Dove

Chapter 2- Shelter Continued

In Egypt, or at least the less urban areas, it was common practice for beds to be little more than a cushioned bench against the wall. In the outskirts of Domino, Japan, beds were a little more comfortable, and that sort of comfort was easy to get used to.

It made sleeping on a couch all that much less enjoyable.

This Malik pondered as he sat up, yawning and stretching out a now-sore back. This was proving to be a productive day; the sun was barely even up and already he had added three new names to his mental list of annoyances: both of the Bakuras, as well as whatever Ra-cursed company had manufactured the couch he had slept on. Ryou's yami was currently the one at the top of said list. All through the rain of the previous day and night, Bakura had failed to make an appearance and retrieve his runaway hikari, leaving him at the Ishtar household. The sky had gotten even darker, moon hidden behind the unceasing storm, and Malik had held a quiet argument with his sister about the short-term fate of the white-haired youth who continued to sleep in his fragile little way right in the middle of Malik's bed. Damn….he paused in his inward rants to rub his back some…Ishizu could be morbidly stubborn sometimes, absolutely insisting that Ryou was in no condition to be woken and turned away. Even if this was so, couldn't –he- have been the one to sleep on the couch? That little albino was probably still in there, snuggled into his sheets in his bed, all because that wretched tomb robber refused to come get him. Well…Ishizu had maintained that Ryou stay the night…but the sky had lightened, the clouds diminished to smears of golden-pink, so that night was over. He wanted his bed back now, even if he wouldn't actually be sleeping in it till later. It was the principle of the thing. His bed. With a small nod of determination directed to no one but himself, he strode into his bedroom fully prepared to kick Ryou out. What he saw was both unsurprising and…surprising.

Just as expected, Ryou was curled up amid the bedsheets, still asleep. It wasn't a restful sort of sleep, though, and as Malik looked on the pale boy whimpered and tossed fitfully. His hands were latched firmly onto the sheets beneath them, fingers barely peeking out from the baggy borrowed sweatshirt, and a closer look showed the faint ill blue tinge that still hovered near his lips and fingertips. Malik's feet were light, his steps silent from years of practice…loud footfalls in echo-filled tomb halls were not a common sound, and for good reason. Restless as the little one was, the egyptian's presence wasn't enough to wake him, even when he came to stand beside the bed, hands on his hips in a gesture of mild curiosity and annoyance. Nightmares, it seemed, had taken Ryou; serious nightmares, Malik mused, as the faint mewling whimpers became shaky sobs. A frown slowly came to his lips as he gazed down at the tears streaking down from behind closed eyes…had they always had those dark circles beneath them? Was he always that pale?…And now he realized something interesting; this was the first time he'd ever seen anyone cry. Sure, the pharaoh's hikari had sniffled some when his friends were threatened, but this…whatever Ryou was dreaming of had reduced him to a softly shivering mess of tears.

"Pathetic…"

The murmur had seemed quiet enough to Malik, but it was just enough to wake the sleeper curled up there. With a few groggy little squeaks, he slowly opened his eyes and the slow flow of tears from said hues came to a gradual halt. The shivering that Malik had until then been blaming on the ill-projected dreams, however, continued even as those blurred eyes blinked sleepily up at him.

"…what…Malik?" He was…in bed…not his bed, these sheets were so much softer than his own…oh, but of course, he had stayed overnight. Another something he hadn't planned on. Great. Wrapping the blankets about him and wincing under a wave of chills, the small teen pushed himself to sit up and offered a weak smile at Malik. "I really have been a nuisance, haven't I?" The polite response, the response someone like, say, Ryou would have given, was 'Oh, no, of course not, don't worry.'

Malik was never one for polite responses. With a shrug, he nodded, arms moving to fold across his bare chest---he was never one for pajamas either, preferring to sleep in little more than a comfy pair of boxer shorts---and replied very simply.

            "Yes." Once again he was blinked at; he was starting to find Ryou's way of expressing surprise a little irritating. Didn't he have anything to do besides flutter those lashes of his? Those…weirdly long lashes…keh. Stupid kid, he wasn't only irritating, he was downright distracting. And…as it were…he was still in his bed. That had to change. Ryou seemed to be thinking much the same thing, slightly awkward to be imposing in such a way as that, and so he worked at pulling himself up to his feet. But something was weighing him down, something icy cold and heavy…and he wouldn't be budged. Suddenly his chest was taken with the ache of a series of coughs, hoarse noises that made Malik a little uneasy. As if on cue, Ryou uttered the simple words that were exactly what Malik didn't want to hear.

            "Malik…I'm terribly sorry, but…I…I think I've gotten sick."

            Oh, that was perfect. If Ryou was as sick as he looked and sounded, Ishizu would never turn him out. He knew his sister all too well. They'd have to keep the pale little wretch with them until she had decided he was well enough to be let out of their care. One thing was certain in his mind, though---Ryou would ­­not be staying in the bed. Which was his. It was Malik's house, and he wouldn't stand for being sent out to the couch two nights in a row. In a wonderful display of how much he and his sister differed in the areas of "people skills", Malik scowled down at the nervous-eyed boy.

            "Good for you. What do you expect me to do, make you some soup and tuck you in?" Poor Ryou was cold enough before the biting words, and at them he cringed and looked away. That sarcasm was too familiar…not that Bakura would ever admit to having anything in common with Malik, or vice versa. Still, it was that sort of cruelty he had run from; he had not expected to be greeted by it as well, especially considering how kind his begrudging host had seemed the previous night. He hadn't seen it as an act at the time, but now that Bakura had shown his apparent lack of concern---and a similar lack of desire to play into Malik's hand---the game had been dropped. It came to him then, that this was the real Malik, the one everyone knew, and that last night's was an impostor, a role played with one purpose in mind. He'd been betrayed…again…somehow, it hurt more to be mistreated by someone who seemed a friend than someone who never put on such a performance. He said nothing, eyes lowered in anticipation of the tears already threatening to form there, until a gentle voice from the door drew his attention.

            "Actually it's a little early for soup, Malik. Ryou, it looks as though the cold really affected you, why don't you go take a nice hot shower?"

            If Ryou was stunned, Malik was…annoyed. Did Ishizu always have to butt in? He was perhaps five seconds away from officially sending Ryou out of the house, and now here she was, sleepy but wearing a smile, a towel already in her hand; that meant that he would indeed agree to the offered shower. Keh…know-it-all. And sure enough, once the youth's surprise at the sudden offer of good will had passed, he managed a weak smile and a nod.

            "…Yes…I think that would do me well right now, thank you very much." Returning the smile, Ishizu made her way to the bedside, shooting one of her significant glares to Malik before leaning to offer a hand and help Ryou stand. Once he seemed to have his feet, he took the offered towel with a grateful smile, letting the elegant Egyptian lead him down the hall to a bathroom where he might freshen up and warm himself some. She returned alone, only to be met with an irritable scowl from her brother.

            "Did you have to do that? He was going to leave." Ishizu smiled…that smile…again, and shook her head.

            "No he wasn't. You saw the state he was in. Give the boy a little more time to recover." It was still first-thing-in-the-morning time now, and she hadn't yet put on the necklace that was the source of so many of Malik's frustrations, but her smile still faded into the thoughtful gaze that usually accompanied one of her charm-induced visions. "…although I have a feeling Bakura will indeed be here before long." Finally, some good news for Malik, who responded with a roll of his eyes and a low mutter, " 'bout time…he can take the little weakling off my hands…" before turning and going off to the kitchen for some much-needed coffee. A sigh passed Ishizu's lips, a nearly inaudible one, as she watched him leave.

            "I never said that's what he was coming for…"

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(A/N:

Misura: Thanks! That was the thing about Ishizu…she always seemed like she'd be a pain to live with…such a know-it-all with that necklace of hers. And isn't Malik great? ^-^ He's so…heh…when I was writing this I kept thinking of that one Fairly Oddparents ep where Timmy's dad is all, "Welcome to the house…which is MINE. Take a seat…MINE!" –giggle-

Crimson-Eyed-Angel: Ooh…you'll see what happened to Ryou soon enough…

Keisan: Thanks, and…I've never been there either ^^; So I don't know if it rains all that much…but Malik's coming from Egypt, so even a little rain now and then is gonna seem excessive to him.

Notes regarding the Evil Muse of Doom: Mwehehe, and you thought you were rid of the muse…nope…same one that annoyed me all the way through "If I Could Care For You" has been prodding me non-stop with this one. Especially when I have no access to a computer on which to type it ;;; Damn you, muse.

Evil Muse of Doom (we'll just call her Yami, because we are of course lazy): Mwehe.

Yume (author personage): Well Hi Again! Lousy notes, I'm afraid…I can't think ; I've only had two cans of soda today. Anyways, keep reading and reviewing, all you wonderful people out there, and I promise the notes will get better! And if this seems like a weird place to cut off…fear not. Nekkid showery Ryou on the way! XD

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