I'm not too sure about this chapter, I've edited it and everything but I
can't make it feel right. But I'm posting it anyway.
Comments to reviews at the end of chapter.
- - -
Tis The Season
Warnings: Christmas angst. AU. No character death. Can't I even make a character sick without everyone thinking I'm gonna off him in the next chapter? Then again, Baku's still sick. Maybe I will off him just to please so many of you. ^_^
Pairings: You'll just have to wait and see.
/ thoughts /
*italics*
- - -
Chapter Five
"Batuwa?" Ryou asked softly as the two of them walked back to the orphanage. The small boy looked up at his protector and noticed the dark expression upon his face. He didn't want to bother Bakura, but Ryou couldn't ignore his own needs any longer. "I'm code Batuwa." He whimpered softly, tripping over a large snowdrift.
Bakura, who'd been lost in thought and his anger, stopped, realizing that his little brother was having problems. "I'm sorry Ryou." The older teen picked up the younger boy and cradled him to his chest for extra warmth. Bakura could feel how cool Ryou's skin was and the boy was shivering slightly, though his teeth made no sound.
"Awe you mad?" Ryou whispered softly as he rested his head against Bakura's shoulder so he could slightly see his brother's face. He could always tell what his brother was feeling and now was no different. Bakura was angry. Angry and hurt.
Bakura sighed, knowing that he couldn't lie to him. "Yeah, I am. Aren't you?" He wondered softly as he kissed Ryou's forehead.
Ryou shrugged innocently, "I don't know. Awe we nobodies?" He wondered, the question truly from curiosity.
/Of course we are. No one cares about us and no one would care if anything happened to us./ "No, don't be silly." Bakura shook his head. "Never let anyone tell you different." He said, shivering slightly. The walk home was a long one, and by the time they reached the orphanage, Bakura was frozen. He stiffly entered the building, careful not to jolt a sleeping and warm Ryou.
"How was supper?" Linda wondered, though she had her suspicions about how it really went. The pale boy was even paler than usual and his nose and cheeks were all red from the cold. Her heart went out to the two boys. Ever since they had come to the orphanage they'd never had a break. Linda knew it was wrong to have favourites, but she couldn't stop herself from loving the two just a little more than the others.
Bakura shrugged as he took off his snow-covered boots and carefully knocked the snow off before closing the front door and setting his boots down on a floor mat already piled with other winter shoes. "It was okay. No big deal." He yawned as he looked at her, "Ryou didn't eat much though, can I take a snack up for him in case he gets hungry when he wakes up?" He asked.
Linda smiled, having always been fond of the relationship the two boys shared. Being on the outside of this relationship, she saw what neither brother could see and though everyone in the house knew how protective Bakura was toward his baby, nobody seemed to notice how often Ryou tried to protect Bakura. "Of course Bakura, you should try to sleep yourself. You look exhausted. Nobody wants you to get sick again." She said as she felt his forehead. To her concern, it was already clammy and warm. "Get to bed, I'll bring you up a hot drink in a few moments. I just have to close and lock up." She promised and shooed him up the stairs.
Bakura went without protest and felt like collapsing as soon as his eyes rested upon the bed in their room. He set Ryou down gently and took off the younger boy's jacket, but roused the smaller body accidentally.
"Home?" Ryou whispered sleepily as he let himself be undressed, then redressed in his pajamas.
"Home." Bakura confirmed as he pulled down the covers and moved Ryou's body so he could be covered up. "Did you want something to eat? We didn't get to eat anything tonight." He regretted taking Ryou away from the restaurant before the thin boy had a chance to eat something, but he wouldn't allow either of them to stay to be insulted.
Ryou grinned, "Nope. Wanna seep mowe." He cuddled into the pillow and yawned, closing his eyes, "Night Batuwa." He mumbled before falling asleep again.
As quietly as he could, Bakura took off his own winter jacket, hanging it up in the closet with Ryou's. He stripped from his clothes and grabbed a T- shirt, slipping it over his head. He was about to crawl into bed when a knock at the door reminded him that Linda was coming around. It was still early for the usual lights out call, but all Bakura wanted to do was sleep. He felt so tired suddenly.
"Come in." He yawned, just sitting down on the bed.
The door opened, but it wasn't Linda.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Bakura growled poisonously at the intruder, glaring fiercely as he stood up and unconsciously shielded the bed.
"I wanted to apologize." Malik muttered quietly, seeing that Ryou was asleep. He closed the door, then slowly and carefully set a mug of steaming liquid down on the nightstand beside the bed. "Linda told me to bring this to you and make sure you drink it."
Bakura grunted and slid to the floor. He crossed his legs and looked up at Malik, ignoring the wave of nausea that threatened to drown him. He didn't even have the energy to argue with this bastard, though if he was going to be sick, he wouldn't have minded throwing up all over the selfish idiot. He watched as Malik slowly sat down across from him, hesitant and with good reason. The two sat in silence, and Malik noted how different this silence was from the time before. This silence was strained and cold whereas at the restaurant, it had been comfortable and warm.
Growling slightly in annoyance, Bakura glared across at the Egyptian, "I'd like to get to bed before Christmas."
Malik jumped as if remembering what he had said before, "I wanted to say that I was sorry. I. . ."
"Why are you apologizing to a nobody your highness?" Bakura finally growled, his anger slowly surfacing. "And could you please explain this pharaoh business, just so I'm not so confused about being insulted?" He winced at a slight aching that began to form in his head.
Malik sighed with guilt, "When I called you a nobody it was before I'd met you and I had been having a rough day." He muttered, pulling his legs up and hugging his knees. "I didn't mean it. . .and I am sorry that I said anything at all."
Bakura blinked as he tried to focus, for some reason his sight was blurring. "Okay, now about being pharaoh?" He yawned but stopped mid-yawn when a light blush formed on the Egyptian's dark cheeks. He hadn't expected a reaction like that.
Said 'pharaoh' shrugged, "I don't know. I'm Egyptian, why not? It's just something I came up with to protect myself." Malik tried to explain his way of defense, but he wasn't sure Bakura would understand. Hell, he wasn't sure anyone could understand.
"What?" Apparently Bakura wasn't sure he understood either.
Malik sighed again having never actually told anyone the whole truth about his act - not even Duke. He wasn't about to give Bakura the whole truth though, so he began with his usual story, "I moved here from Egypt in grade nine. I was picked on because I was quiet and shy. I hated it and I wanted to change so nobody could pick on me again. I did change. I took on a personality that was totally different from my own. I became selfish and stuck up." Those lavender eyes closed but Bakura hardly took notice. "I didn't want anyone to get close to me so I'd act like that all the time. Duke was the only one to ever get passed the mask. I guess I've acted for so long that it's hard to not act." Malik sighed and looked at Bakura, "I met you as myself and I was hoping I'd get a chance to be myself, but it was ruined. Like half the other things that go wrong." He muttered quietly.
Bakura processed this information and thought to himself. He knew he hadn't overreacted, but he probably should have waited for an explanation. And Malik looked so pitiful that it was pathetic. "Alright, alright, you're forgiven." The younger teen muttered, "But you had better make it up to Ryou." Bakura yawned, swaying slightly. The ache in his head just didn't want to stop and it was making it hard for him to think.
"Are you okay?" Malik's voice pierced the fog that wanted to enter Bakura's mind. "You're pale. . ." The Egyptian stood up as Bakura struggled to his feet. The sick teen suddenly gasped and held his head, collapsing to his knees. Malik knelt beside him and placed a comforting hand on the teen's shoulder. "Do you want me to get Linda?" He asked, knowing that this was not good.
"No." Bakura's voice was hoarse. "I'm fine. Just tired." He mumbled, but winced when another wave of dizziness tilted the world. He slumped forward, sure that if he'd had anything to eat that day, it would have made a second appearance. Bakura was so caught up trying to stop the spin in his head, that he'd fallen against Malik in exhaustion.
The Egyptian was slightly afraid. Bakura - who'd started out pale - had turned gray and his entire body was radiating with more than the normal about of heat. "I don't care what you say, pride be damned!" Malik hissed as he looked over at the bed. "Ryou!" He called slightly surprised at the pleasant feel of the boy's name on his tongue. He'd never said it out loud before.
Ryou woke in confusion. The familiar warmth he always woke beside was missing. Rolling over he looked in the direction of his brother only to become wide-awake with a gasp. "Batuwa!" Ryou cried in a panicked voice as the small boy crawled off the bed, only to fall beside his brother.
Malik stopped him, "Ryou, go get Linda. She'll know what to do." He promised, though he only wanted the child to hurry. Ryou stared at Malik with wide eyes, as if contemplating why the Egyptian was even there, but a well timed groan escaping Bakura's clenched teeth brought Ryou back to reality.
Nodding quickly, the boy got up and left the room. "Linda!" He shrieked at the top of his lungs.
Malik sighed shakily and put a hand to Bakura's forehead. He'd seen a lot of people get sick with fever, he could remember when Amurra had been just a baby and the small boy had come down with an almost fatal illness. He'd burned like the desert sand against the sun and it had taken all night and all day lying in a bathtub filled with ice to cool the boy down. Amurra had made it, but it had been lucky.
Linda suddenly rushed into the room, falling beside Bakura and checking him over. She looked at Malik and the boy could see the fear in her eyes. "Stay with him, I need to go call an ambulance."
- - -
NOTES:
Everyone just seemed so disappointed that Bakura wasn't going to die, that I decided to change the plot from its original story. It is a Christmas fic after all, and my other two x-mas fics aren't exactly happy. I figured, why make this one any different? *grins*
And about Bakura forgiving Malik so easily, he's sick and doesn't feel good and most likely wants Malik to go away. At least, I would if I were in his shoes. He'd say anything to make Malik leave.
COMMENTS:
Red Fish, Dead Fish - it IS yaoi. Just not yet.
Shanii - Actually, Marik has a son. I know Amurra is most likely a girl's name, but I've always used that name for my D. Human character and my Dragon's a male. And Amurra is the name of his son, not his wife. I won't be mentioning her because I don't feel like finding another name to use. He was forced into the marriage, maybe he really is gay *shrugs* And about the Ryou angst and Bakura torture: I'm giving Yami and Yugi a break. If I read one more 'Yugi has lost all his friends' or 'Yami can't remember his past' fic, I'll surely kill someone. Probably Ryou. ^_^
To all those who commented on Joey: Yeah, he's a jerk. But I still like him.
Comments to reviews at the end of chapter.
- - -
Tis The Season
Warnings: Christmas angst. AU. No character death. Can't I even make a character sick without everyone thinking I'm gonna off him in the next chapter? Then again, Baku's still sick. Maybe I will off him just to please so many of you. ^_^
Pairings: You'll just have to wait and see.
/ thoughts /
*italics*
- - -
Chapter Five
"Batuwa?" Ryou asked softly as the two of them walked back to the orphanage. The small boy looked up at his protector and noticed the dark expression upon his face. He didn't want to bother Bakura, but Ryou couldn't ignore his own needs any longer. "I'm code Batuwa." He whimpered softly, tripping over a large snowdrift.
Bakura, who'd been lost in thought and his anger, stopped, realizing that his little brother was having problems. "I'm sorry Ryou." The older teen picked up the younger boy and cradled him to his chest for extra warmth. Bakura could feel how cool Ryou's skin was and the boy was shivering slightly, though his teeth made no sound.
"Awe you mad?" Ryou whispered softly as he rested his head against Bakura's shoulder so he could slightly see his brother's face. He could always tell what his brother was feeling and now was no different. Bakura was angry. Angry and hurt.
Bakura sighed, knowing that he couldn't lie to him. "Yeah, I am. Aren't you?" He wondered softly as he kissed Ryou's forehead.
Ryou shrugged innocently, "I don't know. Awe we nobodies?" He wondered, the question truly from curiosity.
/Of course we are. No one cares about us and no one would care if anything happened to us./ "No, don't be silly." Bakura shook his head. "Never let anyone tell you different." He said, shivering slightly. The walk home was a long one, and by the time they reached the orphanage, Bakura was frozen. He stiffly entered the building, careful not to jolt a sleeping and warm Ryou.
"How was supper?" Linda wondered, though she had her suspicions about how it really went. The pale boy was even paler than usual and his nose and cheeks were all red from the cold. Her heart went out to the two boys. Ever since they had come to the orphanage they'd never had a break. Linda knew it was wrong to have favourites, but she couldn't stop herself from loving the two just a little more than the others.
Bakura shrugged as he took off his snow-covered boots and carefully knocked the snow off before closing the front door and setting his boots down on a floor mat already piled with other winter shoes. "It was okay. No big deal." He yawned as he looked at her, "Ryou didn't eat much though, can I take a snack up for him in case he gets hungry when he wakes up?" He asked.
Linda smiled, having always been fond of the relationship the two boys shared. Being on the outside of this relationship, she saw what neither brother could see and though everyone in the house knew how protective Bakura was toward his baby, nobody seemed to notice how often Ryou tried to protect Bakura. "Of course Bakura, you should try to sleep yourself. You look exhausted. Nobody wants you to get sick again." She said as she felt his forehead. To her concern, it was already clammy and warm. "Get to bed, I'll bring you up a hot drink in a few moments. I just have to close and lock up." She promised and shooed him up the stairs.
Bakura went without protest and felt like collapsing as soon as his eyes rested upon the bed in their room. He set Ryou down gently and took off the younger boy's jacket, but roused the smaller body accidentally.
"Home?" Ryou whispered sleepily as he let himself be undressed, then redressed in his pajamas.
"Home." Bakura confirmed as he pulled down the covers and moved Ryou's body so he could be covered up. "Did you want something to eat? We didn't get to eat anything tonight." He regretted taking Ryou away from the restaurant before the thin boy had a chance to eat something, but he wouldn't allow either of them to stay to be insulted.
Ryou grinned, "Nope. Wanna seep mowe." He cuddled into the pillow and yawned, closing his eyes, "Night Batuwa." He mumbled before falling asleep again.
As quietly as he could, Bakura took off his own winter jacket, hanging it up in the closet with Ryou's. He stripped from his clothes and grabbed a T- shirt, slipping it over his head. He was about to crawl into bed when a knock at the door reminded him that Linda was coming around. It was still early for the usual lights out call, but all Bakura wanted to do was sleep. He felt so tired suddenly.
"Come in." He yawned, just sitting down on the bed.
The door opened, but it wasn't Linda.
"What the hell are you doing here?" Bakura growled poisonously at the intruder, glaring fiercely as he stood up and unconsciously shielded the bed.
"I wanted to apologize." Malik muttered quietly, seeing that Ryou was asleep. He closed the door, then slowly and carefully set a mug of steaming liquid down on the nightstand beside the bed. "Linda told me to bring this to you and make sure you drink it."
Bakura grunted and slid to the floor. He crossed his legs and looked up at Malik, ignoring the wave of nausea that threatened to drown him. He didn't even have the energy to argue with this bastard, though if he was going to be sick, he wouldn't have minded throwing up all over the selfish idiot. He watched as Malik slowly sat down across from him, hesitant and with good reason. The two sat in silence, and Malik noted how different this silence was from the time before. This silence was strained and cold whereas at the restaurant, it had been comfortable and warm.
Growling slightly in annoyance, Bakura glared across at the Egyptian, "I'd like to get to bed before Christmas."
Malik jumped as if remembering what he had said before, "I wanted to say that I was sorry. I. . ."
"Why are you apologizing to a nobody your highness?" Bakura finally growled, his anger slowly surfacing. "And could you please explain this pharaoh business, just so I'm not so confused about being insulted?" He winced at a slight aching that began to form in his head.
Malik sighed with guilt, "When I called you a nobody it was before I'd met you and I had been having a rough day." He muttered, pulling his legs up and hugging his knees. "I didn't mean it. . .and I am sorry that I said anything at all."
Bakura blinked as he tried to focus, for some reason his sight was blurring. "Okay, now about being pharaoh?" He yawned but stopped mid-yawn when a light blush formed on the Egyptian's dark cheeks. He hadn't expected a reaction like that.
Said 'pharaoh' shrugged, "I don't know. I'm Egyptian, why not? It's just something I came up with to protect myself." Malik tried to explain his way of defense, but he wasn't sure Bakura would understand. Hell, he wasn't sure anyone could understand.
"What?" Apparently Bakura wasn't sure he understood either.
Malik sighed again having never actually told anyone the whole truth about his act - not even Duke. He wasn't about to give Bakura the whole truth though, so he began with his usual story, "I moved here from Egypt in grade nine. I was picked on because I was quiet and shy. I hated it and I wanted to change so nobody could pick on me again. I did change. I took on a personality that was totally different from my own. I became selfish and stuck up." Those lavender eyes closed but Bakura hardly took notice. "I didn't want anyone to get close to me so I'd act like that all the time. Duke was the only one to ever get passed the mask. I guess I've acted for so long that it's hard to not act." Malik sighed and looked at Bakura, "I met you as myself and I was hoping I'd get a chance to be myself, but it was ruined. Like half the other things that go wrong." He muttered quietly.
Bakura processed this information and thought to himself. He knew he hadn't overreacted, but he probably should have waited for an explanation. And Malik looked so pitiful that it was pathetic. "Alright, alright, you're forgiven." The younger teen muttered, "But you had better make it up to Ryou." Bakura yawned, swaying slightly. The ache in his head just didn't want to stop and it was making it hard for him to think.
"Are you okay?" Malik's voice pierced the fog that wanted to enter Bakura's mind. "You're pale. . ." The Egyptian stood up as Bakura struggled to his feet. The sick teen suddenly gasped and held his head, collapsing to his knees. Malik knelt beside him and placed a comforting hand on the teen's shoulder. "Do you want me to get Linda?" He asked, knowing that this was not good.
"No." Bakura's voice was hoarse. "I'm fine. Just tired." He mumbled, but winced when another wave of dizziness tilted the world. He slumped forward, sure that if he'd had anything to eat that day, it would have made a second appearance. Bakura was so caught up trying to stop the spin in his head, that he'd fallen against Malik in exhaustion.
The Egyptian was slightly afraid. Bakura - who'd started out pale - had turned gray and his entire body was radiating with more than the normal about of heat. "I don't care what you say, pride be damned!" Malik hissed as he looked over at the bed. "Ryou!" He called slightly surprised at the pleasant feel of the boy's name on his tongue. He'd never said it out loud before.
Ryou woke in confusion. The familiar warmth he always woke beside was missing. Rolling over he looked in the direction of his brother only to become wide-awake with a gasp. "Batuwa!" Ryou cried in a panicked voice as the small boy crawled off the bed, only to fall beside his brother.
Malik stopped him, "Ryou, go get Linda. She'll know what to do." He promised, though he only wanted the child to hurry. Ryou stared at Malik with wide eyes, as if contemplating why the Egyptian was even there, but a well timed groan escaping Bakura's clenched teeth brought Ryou back to reality.
Nodding quickly, the boy got up and left the room. "Linda!" He shrieked at the top of his lungs.
Malik sighed shakily and put a hand to Bakura's forehead. He'd seen a lot of people get sick with fever, he could remember when Amurra had been just a baby and the small boy had come down with an almost fatal illness. He'd burned like the desert sand against the sun and it had taken all night and all day lying in a bathtub filled with ice to cool the boy down. Amurra had made it, but it had been lucky.
Linda suddenly rushed into the room, falling beside Bakura and checking him over. She looked at Malik and the boy could see the fear in her eyes. "Stay with him, I need to go call an ambulance."
- - -
NOTES:
Everyone just seemed so disappointed that Bakura wasn't going to die, that I decided to change the plot from its original story. It is a Christmas fic after all, and my other two x-mas fics aren't exactly happy. I figured, why make this one any different? *grins*
And about Bakura forgiving Malik so easily, he's sick and doesn't feel good and most likely wants Malik to go away. At least, I would if I were in his shoes. He'd say anything to make Malik leave.
COMMENTS:
Red Fish, Dead Fish - it IS yaoi. Just not yet.
Shanii - Actually, Marik has a son. I know Amurra is most likely a girl's name, but I've always used that name for my D. Human character and my Dragon's a male. And Amurra is the name of his son, not his wife. I won't be mentioning her because I don't feel like finding another name to use. He was forced into the marriage, maybe he really is gay *shrugs* And about the Ryou angst and Bakura torture: I'm giving Yami and Yugi a break. If I read one more 'Yugi has lost all his friends' or 'Yami can't remember his past' fic, I'll surely kill someone. Probably Ryou. ^_^
To all those who commented on Joey: Yeah, he's a jerk. But I still like him.