A Warm Heart in a Cold Desert

Disclaimer: Bakura says I won't be owning YGO any time soon. o_o How can he do tarot readings with Duel Monsters cards?

Pairings: Bakura/Ryou, Marik/Malik, side Seto/Joey. No Yami/Yugi, they just aren't in the fic any more. And this chapter.. is the epilouge.

Warnings/Other: Yaoi (Don't like? Don't read.), angst, death, maybe some OOC. Shoutouts to D, Tia, and Kate.

Summary: -AU- Bakura, an Egyptian prison escapee. Ryou, a contradictory teenager sick of the family life. After Ryou is dragged along on his family trip to the desert, he finds Bakura in the back of his car, and decides to run away with him. There's only one problem. They're lost in the desert with no idea where civilization is. YAOI BxR

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About a year had past since Ryou left his family and life behind, deciding to join Marik, Malik, and Bakura on their journeys. Getting Marik out of jail hadn't been the easiest of tasks, but it was certianly much simpler than Bakura and Ryou's trial. Bakura's injured leg had healed almost completely, the only memoir of the gash in his leg being a four-inch long scar, but he could live with that.

Ryou's sixteenth birthday had come and gone, and, for the first time, his birthday was enjoyable. At times, Ryou would miss his old life, but luckily the quartet had come across many fortunate events, and they were able to lease a small house in a relaxing, suburban community. Ryou had returned to school to finish up his last year of high-school, pleased to have Malik joining him for the 12th grade. Bakura and Marik, being the two oldest, sought jobs to pay for the apartment, utility bills, and food.

Though he had been slightly untrusting of Malik at first, Ryou and the blonde Egyptian eventually grew to be the best of friends, whereas Bakura and Marik were finally able to solidify their friendship and move on from the past. Over time, Ryou had also grown to become very good friends with Marik. Bakura and Ryou's romantic relationship had blossomed, bestowing a peaceful feeling upon both of them that could only make them happier. Marik and Malik had had their relationship grow into a very rewarding and splendid.

Things were going very well for the three Egyptians and single Britian.

.

Bakura, having been granted the day off at work, anxiously awaited Ryou's return from school as he sat on the couch near the front door. He checked his watch; 3:45pm. He knew Ryou got out of school at 3:04 due to his seventh period, and Bakura also knew that the bus Ryou took home only came once an hour, at either quater-till or twenty-five-till.

3:45:50.

He got up and unlatched the door, leaving the locks in their same position. Flattening out the creases in his loose-fitting blue shirt, he took his seat on the couch and crossed one leg over the other.

3:46:00.

Drumming his thin fingers on his denim-clad knee, Bakura let his thoughts wander to wherever they wanted as he attentively watched the hand on his watch tick away the seconds until his beloved would be coming home.

3:46:31.

A grin appeared on his face as he heard the bus pull up to the stop right infront of their house outside. The roaring engine of the large vehicle created a steady stream of sound for about twenty seconds, before the sound started becoming lower and lower until he couldn't hear it anymore. Instead, he heard the jingling of Ryou's keys as he slid each silver key into the correct lock. Bakura watched as the main lock to the second, wooden door behind the metal security door twisted so that it was vertical. The doorknob twisted.

3:47:00.

Ryou entered the apartment and slid his bookbag off his shoulder, closing the door behind him; Malik always got home around 3:00pm because he didn't have seventh period. He motioned to lock the locks when two pale arms wrapped around his waist and drew him close. He smiled, knowing automatically that it was Bakura who was embracing him. Ryou leaned back into the strong arms around him, placing his hands atop those of his Egyptian tomb robber.

.

He just managed to slip the lock closed before he was spun around gently. Lips were pressed against his as one of Bakura's hands rose to caress the side of his face. Coming home was always Ryou's favourite part of the day, because he always got pleasantly attacked by an entourage of kisses from his love.

Bakura nibbled Ryou's bottom lip, seeking entrance, and Ryou gladly obliged, letting Bakura's tongue weave its' way into his mouth. Just as he had done so a year ago, Bakura rememorized each and every inch and crevice in the younger's mouth. They eventually parted for air and simply gazed deep into eachother's eyes. Ryou smiled, "You forgot something again."

"What?" Bakura blinked, confused. "What'd I forget?"

"This," Ryou replied, rising to the tips of his toes and placing a delicate kiss on Bakura's cheek.

Good-humouredly rolling his eyes to mask the blush rising in his face, Bakura snaked one arm around Ryou's waist, and with the other arm, ruffled the youth's hair, not stopping until it was messy enough for his liking. "That's one thing I don't mind forgetting daily."

//

Malik lay on the single bed in his shared room with Marik on his back, arms folded across his chest while his head rested in Marik's lap. Silence reigned over the two, but they didn't mind. The smaller of the two stared blankly at the ceiling while Marik played with his hair. It was a relaxing gesture for both of them. Malik's hair was always silky soft and untangled.

Malik's view of the ceiling was suddenly gone as Marik lifted him further into his lap, so that he was sitting in the older's lap, his back against Marik's chest. Marik slid his arms under Malik's and held him tight in an embrace. Malik snuggled into the other Egyptian's arms, resting his head on his shoulder.

"You know..." Marik started, breaking the silence.

"Huh?" Malik looked at him curiously.

Marik didn't answer, but instead leaned forward and grasped Malik's lips with his own. Malik eagerly returned the kiss, placing his hands atop Marik's to steady himself. When they finally broke the kiss in order to breathe, both boys were panting heavily, although Marik regained his breath quicker than the other.

"What was it you wanted to tell me?" Asked Malik, once he had managed to recompose himself.

A simple shrug was his response. "I believe I already told you what I had to say by the way I answered your question," Marik grinned.

Understanding dawned in Malik's amethyst eyes, and he broke into a smile as he fought to keep down a blush. "And I believe I comprehend your answer quite perfectly."

.

A number of hours later, way after the sun had set and moon had risen and the stars had begun shining, Bakura and Ryou sat on the tiled roof of their quaint house, in eachother's arms. Ryou had never really gotten the chance to see the stars before, but now, as he rested in the arms of the one he truly trusted, the stars couldn't have looked more beautiful.

"Bakura?" Ryou asked quietly into the night.

"Nn?"

"Did you ever get the chance to see the stars when you were in Egypt?"

Bakura was silent for a few moments as he thought. "Not really. I never got the chance to go outside at night."

"Never?" Ryou questioned, suprised.

A shake of the head. "But that's old news..." He placed his chin on Ryou's shoulder, and rubbed the side of his face against Ryou's cheek. "I have my own star right here."

The British youth blinked, "Right where?"

Bakura had to hold back his grin, "Well, let's see. He looks exactly like me, only a litte shorter, and..." he trailed off, thinking. Bakura's English was quite good, no doubt about it, but there were some words he just couldn't remember. Silently, he cursed his inability to perfectly learn a second language.

"...and?"

"Be quiet, I'm thinking." The Egyptian muttered, feeling very embarrased. "...Alright, I don't know how to say it in English."

What started off as hardly-controlled giggles eventually erupted into a mountian of laughter from the smaller boy. He wiped his eyes free of the laughter-induced tears, smiling at Bakura. "Well, what's the word for it in Egyptian?"

"Nefer."ยน

Ryou's eyes lightened, "It sounds beautiful when you say it."

The now seventeen-year-old allowed a smile to flicker across his features. "I still find it hard to believe that we met the way we did."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Ryou whispered, snuggling deeper into the warmth and security that Bakura's strong arms provided. He closed his eyes and lay his head atop Bakura's chest. "You know, 'Kura, I never used to believe in angels..."

"What changed that?" Bakura asked curiously, his cheek still pressed against Ryou's.

For a moment, Ryou was silent, before he turned around and kissed Bakura gently.

"You."

Bakura smiled.

//

When the younger of the two almost-albinos woke up the next morning, he was suprised to find himself not in Bakura's lap as he remembered, but lying comfortably on a warm bed underneath equally warm covers. He blinked, suprised, and motioned to sit up when he realized an arm was draped casually around his waist. Looking to his side, Ryou was filled with a sudden calm at seeing how completely peaceful Bakura looked while asleep. Sure, he had seen Bakura sleep before, but never like this, never looking so comfortable.

Ryou softly slid out from underneath Bakura's arm and draped his legs over the edge of the bed. He paused, remembering how just over a year ago he had been sitting in the almost exact same position, preparing to go on a trip to the desert he had never wanted to go on in the first place. But now, Ryou was glad he went along. He was drawn out of his thoughts when Bakura made a sound of discomfort in his sleep.

He turned around, blinking, and realized the arm he had been lying under was shifting around on the mattress. Ryou smiled; Bakura was possessive, even while asleep. Restraining a yawn, Ryou crawled back into the bed beside the Egyptian and gratefully sunk into the mattress. Within a few minutes, he was alseep again. The clock beside their shared bed read a somewhat symbolic 11:05am, Saturday morning.

About ten minutes after Ryou had gone back to sleep, Bakura peeked his eyes open and made sure Ryou wasn't awake and just pretending to be alseep. A single thought crossed his mind as he drew Ryou's slumbering form closer to him.

"Mine."

He knew it was a somewhat childish thought, to say that Ryou was entirely his, but he didn't quite care. He also knew that Ryou wouldn't be his forever, but Bakura was satisfied with the thought of spending the rest of his life with his look-a-like.

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1 - I read in a fic somewhere (don't remember the title/author(ess)) that 'nefer' means 'beautiful'. I thought it was cute to embarras Bakura again ^_^ but keep in mind, I can't remember for the life of me how to say 'beautiful' in Spanish no matter how many times I hear it being said -__-;;

Shori: o_o I did it. This fic is over.

Bakura: ...Someone up there loves me.

Shori: -___-;; *Looks at Bakura* Well, guys, I want to give a personal thank-you to each of you for reviewing and sticking with my fic this long. For what I would consider my first real YGO story, I'm really impressed with how well it's done. I really hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. But, wait! Before you click the review button!

Bakura: ...Oh no...

Shori: I don't know if any of you guys know, but in my FFN bio, I have a list of stories that will be written soon. I've had my friends vote, and so far The Caged Rose is the fic that will be written next. Please take the time to tell me which fic you want to see started next, via review or e- mail. Thanks! *Hugs everyone and showers them with pocky*

Bakura: ...I want pocky...

Shori: ^_^ For not killing me, I give you pocky, Bakura. *Gives him a truckload of pocky*

Bakura: ^_^