me responsible for what happened then I can blame you for everything you did under your darker half's influence at Battle City."
It was a low hit and Malik jerked his chin up in shock that he had used it. A flicker of infuriation sparked through his eyes just before he moved to slam the door.
"No!" Ryou stepped in the path of the door and its frame boldly, daring Malik to stir in continuing his intent. When the Egyptian merely gripped the door's edge and fumed, Ryou said slowly, "You know me, Malik. You know I'd never do that to you."
Malik abandoned the doorframe and retreated into the shadowed hallway, keeping his eyes trained stoically on the floor. "What do you care if I walk away?" he snapped, sneaking a glance at his koi. "Even if tonight was a fluke, there are countless others out there that could more than care for you."
Ryou blinked, taken aback by the clipped retort. Koibito no baka, he groaned mentally. "How could I not care?" he asked, shaking his head in fond frustration. "You, you arrogant twerp, are the one I love. You've ruined me for anyone else." He smiled reflexively and teased, "So, deal with it. I have."
Even half concealed in shadow, Ryou saw the fleeting look of surprise that crossed the older boy's face. It vanished quickly, however, and was replaced by an expression Ryou couldn't decipher.
"You know I'll find out if you're lying to me," said Malik slowly.
Ryou nodded, masking a grin with practiced solemnity. Malik had finally realized he had been caught in the midst of his own game and was now left to back out gracefully to avoid owning up to it. Baby, thought Ryou, inwardly rolling his eyes.
Almost cautiously the corner of Malik's mouth twitched into a small smile of affection that he must have been stifling for the past five minutes. Lifting a bronzed hand to Ryou's face, he gently brushed his fingers across his temple and through the ivory locks strewn over the boy's shoulder. A white flag of sorts.
"You do realize that I'm going to hold this over your head for the rest of our lives, don't you?" Ryou asked impishly.
Malik groaned and looked away while Ryou giggled at his expense. "I guess I deserve that," he said with a guilty smile.
"How long were you going to keep up the 'poor mistreated victim' charade?"
"Until you figured it out or surrendered."
A exultant smile began weaving its way across Ryou's lips. "So, I won?"
Malik crossed his arms indignantly. "Don't get used to it," he warned.
Ryou rolled his eyes theatrically. "Why do I put up with you?"
"Because I'm the best looking villain out there?"
"Not quite."
"I'm the only natural blond you know?"
"Yeah, kichou, that's it," said Ryou wryly.
"…Did you call me a 'twerp'?"
"Um…I love you?"
Malik rolled his eyes and idly took hold of the rope around the younger boy's neck, jangling the Sennen Ring with a devilish smirk.
"By the way, can I melt this piece of shit?"
Ryou scowled and pried his Ring from Malik's grasp. "You're not funny," he informed his koi flatly.
"Yeah, I know, but I amuse myself well enough."
"You're also out of your mind."
Malik grinned and ruffled Ryou's hair. "All part of the charm, beautiful."
"Some charm," Ryou snorted, winking teasingly to soften the bite in the retort.
"It always works on you," Malik said sweetly.
"Oh, sure. The twelve-year drop in age was adorable," Ryou deadpanned.
Malik chuckled, tilting his head to scan his koibito's face and potential smile appraisingly. "You can't actually blame me for being jealous, you know," he said. "You really are beautiful."
Ryou rolled his eyes and reflexively bowed his head to shadow the blush tinting his face. "I'm already dating you, baka; you don't have to flirt with me."
Malik propped his shoulder up against the doorjamb, his gaze sweeping lavishly from Ryou's slightly embarrassed expression over the rest of his body. With a decided nod and audacious grin, he said, "To keep you, I do."
Ryou smiled playfully. "So, that's how you plan on keeping me interested? Jealousy and flirting?"
"Foolproof, ne?"
The younger boy shrugged. "Maybe when we'd first dated, sure." He lifted his hand and examined the short-cut ivory fingernails with exaggerated apathy. "But you can't expect it to work for another two years."
Reacting to the transparent challenge, Malik smirked and rested his forehead against Ryou's, one hand clutching the doorjamb as he leaned out precariously. Immediately Ryou locked the Egyptian's gaze in his and grinned.
Malik studied the wicked shimmer in Ryou's eyes proudly. "You realize you're my handiwork, don't you?" he asked.
Ryou blinked, thrown off course by the bizarre question.
"Two years ago you could barely keep up with me," Malik explained matter-of-factly. "Now you're pretty and witty."
Ryou narrowed his eyes in mock scorn. "So, you told me you loved me because you thought I was cute?"
Malik grinned shamelessly. "Pretty much. But hey, you developed a personality as time went on."
"Bold words for someone supporting most of his balance on my forehead," Ryou said, crossing his arms over his chest smugly.
"…I should have moved first, shouldn't I?"
Ryou smiled, "Yes, kichou, you should have," and took a step back.
**
Almost lazily a shadow sidestepped the burst of noxious fumes that hissed up from the brick floor. The trigger he had intentionally trod on slowly raised until it had leveled out evenly with the other stones. The figure ensnared in darkness glided fluidly into a sharp beacon of light, partly revealing a spirit examining his meticulously-buffed fingernails with careless scrutiny. Yami no Bakura, known in his mortal Egyptian days as Athari, King of Thieves, was paying a visit to his once royal lover.
He waited in the slim thread of light, one exotically-contoured eye the only part of him visible through the shadows. The thick ebony lashes fluttered slightly as the nearly unheard sound of footfalls approached him. Yami no Bakura lifted his gaze from his obscured hand and folded his arms casually before his chest. A glittering eye fixed on the other end of the room steadily.
"Your defenses get weaker every time I evade them," he taunted.
An irritated sigh. "Will you never outgrow your flair for the dramatic?"
A dark chuckle filled the room. "Think of it as a perk," the thief suggested.
Yami no Yugi snorted, stepping into the light from the opposite side of the room. His arms were crossed in a fashion similar to his koibito's, something Yami no Bakura grinned at.
"Was there any reason in particular for the attempted sabotage of your host's romantic life?"
"Reason?" The thief sounded genuinely confused.
Yami no Yugi rolled his eyes fondly. "Never mind."
Then, tilting his head to one side with a sly grin he asked, "Where exactly did you learn to kiss like that, anyway? Picking up techniques from your host and his koibito?"
The other spirit snorted indignantly. "My host won't kiss like that for another two years at least."
"Or months, depending on Ishtar's involvement," Yami no Yugi smirked.
Neatly evading that particular detail, Yami no Bakura inquired smoothly, "Why do you ask, Khetire?"
"Have you always been able to do that?" Yami no Yugi asked, now suspicious. "You've never kissed me that way before."
"Didn't feel like it," the thief said with a vocal shrug. "Takes too much effort."
Yami no Yugi scowled and dropped the subject like hot sand, instead snapping, "So, are you simply here to test my soul room's safety measures or was there another reason for your impromptu visit?"
The thief answered the question with one of his own. "Do you love me?"
Yami no Yugi's composed smugness faltered for a moment, though he quickly recovered. "What?"
"Answer me, Khetire."
Yami no Yugi, caught at a loss for words and stunned by the warmth in the other's voice as he spoke his given name, said warily, "Why?"
Silence replied in turn, cold and secretive. Yami no Yugi narrowed his eyes and began to cross the room, determined to pull an answer from his atypically reticent koi.
"Don't."
The former Pharaoh paused at the warning in Yami no Bakura's voice and smirked slightly. That sounded more like his thief.
"Khetire…." Yami no Bakura hesitated. "You remember nothing of our previous life." It wasn't a question.
Yami no Yugi answered it anyway, "No."
"Then you have more reason to hate me than love me."
Yami no Yugi frowned, finally at his patience's end. "Athari, start making sense or leave," he said shortly. "I'm in no mood to have my choice in love questioned."
"Then you do love me, Myoujou?" (1)
Yami no Yugi sighed loudly in frustration. "What's the point of this?"
"What's the harm in saying it?"
"With you, it could be anything," deadpanned Yami no Yugi.
The thief grinned, a beam of dim light catching off of the tip of one fanglike tooth.
Yami no Yugi sighed in mounting frustration. "Damn it, Athari! What in the name of Anubis is this about!?"
A moment of consideration stretched on for a short eternity before Yami no Bakura finally strode into the light, his arms still tied over his chest somewhat defensively. His eyes rested evenly on his koi's, darkly waiting for judgment.
Yami no Yugi recoiled in shock at the image before him. "Y-you…." The words half-formed in his throat crumbled to powder.
Before him stood not his modern-day lover, a spirit with his host's alabaster skin, silken white hair and eyes like molten chocolate…but a lean, tanned youth with shoulder-length raven locks and eyes that burned darker than obsidian fire. Instinctively Yami no Yugi's gaze was pulled to the youth's cheek, where a scar resembling a double slatted cross marred the entire side of his otherwise flawless face. The true Athari…Yami no Bakura's Egyptian form. (2)
Yami no Yugi felt his jaw dislocate and drop without his sanction. Not only did this development provide a rather sharp blow to his somewhat distorted view of "normal", but also to his image of the thief. Yami no Bakura's past form was even more gorgeous than his present-day form.
Damn it.
With a slight grin at his reaction, the stranger spoke with Yami no Bakura's voice, "Do you have me, Pharaoh?"
Yami no Yugi struggled to pull out a weak, "What do you mean?"
"Do you have me?"
In a second's time Yami no Yugi understood the question. Do I have him. Would it be a loss to me if he wasn't here. In the time of their peculiar relationship, the tomb robber had said "aishiteru" a grand total of twice, once when he'd thought the former monarch sleeping and the second only recently, though he'd feigned obliviousness afterward. Though, if the former monarch were to be completely honest with himself, he had never spoken his love for the thief. "Do you have me?" might as well have been a plea for said declaration.
Yami no Yugi glanced up with a faint though warm smile. "Yes," he answered quietly.
Yami…no, Athari smiled, the first truly sane smile Yami no Yugi had ever seen the other spirit wear on his lips.
His attire had also changed, from the contemporary fashion Ryou was so keen on to a wine red cloak that lay flatteringly over his slender body. Athari's pure smile only increased his beauty in the golden torchlight of Yami no Yugi's soul room. The former monarch was forced into composing a short list of reasons why he couldn't simply ravish the other spirit at once…. Neither reason was very convincing.
Until gracefully the thief pulled his left sleeve to his shoulder and revealed compelling reason number three. The skin of his arm was pale and fair as porcelain - Ryou's skin, not Athari's.
"H-how?" Yami no Yugi managed. "What…what does it mean?"
Athari shrugged, dropping the sleeve back into place and smoothing out the wrinkles with a nimble hand. "Most likely a spirit's death," he said offhandedly.
"NANI!?" cried Yami no Yugi.
"Mm. My spirit is vanishing bit by bit," explained Athari, trailing his eyes up to meet the other spirit's with surprising coherency. "The effect is removing my likeness to Ryou - reverting me back to my mortal form. It's been happening for the past few weeks. I think my arm is the last likeness to Ryou that I have left."
"Hai, that I noticed." The pharaoh grimaced slightly. Another thing to fix; but this time the loss would steal from his heart, not Yugi's. "Perfect," he sighed in annoyance.
"I think so," agreed Athari glibly, tilting his head to toy with a silken thread of ebony. "I never liked my host's hair to begin with. Too long, too feminine…."
Yami no Yugi stared. "Why I put up with you…" he said wonderingly, shaking his head.
" - Would take too long to list," the tomb robber finished with a salacious wink.
The former monarch rolled his eyes and deemed not to answer.
"I believe I know what the darkness has-been wants this time 'round," grinned Athari.
"Malik's yami?" the pharaoh frowned.
Athari made a dismissive gesture, a plain sign that he considered the third spirit to be below the title of "yami".
The pharaoh, whose only plan of action to this point was calling Ryou to the Game Shop under the guise of knowing said spirit's intentions, asked, "What makes you think you've decoded his plans?" He was sorely tempted to put an emphasis on "you" just for his pride's sake.
Athari's eyes slowly dragged up to lock with the former pharaoh's. There was no amusement, no annoyance or even a flicker of emotion to speak of in those depthless eyes. His lack of expression shouted two words: "Don't ask."
So the older Egyptian wisely kept his mouth shut.
"It pertains to my host in a large way," said Athari warily, his gaze on his fingernails growing intense. "He is in danger."
Yami no Yugi remained mute, allowing the tomb robber to go on uninterrupted. However, after enduring several moments filled with his koi's silence, Yami no Yugi asked, "What does he want from Bakura?"
The tomb robber glanced up and Yami no Yugi drew back sharply at the flash of emotion in the other's eyes.
"Athari?"
"Protect him," the thief said sharply and turned on his heel to leave.
Yami no Yugi started forward quickly. "Wait!"
But Athari had already gone, a darkness melded into the shadows from where it had come.
**
Soft-painted dawn was starting to slip beneath Domino's waterline when Malik discovered a note in the kitchen stained with Sora's chaotic scrawl. It read, "Had to leave, really important, be back later" and was signed feverishly by Sora. If this was mildly peculiar, than the nearly empty guest room was the real jolt. All that had been stranded in the islanders' dust were two drawers of clothing and a broken vanilla candle welded together with duct tape.
Malik left the candle on Ryou's windowsill with a wary once-over, half expecting the relentless thing to shape shift into another inanimate object. When the only suspicious movements it made were caused by the flicking of the Egyptian's hand, Malik gave up for the time being and left the candle to its own evil flame-wielding devices.
Ryou was curled into his pillow felinely, his cherubic face curtained by soft, windswept locks. Asleep Ryou looked as he did in what he and Malik had nicknamed the Before Time (3), the days before Malik had sweetly shoved his way into the ex-introvert's heart and future. Malik was always content to watch over his sleeping tenshi with a fierce sense of protectiveness. Though he disagreed with Ryou's continued involvement with the Sennen Items, he knew as long as he was near, the younger boy would be safe.
Finally reacting to the vivid locks of sunlight coursing through the window, Ryou's long black lashes began to flutter, the boy fighting stubbornly to stay asleep. Malik rolled his eyes affectionately. Even at sixteen, Ryou refused to give away most of his childlike features - getting his way by pouting among them.
"Unh…Malik?"
The drowsy, fragmented sentence tumbled from Ryou's sleep-numbed lips as the boy lifted his head sluggishly. Sunrise, 1, anti-morning person, 0, Malik chuckled inwardly.
As if sensing Malik's amusement at his issues with waking, Ryou grumbled, "S'not funny," in a tone that only prodded the older boy's grin wider. Groaning in annoyance, Ryou turned his face into the pillow and half sobbed his hatred of mornings into the fabric.
Shaking his head pityingly, Malik decided to take matters into his own hands. Ryou would never move out of bed unless forced. Which meant early morning fun for Malik.
With casualty obtained by months of practice, the Egyptian hooked an arm around his koi's bedspread-wrapped waist…and nonchalantly dumped the lithe body on the floor before teeth or claws could surface. With a dull thud and a yowl of protest, Ryou crashed to the hard wooden floorboards. Soon after the recovery silence settled, the white sheets began mutating into bizarre shapes and forms while Ryou thrashed around his blanket prison for an exit.
Wisely Malik darted across the room to stand behind his koi's desk, ready for war with a rock Ryou's father had brought back from a ruin in Thebes.
"When I get out of here, Ishtar, I'm shaving your hair and making it into a coat for Tabibito!"
Malik dropped the rock and searched for a calligraphy pen.
However, by the time he was properly armed, Ryou had stuffed his disheveled head out of a loose flap between sheets and was leveling a toxic scowl at his evil-minded koibito. Malik hid the pen behind his back at the sight of his Disembodied Creampuff of Doom and inclined his head guilelessly, smiling.
"G'morning, tenshi," he chirped pleasantly.
Ryou's glower began to smoke.
Malik grinned slightly and teased, "Sleep well?"
Ryou grimaced and squinted against the rising sun, twisting his face into a mask of infantile grumpiness. "No." He sulked accusingly. "I couldn't get to sleep for hours last night."
"Why?"
The glare returned. "You wouldn't be asking if you had been here," he griped.
Malik frowned slightly in confusion before realization brightened across his face. "You couldn't sleep without me, could you?" he ribbed fondly.
Ryou's pitiful brown eyes screamed the obvious positive.
"Aw." Malik smiled and crossed the room to kneel in front of the younger boy. "C'mere," he said, holding his arms out for his tousle-haired koi.
Still half-wrapped in blankets Ryou dove into the open embrace, reaching up to loosely hug Malik's neck while nuzzling his head underneath his koi's chin. From this position, though the pair knelt directly in the four-square blueprint of sunbeams, Ryou could hide his face in the mist of golden hair and be safe from the unwelcome light.
"You weren't home when I called you last night," he murmured into his niche of bronzed Egyptian skin. "Was worried."
Smiling, Malik discreetly tossed the pen away and combed his fingers through Ryou's hair, driving out the aggravated snarls with deft strokes. "Sorry," he said and nestled his chin into the feathery tumble of white. "Isis needed help with something at the museum."
Leaning into the caresses, Ryou yawned, "S'all right." Too tired to press the matter further, he snuck his wrist around Malik's neck and rubbed at his right eye lazily. "Missed you, though."
Malik grinned. "Of course you did; I'm hard to live without."
"And then there's that first part to go with it."
"Huh?"
Ryou pulled back and winked sleepily. "Can't live with, can't live without."
Malik frowned, yanking one of the ivory locks vengefully. "I have a mind to take that offensively, you know," he sniffed.
"Go ahead, just as long as you keep playing with my hair."
Malik rolled his eyes tolerantly. "You really like this, don't you?"
Ryou snuggled deeper into his koi's chest. "Mmm."
Smiling, Malik teased, "It's hard to believe you're going to be seventeen tomorrow."
"Mm hmm," was the drowsy reply.
"You're not going to fall asleep on me, you know."
Muffled against his skin, Malik felt more than heard the mumbled retort, "'M sho."
"Are not."
"L'me sleep."
Malik glanced heavenward for any sign of impending aid. When none came, he fell back on Plan B which consisted of lifting problematic koi from chest and dropping said boy onto bed where boy belonged.
Sadly, Ryou had developed his upper arm muscles since the last time Plan B's services had been called for.
After several failed attempts of koi-removal, Malik growled, "You'd better not be asleep or I'm not getting you anything for your birthday tomorrow."
Ryou jerked his head back, most evident traces of sleepiness extinguished by a tempest of disbelief and dangerous-looking vehemence. "You haven't gotten me anything yet?"
Malik blinked bewilderedly, then grinned. "'Kay, so that threat works."
Ryou cuffed his blond upside the head spitefully and stumbled to his feet while still tangled in his bedspread.
Leaning back on his hands idly, Malik nodded to the knotted sheets, "You'd walk better without those wrapped around your legs."
"I hate you."
"Good thing I love you or this would be one severely disturbed relationship."
"You'd better get me something spectacular to make up for the jerk you're being now," Ryou halfheartedly threatened while unraveling his legs from the sheets. His customary morning snappishness seemed to be ebbing much faster since Malik started staying the night. For some reason yet to be translated into logic, Malik was banishing his old drawbacks just as easily as Ryou was domesticating his psychotic blond puppy. Besides, he was eager to see what kind of present Malik would find for him.
"Oh, by the way, your cousin left."
"There!" Ryou stepped out of the mesh of blankets triumphantly just as the Egyptian's words sunk in. "Wait, what?"
Malik nodded, leaning his back against the leg of Ryou's desk. "Sora left a note that basically said, 'I don't know how to write notes coherently, so I'll just leave with your cousin and we might come back'."
Ryou rolled his eyes. "He didn't say that."
"No, but it'd be sad if he did, wouldn't it?"
"Oh, undoubtedly," Ryou agreed solemnly.
Malik tipped his head to one side, grinning. "You're getting good at that."
"What?"
"Lying."
Ryou groaned. "Oh, good, just the thing I want to be skilled at. Where's my brush?"
Malik tilted his shoulder out of his koi's way as he began rooting about for the missing object. "On your dresser," he said absently.
"Thanks."
"What's so bad about lying, anyway? I do it all the time."
Fighting the remaining knots in his cursedly long (though beautiful when tamed, Malik often argued) hair, Ryou retorted, "Yes, and you're just the role model parents want their children to follow."
"You followed me," Malik pointed out, smiling undauntedly.
"And my father was enormously thrilled by that." Ryou stifled a smile of his own and added, "Besides, I didn't follow you. I was dragged kicking and howling into your thieving arms and I plan to escape this horrible relationship in the dead of night when you're off polishing your motorcycle."
"Who does that at night?" Malik snorted. "I do it during the day."
Ryou adapted a look of stern disapproval. "In broad daylight?" he admonished in mock incredulity.
"Yeah, why - Ryou!"
Ryou winked and smiled innocently. "So, what're you going to get me?" he asked, laying the brush to rest on his desk behind Malik's head.
"You don't like surprises, do you?" The Egyptian seemed amused by the idea.
Ryou snorted cynically. "List the idiots I'm surrounded by and draw your own conclusions," he said wryly.
Sagely Malik nodded. "You're right," he agreed. "Especially the pharaoh. He's just full of surprises." Said with a sarcastic twist of his nose, it was obvious Malik was still in the "resentful" phase of the Villain Reform Process.
"I don't see why you mind him," Ryou said, dropping to kneel before his koi. "He never makes appearances to do anything but play Duel Monsters."
Malik smirked. "Hence the flamboyant life of bombshells and astonishments."
"Are you going to keep this up forever?"
Malik looked alarmed. "Well, yeah," he huffed, "otherwise I'm just like the rest of you saps without grudges to bear and I'll end up turning into another one of his mindless cheerleaders. You've seen what that monster's done to Otogi!" He shuddered violently at the mere image the words brought up for him.
"Oh, come on, he hasn't - "
"Don't you go back to school today?" Malik interrupted suddenly.
Ryou's eyes widened in slow comprehension. "Oh, no," he moaned.
"Skip it," Malik advised with a shrug. Grinning, he added, "You can stay home with me for the day…."
Ryou nibbled absently on his lip, thinking the thought and the possibilities that followed over in his mind. "That I'm even considering this is disconcerting."
Malik smirked.
"Oh, no," said Ryou warningly, stepping back from his koi. "I know that look. I don't like that look."
"Really?" asked Malik innocently. "You usually love it…."
Ryou gave a valiant attempt at a glare. "You're not using anything between your nose and your neck to persuade me."
Malik's smirk dipped evilly.
"Or your hands, hentai."
"What about - "
"Don't even think about it."
The Egyptian's delight crumbled, a sulk forming on his slender lips. "And you call yourself my koi," he grumbled.
Ryou shook his head patiently. "No, you call me your koi. I call myself law-abiding," he retaliated tartly.
Malik grinned slowly. "You're not going, are you?"
Ryou sighed. "Never had a chance, did I?"
"Don't give yourself too much grief. You tried."
"Yeah. So, want to give me my birthday present early?"
"Absolutely. You get half now, half later. Deal?"
Ryou sealed the agreement with a kiss.
**
Yami no Malik watched the front of the Bakura household from a clever vantage point. From his tree, he could see everything that went on from the living room to Ryou's room, where the subjects of his spying were currently dozing.
A few of his Heartless lay sprawled in the bushes, trying to "shut up and keep silent" as their master had told them to do. Some smart enough to enjoy boredom began staring contests with each other, then when they realized that their yellow orb eyes never had to blink, they began braiding grass. But when the top began to unravel as they reached the bottom, they decided mournfully that that didn't work either.
Up in the tree, Yami no Malik clutched a suspicious tool to his chest. His former host's koibito would turn seventeen the following day, and Yami no Malik had the perfect celebratory gift. Of course, it would need to be delivered in the right way….
Chuckling off-key to himself, Yami no Malik swung from the branches to the lawn, stalking then toward the unsuspecting house.
**
Ryou had hoped Sora and Riku would return in time for his birthday the following day, but as his fortune usually guaranteed, he was disappointed. However, the silver lining, ever present, arrived at school with a gleaming motorcycle to drive him home. Malik seemed unusually cheerful from the moment they traded greetings on and though Ryou knew to be suspicious, he found the older boy's brightness infectious.
While Ryou finished his homework, he related to Malik how he had neatly avoided the sensei's wrath by some nimble lying and charm. To say Malik was proud would be a shameful understatement.
"So, what did you do?" the Egyptian asked with glowing eyes.
Ryou blushed under the beaming praise and ducked his head under the guise of reading his textbook. "I, em, told her my father came home early with a foreign disease and I couldn't leave the house because I was afraid of contaminating the class," he said, sneaking a mischievous glance at his open-mouthed koi.
Malik shook his head in amazement, then threw back his head and cackled. "You're unbelievable!" he crowed.
Ryou grinned. "I like to think so," he said with a small degree of pride. "She's not even going to count my homework as late."
"Speaking of which, you almost done?"
"Just about."
"Good, 'cause I want to give you your present."
Ryou arched an eyebrow skeptically. "Why are you so…bubbly?"
Whatever power had been driving Malik's bright mood promptly keeled over at the deadly word. "I'm acting what?!"
Ryou grinned slightly. "Well, you are. You've been bubbly the whole way home."
"Stop saying that - that word!" Malik moaned, pressing his hands to his ears in theatric pain.
Ryou smiled, "Ahh, peace," and leaned over his homework undisturbed.
When he finished, he glanced up and caught Malik glowering darkly at him, hunched over on the edge of his bed like a handsome, blond vulture. "I'm not fucking bubbly," he growled.
Ryou winked. "Sure you're not."
Scowling now, Malik snapped, "I could always return your gift."
" - And endure eternal celibacy," Ryou finished sweetly.
Malik returned to his former strategy of glaring.
"All right, all right," Ryou conceded, rolling his eyes, "you're not bubbly."
Malik nodded resentfully.
"…Just bouncy."
"RYOU!"
"Effervescent?"
"I'm warning you, kid - "
"Merry?"
"Ryou…."
Ryou's eyes sparkled. "Gay?"
Malik considered, sizing up his pretty koi thoughtfully. "Well, Ry…."
Ryou scowled indignantly. "All right, enough of that."
"Want your gift yet?" Malik asked sweetly.
"If it's a tack hammer, yes."
Malik smiled. "You're cute when you're homicidal, kojika."
"Funny, I hear that a lot," Ryou deadpanned.
"Anyone I know?" Malik's eyes narrowed slightly.
Ryou grinned and stood from his desk stiffly. "You're paranoid," he chuckled, stretching his arms over his head languidly. In mid-stretch, he yawned, "Stop staring at my midriff, Ishtar."
"You should wear tighter clothes."
Ryou let his arms fall before trudging over to his bed and burrowing into Malik's waiting embrace. "No," he said definitively. "There's no way I'm dressing like a slut to mollify your fashion issues."
Malik frowned. "I'm not a slut," he grumbled, sick to death of the recurring labeling.
Ryou leaned his forehead on Malik's, teasing softly, "Yes, you are. You're my slut." He grinned and arched an eyebrow complacently.
"How did I know that was going to come back and bite me in the - "
" - Present, Ishtar," Ryou said with half-stifled giggles.
Malik flashed a grin insolently and concealed one arm carefully behind his back, curling the other around Ryou's neck and pulling him closer. The younger boy settled his arms around his koi's shoulders and snuggling his cheek against Malik's contentedly.
Sighing, he said, "This is all I want. Just you."
Malik risked a laugh. "Liar. Quit looking behind my back, you sneak."
Ryou drew back just enough to smile shamelessly and stick his tongue out without actually touching the other boy's mouth.
Malik smirked. "You're playing with fire, tenshi," he warned. "Don't think I won't take you up on that just because I haven't given you anything yet."
Ryou obediently kept his mouth closed, wide brown eyes poring over lilac pleadingly.
After a moment or two of this, Malik grinned and with the arm draped around Ryou's neck, grabbed a small box from the corner of the bedside table.
Ryou blinked. "Why did you have the other arm behind your back?" he asked bewilderedly.
"To distract you," Malik grinned. "You'd never know your other half was a thief, itoshi." (4)
As he began to open the box, Malik caught the surprised smile on Ryou's lips. "What?"
Ryou blushed vaguely. "You've, heh…you've never called me that before," he said softly.
"Really?"
Ryou's smile grew soft as he nodded.
Pausing with the box in one hand, Malik returned the smile and laid his cheek against Ryou's temple. "Adorable," he mused, eyes closed contentedly.
"Aishiteru, Malik," Ryou whispered, lightly kissing his koi's jaw.
Reluctantly Malik let the wash of cool vanilla and warm honey ebb away as he pulled back. Seeing only love and trust in Ryou's fawn eyes, he repaid the younger boy's kiss with one of his own, nuzzling his mouth softly over his koi's. "Love you, too," he murmured. "And better yet, I can prove it."
Ryou practically bounced back into gift-starved mode, reeling backwards with an eager grin spread wide across his face. "What'd you get me?" he asked animatedly. "Show me!"
Resisting the urge to comment on Ryou's single-track mind when it came to attention, Malik leaned back against the headboard and handed the indigo box to his vivacious koi. Before Ryou could yank it from his grasp, however, he darted in quickly and kissed his tenshi. "Happy birthday, beautiful," he said warmly.
Ryou spared a millisecond to counter with a smile whiter than the ivory of his hair and lifted the lid of the box. A drifting sunbeam snuck a glimpse inside as he opened the small container, recoiling off of the shiny surface inside and retreating to a nearby wall. At the sight of his gift, Ryou's eyes grew large and slowly coasted up to meet Malik's.
The older boy beamed at the look of awe on Ryou's face, reaching out almost involuntarily to brush a stray lock of snowy silk from his forehead. "Like it?" he asked, his hand lingering almost tentatively a breath from Ryou's cheek.
Abruptly breaking into a brilliant smile, Ryou lunged forward and seized Malik in a bone-fracturing hug. His voice took up temporary residence in his throat, sending up merely strangled laughter when requested for coherent words.
Malik squeezed his arms tight around the younger boy's waist possessively. "I'll take that as a wholehearted yes, then, shall I?" he grinned.
Ryou's laughter dispelled the ensuing silence. "Where did you find it?" he asked, his face comfortably buried in a sinewy shoulder.
"It's from Egypt, obviously. Isis got in a shipment full of recovered jewelry and this was one of them."
Ryou drew back, blinking in shock. "She let you have this?" he asked, brandishing the box skeptically.
Malik grimaced. "Nothing's free, itoshi." Ryou smiled at the newfound pet name. "She's making me Tabibito's slave for the next week."
Ryou laughed, entertained by the misery on the Egyptian's face. "Well, you got what you wanted, why hold up your end?" he asked impishly.
"Because there's something else from that shipment that I want," said Malik furtively.
"What is it?"
Malik shook his head. "Tell you later. Hand me the thing, I'll put it on for you."
Ryou complied quickly, anxious to see how the beautiful trinket would look on him. As Malik took hold of the charm, Ryou could effortlessly make out the embossed hieroglyphics in the sunlight. Made from sterling silver or something richer, the armlet was shaped like the gold pair Malik had worn when they first met, but polished and bedecked with elegant lines of gold and turquoise, the beloved metals of the ancient Egyptians. Ryou found it difficult to believe the armlet's age. It looked as though no one had ever breathed on it, let alone worn it thousands of years ago.
Malik lifted his hand and slipped the armlet around his wrist, carefully and purposefully dragging it up his lean arm until it rested comfortably halfway between his shoulder and elbow. Raising the sleeve of his short tee shirt, Ryou admired the silver bracelet now snugly enclosing his arm.
"What does the inscription say?" asked Ryou, titling his head curiously as he tried to read it.
"'Property of Malik Ishtar, Future Pharaoh'," Malik said seriously.
Ryou's expression slipped from enthralled to exasperated in record time. "If it says that, I'm going to beat you over the head with it."
Malik winked, clearly unmoved by the fervently empty threat. "'Everyone finds himself in the world where he belongs. The essential thing is to have a fixed point from which to check its reality now and then'," he read.
Ryou ducked his head to shadow a faint blush while looking over the ancient Egyptian proverb appraisingly. "That's sweet," he said quietly, smiling.
Malik nudged his koi's downcast chin and locked gazes the moment his eyes drifted away from the bracelet. Without revealing his intentions, he swept a pensive glimpse over Ryou's face, his hand still covering the bracelet. Ryou met his appraisal evenly, even nonchalantly. Even so, Malik could read through the younger boy's actions as easily as the ancient proverb marked under his palm. After all, who taught Ryou never to shrink away from a challenge?
Well, the tomb robber had, but Malik was convinced that the message had gotten lost somewhere between steal-the-Puzzle schemes and ignore-the-host tendencies.
Ryou maintained his steady gaze unconsciously, content to sit still as long as Malik's scrutiny took. Besides, it gave him ample time to do likewise and approve Malik's beauty all over again.
"You know," Malik said finally, "people must wonder what you see in me."
Ryou grinned.
"On second thought, don't answer that."
Ryou laughed and kissed his dubious koi's forehead. "Don't worry, I wasn't going to say anything bad," he reassured.
"Suure you weren't," Malik said dryly.
Ryou smiled. "No, I wasn't. I was just going to say that whenever I look at you I don't want to remember exactly what it was like before you loved me," he said sincerely.
Malik's eyes sparkled at the honest words. "Sometimes I try to imagine life without you," he said thoughtfully.
"And?"
Malik winked. "I never said I thought about it long enough to get anywhere," he said.
Ryou giggled and glanced at his gift again, lifting his hand to ghost over Malik's. Raising his gaze to his koi's, he said, "So, what am I to you? Your world or your reality?"
Malik entwined their fingers deftly. "I'm not sure yet. I'll let you know in twenty years." He kissed the younger boy gently and squeezed his hand. "Happy birthday, tenshi."
**
1 - Myoujou (Morning Star)
2 - I know in the manga and in the anime, Yami no Bakura's hair was white in Egypt, but I prefer to take the historically correct route and make his hair black - plus, I think it would look better on him anyway. ^_~
3 - The Before Time: What the kids used for the days when they obeyed their parents on an episode of South Park. ^_~ Sorry, minna, I couldn't resist a South Park cameo, heh.
4 - Itoshi (love, beloved)
Note on Egyptian Gods: Once you've been immersed in Egyptian mythology long enough, you'll notice that people spell the gods' names several different ways. Take, for example, the sun god Re. Since you pronounce it as "Ra", that's how most people choose to spell it. The same is true with Selqet, whose name has also been spelled Selket. People will automatically want to spell things phonetically. So, while Re doesn't look right, it is seen frequently on official documents and on Egyptologists' reports, so I'm led to believe it's the real way to spell it. ^_^
To be Continued…
Wow, twenty-seven reviews. O_O At least there's one pro to month-long vacations. ^_~ Ahem, not like…eh, I'd do it again. Or…anything…. *Cough* Em - onto the reviews!
Kiirar - Hehe, arigatou! And yes, I don't think Malik appreciated his koi's possessed other half's actions, ne? ^_~ *Pout* Now why would you try to hunt me down? That's just mean. *Nods* Sadly, no, the dice is not the candle…though I wouldn't doubt that they're connected in some way. *Whistles innocently* maliksgurl - I'm actually surprised chapter seven was as popular as it turned out to be. I think the end result was twenty-two reviews! O_O;; I thought I overdid the fluff, but I suppose not! ^_^ Feel free to yell at me if I'm lagging. Chances are, like this time, I'm busy, but I always appreciate the continued interest in the story. ^_^ Oh, and your being sweet is definitely a good thing. Hehehe! Toothache? Nah. Only Malik and Ryou are capable of that. ^_~ Not to mention Hiei and Kurama…but that's another genre altogether. ^_~ Hehehe. Froz Flame - *Giggle* I'm glad it made you feel good! I'm highly flattered! ^_^ Aijin Moon - I'm glad you took such an interest in my story! ^_^ Yami no Malik has always struck me as an unlikable figure, but I suppose all deserve second chances, ne? Hehe, I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Hai, Sora and Riku are absolutely precious. O_O I didn't even notice that innuendo. I guess I'm still too naïve for my own good! Kris - Hehe, I updated. ^_~ Gomen for the cliffhanger…I've been out of practice of leaving them for so long…it's a terrible habit to have - even harder to break! Jess - O_O I can't even tell you how much I love you for that review! ^_^ *Glomp!* Ah, about Jou and Seto…this chapter was getting insanely long as it was (Malik just did not want to forgive Ryou, damn it), so the details behind the CEO/puppy/dice freak will come next chapter. Promise. ^_~ Oh, Lordie, I saw pictures of Ryuuji and Honda…. Ugh. Not my favorite pairing. Er, at all. Personally, I love Mai. She's just got something about her that makes her undeniably cool - at least to me, hehe. Sora? Hetty, is he? *Grin* Well, we'll have to change that, now won't we? And that pairing you speak of isn't as bad as I thought at first. It's…er, unique, but I find I don't dislike (*coloatheugh*) him as much as I used to. He's all right, in a iffy kind of "I-borderline-hated-you-for-six-years" kind of way. ^_~ And your wild guess paid off, I see. Hehe. *Giggle* You're right! If Yami sends you to the Shadow Realm, he undoubtedly has a crush on you. *Grin* Sort of like yanking pigtails. Putting souls into eternal damnation is a sure fire sign of love. *Giggle* I know! I don't buy his story that he's "spying on the enemy". Please, tomb robber, don't insult the slashers' intelligence. We know you're spying on him while he's sleeping. *Giggle* That'd be a picture I'd love to save. Erp, Seto and Yami? Not my region of expertise, but indulge yourself, dear, I won't stop you. ^_~ You know, I'd love to find a way to incorporate Yu Yu Hakusho into this…but so far I can't think of a thing without getting off track. Although…hm, I may have an idea. I'll keep you posted. ^_~ 470 words!? I think you're on the top ten list for longest reviews, hon! Wow. 470. That's definitely something to live up to! Think you can outdo it this time? ^_~ chibi_ai - Gomen ne, if you checked this every day this time. ^_^;; I didn't mean to take so long with this chapter, but summer is proving to be chaotic for me. Whoa, you read it that many times? Eep! That's impressive! Even I didn't read it that many times! That's quite embarrassing for me, hehehe. ^_~ Hope you were pleased with the chapter! Tofu - Hehe, you should never expect "innocent fun" from Yami no Yugi and Yami no Bakura. Especially when they're put together. ^_~ Aww, arigatou. I wasn't expecting as big a response as I got for last chapter at all. Must make a mental note that fluff is popular. ^_^ Oh, I agree totally. Ryou and Malik just have the sweetest relationship, ne? It's so much fun to exploit - er, write. ^_~ Blondie the Black Sheep - Thank you! _ Where did the Yami no Bakura/Yami no Yugi come from? Well, it's been hinted at throughout the story, but the actual shounen-ai starts in chapter six. *Tilts head* There was a whole portion about them toward the beginning. Hmm, a lemon between them? I don't think I'll get to it, but I had a lime planned anyway, so there you go. ^_^ Hmm…I'm not sure how long it'll be. Maybe about twenty chapters? I'm not all too sure myself, to be honest. I had an outline planned but had I followed it I would have been on chapter twenty by now. I'm adding chapters together to make them longer. Like this chapter was about six in one. ^_^ It's better to make them long, I think. Kendra - True, Ryuuji's not doing very well for himself, is he? Oh, well, he'll live. ^_~ anime AndrAIa - Monty Python is definitely a favorite of mine. And that scene has always had me in stitches! That and the rabbit scene at the end…and Tim! Hehe. Before I go off on a tangent…. See, Seto came back! I'm too fond of the reclusive brat myself to get rid of him. So I can't ignore his existence just yet. ^_~ I think there must be rehabilitation for this kind of devotion to characters. If so, I need the twenty-four step help guide to get rid of my love of Ryou. …Never mind, double that. But why would I want to? ^_^ Hmm…cat treats and Ryuuji…that's something I hadn't considered…. *Grin* Really?! Wow! You didn't love Malik before? I don't understand why not…he's just so adorable…! ^_^ Hehe, I'm flattered. I've never thought of Ryou as weak. It just makes more sense that he'd be strong-minded if he was destined to be the holder of the Ring. Otherwise he would have died by now, and he hasn't - not permanently in the canon world, anyway. ^_~ Hehe, arigatou, shoujo! ^_^ Lupins-Dragon - *Blush* Arigatou, hehe. I'll read your story when I get the chance. I have a lot to catch up on because I was gone for so long, but I promise I'll get to it. ^_^ Hehe, hey, if you want to give me an award, I wouldn't refuse it. ^_~ Arigatou, hehe. Shadowy Fluffball - Cute penname. ^_^ I don't know why, but I keep thinking of Hiei whenever I see it. Oh, really? Do tell me some of these "whacked out couples". OxBeachFlirtxO1 - Aw, I'm flattered! ^_^ About five times over, in fact, hehe. True, Malik's unquestionably whipped, but Ryou's just as bad off in that area as his koi. ^_~ Kingdom Hearts does end sad…but at least there's fan fiction, ne? Hopefully, the sequel to the game'll be happier. Kairi-less, maybe? ^_^ Shadow-of-Death - Oh, of course. ^_^ Yami no Bakura wouldn't go so far as to make Ryou's life easy, after all. ^_~ Slytherinette - Wow…that was enthusiastic! ^_^ Arigatou! I'm ecstatic you like it so much! ^_^ Believe me, compliments like that are definitely accepted. ^_~ Sarith McGregor - Hehehe, sorry about the cliffhanger, but I couldn't resist. ^_^ Aw, arigatou. ^_^ Actually, to be honest, at first I didn't think Jounouchi and Ryuuji would work out at all…I just wanted to do something not many have tried out (not sure if it's been done before, to be honest) and once I thought about it for a while, it actually made sense. Besides, they can be sweet once they shove their egos down a few - dozen - notches. ^_~ Hot makeout scene? And in all caps, too. ^_^ I haven't deprived you readers that much, have I? Hehe, just kidding. ^_^ Oh…just wondering, but your last name…. Real or adopted from some gorgeous Scottish actor? *Grin* Duelist of the Bleak Winter - I'm inclined to agree with you…Riku is definitely a sexy bishie. ^_^ He's part of why I even bought the game…that and one of my best friends told me it involved a great deal of shounen-ai hints. Hehe, arigatou. I'm a fan of crossovers, personally. Cameos are still stylish in my world. ^_^ Blood Roses - Wow, I'm triply flattered. ^_^ I think you're right, though. One of my favorites is definitely the soap scene. My sister and I used to watch Days of Our Lives, so I had to poke fun at it. She'd watch the show and I'd watch the carpet grow. -_- Anyway, I hope you keep reading. I love returning reviewers. ^_^ Keaira - Yay! Another addict! ^_^ Who can resist Sora and Riku, anyway? They're too sweet. And gorgeous. Not that anyone cares about looks. *Innocent whistling* Little Lost Girl - Well, arigatou, hehe! ^_^ I know! The intro to KH is undeniably slashy! It screams shounen-ai. And the clip for the sequel? Riku-with-blindfold. I don't think that's kinky, but if it is, I'm guilty. Hehe. Aw, thanks. Being cool just comes naturally, I guess. ^_~ Kidding. ^_^ Bishie Bliss…. Ooh, or a Yahoo! Group. Many shounen-ai pairings…many, many of them! *Cough* Right, I'm sane. Sure. *Cough* Ooh, so I have a stalker as well? Bring it on, hehe. Waldo, meet Trei. ^_~ Sailor Comet - You know, everyone notices the shounen-ai in KH, but there are so many het stories. Why? I don't see Sora/Kairi at all. She's not mature enough for a real relationship with anyone but herself. Notice how she completely blows Riku off even after he goes through all that to save her? I don't think she speaks to him aside from the sunset scene, and that's barely two sentences. *Rolls eyes* Silly Sora. Date your best friend, he's the one with the cool sword. And I'll end with that lovely double entendre. ^_~ Elle-FaTe2x1 - Hehe, thank you. ^_^ Darkshipping is definitely one of the coolest pairings out there, ne? And Yami no Malik just made the first of his moves. ^_~ Kidnapping Ryou is only the beginning, my dear Watson. ^_^ Wildcard - Ooh…er, tell her sorry? Hehe. ^_~ Aww, I'm not evil. Not totally. Just a little. …Mostly…. A bit…. Yeah, I'm pretty much sadistic and wicked, but I mask it well, ne? ^_~ Aw, I'm so glad everyone liked the soap scene. ^_^ I almost took that out. I have to stop giving me advice on how my chapters should be worked out. Oi. nakia - Aww, thank you. I'm glad you like it. You just made me feel all fuzzy inside. ^_^ See? Reviews mean stuff to us authors, people! ^_~ areka hakai - Hehe, thank you. ^_^ Gotta love the fluff. Topazia - Really? You're putting NtF on your favorites? ^_^ Aww! Arigatou! I love to hear that, hehe.
Author's Note: While I was on vacation (remind me the next time I stay in northern California that there are no high-speed connections up there; though that's the tradeoff, I guess - beautiful land, hopeless technology) I wrote the first five chapters of a novella (shorter than this but longer than a short story). The story is basically this:
Title: Sailing on Glass
Summary: The ocean breaks under her hull, recognizing the liner as a utopia soaring full steam for the shores of North America. Though she will never arrive in port, whether or not her passengers do is in their hands now. Seto/Ryou
Now, about the story. 'Tis mostly shounen-ai (what of mine isn't? ^_~). And if you hadn't guessed, the doomed ship in question is the Titanic, but hear me out before you dismiss it (I noticed while I was gone a lot of people posted stories costarring the Titanic). I was actually interested in the ship before the movie (surprising, isn't it?), so the plotline is different from what you may expect. Now for the fun part. ^_^
It centers around four characters: Seto, Ryou, Mokuba and Amene (Ryou's canon sister who was mentioned *couONCEugh* in the manga). More specifically, around the relationships developed between Seto and Ryou and their younger siblings. Told you it wasn't what you'd expect. ^_^ Here's a taste of the first chapter:
"A glimmer of familiar laughter reached across the deck and swatted Seto's ear, turning the clear gaze over his shoulder. Seto grinned slightly. Found my brother at least. Mokuba was standing at the rail with Amene, his back to his brother. It was only when Seto realized that if this friendship with the Bakuras' daughter continued, he would likely lose Mokuba's company on this voyage and a sharp stab of something foul blocked his common sense for a moment. When it cleared, Seto was horrified to admit, even to himself, that he was jealous. Amene couldn't have stolen Mokuba in a few days, when Seto would at least know the ship well enough not to run across them like this.
"Someone else seemed to share his viewpoint. Only a few feet away, positioned against one of the giant iron wedges the ship used to tie the ship to harbor knelt Amene's beautiful older brother, Ryou. His arms were braced atop the wedge and a slight frown stood etched across his features. His gaze was unwaveringly fixed on his sister and her new 'friend'
"When Mokuba and Amene seemed to tire of the view, they began walking from the forecastle deck leisurely. Ryou followed them with his eyes, vaguely clenching his jaw. Seto smirked and worked out a new way to distract the boredom for a few hours.
"'Spying on your sister?' he asked casually, back leaned against the fore railing.
"Ryou started in surprise but had composed himself quickly enough to toss an amused smile at Seto when he turned around. 'On your brother, actually,' he countered coolly.
"Seto raised a skeptical eyebrow. 'I doubt you need to,' he said. 'He's not experienced enough in women to see the blatant passes your sister's making.'
"Instead of flaring up in defensive anger, Ryou merely brightened his smile. 'Yes, well, your brother has obviously never courted a girl of Amene's caliber.'
"'Or any girl period,' added Seto offhandedly.
"'Ah,' said Ryou, 'so he's following your example, then?' His eyes sparkled playfully.
"Seto snorted. 'I hope not.'"
Anyway, that's just a tidbit. I feel terrible about leaving all of you hanging for so long without so much as a warning of my absence, so to make it up to you all, I'd like to post the story. ^_^ Or do you want to wait until Naming the Flame is finished? (Keep in mind that's going to take a while as the plot will get thicker next chapter.) So, what's the verdict? Post or postpone? Leave your vote in a review. ^_^