Dark Crimson Night: Getting to Know You
Author's note: Ok… wow this is coming fast. Just wait… the writer's block'll catch me soon enough. Hopefully not for a while though. ^_~
Warnings: Yaoi, cussing, death, blood, mass destruction, lots of dark things and who knows what else at this point.
Pairings: Well… Bakura/Ryou… obviously… others… are still being decided. ^_~
Disclaimer: Nope, I don't own it… I only wish I did… After all, I'm just a poor writer, fanfic author, just like all you writers out there. ^_~ (Just for the record, I don't own Pippin either… I just borrowed the joke.)
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Ryou had fallen asleep long before Bakura and Malik returned to the apartment. It was dark now, far darker than the dim, clouded 'day-light' that always hovered over the city. Now the small group sat patiently around Seto's living room waiting for Ryou to awaken.
Malik let out a small sight as he glanced over at where Ryou and his dark other were resting together, curled on the couch. The elder of the two pale haired beings had also drifted off to sleep, a sleep Malik was sure he would wake from at the slightest hint of a threat.
In reality, Malik couldn't help but feel a little jealous of the pale-haired man across from him. Ryou had been his to protect for so long, and now he was lying comfortably in the arms of this stranger, unmoving except for the steady rise and fall of his chest.
Malik's own other had not reappeared since they had returned. Even so, Malik could feel what he was sure was his strange twin resting contently in the back of his mind. Jou had managed to find an old, looped leather belt that Malik could use to keep the strange item his other had given him close at all times.
And Malik had to admit that having the… Sennen Rod was it… close made him feel more comfortable than he had in a while. Looking up, Malik let out a soft sigh of relief. From across the room, a pair of warm chocolate eyes blinked sleepily open.
"How are you doing?" Malik asked his friend calmly. Ryou smiled back, not wanting to move from his dark other's warm embrace. The silver-haired beings breath ruffled his hair lightly, causing him to giggle slightly.
"I'm fine," Ryou answered him, noting the look of skepticism that passed over Malik's face. "Really Malik… I'm alright. Thank you," the pale boy murmured. Malik grinned and stood, walking over to the boy and running a hand through the silky hair. He had, however, missed the brushing of his tattered shirt over Bakura's skin. Both boys were a little surprised when the thief tensed, his grip around Ryou becoming tighter, more possessive. The pale being cracked an eye open, relaxing when he saw it was only Malik. Ryou smiled at him, contentedly resting in his arms. For some reason this felt so… right. Malik grinned at the near albino pair, noting that despite his minor jealousy, they did look good together.
"You two sleepy heads finally awake?" the blonde asked teasingly. Ryou blushed lightly while Bakura just smirked.
"Where are we?" Ryou's timid voice asked.
"You're in my apartment." Seto was standing by the door, smirking slightly at the scene before him. Bakura groaned slightly when he noticed Jou poke his head in behind the tall brunette. He was never going to hear an end to this.
"What do you want Kaiba?" the thief asked gruffly, his eyes hinting some annoyance mixed with his amusement.
"We did promise these boys an explanation," Seto answered calmly. Malik nodded, moving from Ryou's side to settle himself on the tattered couch.
"You may want to call your other out" the tri-colored haired man from before told him, entering the room and sliding onto the couch opposite the three. Malik raised an eyebrow.
"How?" he asked in confusion.
"Call him with your mind baka," Bakura answered with a slight chuckle. "He'll hear you." Malik frowned, then sighed and closed his eyes. Searching through his mind, he was surprised to find himself standing in a dim, violet-gray room. All around him, the walls were covered with tiny black and gold figures. Malik reached up, brushing a hand over the strange carvings. They were so familiar… A pair of strong arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him against a warm chest.
"They are memories, hikari," he dark twin murmured, whispering in his ear. Malik smiled wryly, leaning back into the welcoming embrace.
"They want to explain what's going on," he told his other, closing his eyes. He could sense his other smirk behind him.
"Then we should join them." Malik opened his eyes to find himself back in Seto's apartment seated comfortably in his yami's lap. At his dark twin's side, a second, phantom-like copy of the Sennen Rod swung lightly from his belt. Jou grinned, nudging Seto.
"Our plan for creating bodies for them seems to be working well, ne?" he joked lightly. Seto smirked at the blonde.
"Our plan?" he asked playfully. Something about the exchange tickled Yami's curiosity, but he ignored it, turning to his two fellow yamis and their confused hikaris. He let out a deep sigh, sitting back.
"I guess we should start at the beginning," he said, folding his hands and glaring at Bakura, who rolled his eyes and grinned evilly in response. "I was once one of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt…"
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Otogi led Yugi through the crumbling alleyways of the often-deserted "upper city", the winding streets surrounding the more populated lower city. Yugi picked his way along, hurrying to keep up with the emerald-eyed man, his shorter legs making it a challenge. Otogi stopped suddenly, glancing back over his shoulder.
"We're almost there," he told the smaller boy with a grin, waiting for him to catch up. Yugi raised an eyebrow skeptically as he fought to catch his breath.
"How far is this place?" he asked, gasping.
"Only about half a mile now," Otogi answered. Yugi groaned and stood strait.
"Then let's go"
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Ryou glanced at his dark other over his shoulder, giving the man… no… spirit, a skeptical look.
"You don't honestly expect me to believe that you're a 3000 some year old tomb robber do you?" he asked. Bakura chuckled a bit, shifting his arm so Ryou could sit up more comfortably.
"What do you know," he responded teasingly. "My little hikari actually grew a back bone while I was away!" Malik rolled his eyes.
"You've never been on the other end of his temper have you?" he snorted. Bakura raised both eyebrows in surprise, giving first Malik, then Ryou a startled look. Ryou blushed lightly.
"I didn't mean it…" he muttered shyly. Bakura shook his head, glancing at Malik for an explanation.
"He's got a mean right hook when he wants to," Malik grumbled, rubbing his jaw at the memory. Bakura was, needless to say, very shocked by this news. So where Yami, Seto and Jou. The Ryou they remembered was a shy boy who barely had the strength to defend himself.
"Where did you learn that?" Bakura asked, curiously. He was surprised when his hikari shivered lightly, shifting in agitation.
"If Malik hadn't taught me…" Malik frowned. He knew exactly what Ryou was referring too.
"I shouldn't have been that arrogant," he responded as a form of apology. Ryou shook his head, smiling sadly at his long time friend.
"It wasn't your fault. Even if I had been able to help you…" Malik shook his head, silently asking for Ryou to drop it. The memory wasn't one he wanted to remember. Bakura watched the silence between the too boys carefully. Despite their silence, he could tell that what ever it was had struck both hard. Frowning, the thief shifted, lifting his glittering Sennen Ring over his head and untying the knot so he could slip it around Ryou's neck from behind. The pale boy gasped, looking back at the thief in surprise.
It's yours hikari, a voice, Bakura's voice, whispered in his mind. Keep it on at all times. This way I can always find and protect you. Ryou smiled, brushing his fingertips over the golden pendant.
Thank you, he murmured quietly, testing the mind link between them. Watashi no Yami. A light smile crossed Malik's face as he watched the exchange, before his expression fell again. That time… he had failed to protect Ryou, as he had promised. There had been too many of them, and they were so strong… He had survived, they both had… but nothing could repair what had been stolen that night. Only the knowledge of each other's presence had given them the strength to go on. And go on they would, forever if they had too. They had promised, long ago after that one fateful night, that no matter what, they would never give up. Not to anything that came their way.
"If you five are done," Seto spoke, breaking the silence. "I have a question." The three spirits looked up with varying degrees of curiosity while Ryou and Malik watched calmly. Seto sighed. "I need to know… what happened the night you were captured." Seto's voice was uncharacteristically quiet, desperate even. Beside him, Jou bit his lip, gazing with worry at the three yamis as understanding of what was being asked settled over them. This would be a difficult topic for both sides.
Malik gasped as a wave of anger, fear and soul shattering pain washed through the link between himself and his spirit, Ishtal. The tan yami buried his face in his hikari's hair, his grip around the boy tightening as he shuddered at the memories. Malik turned slowly, carefully in his other's arms, wrapping his own arms around his darker half to offer any comfort he could.
"I think Ryou and I have a right to know as well…" he murmured quietly, though his voice was determined. "Especially if that was the day we…" He couldn't finish, feeling the pained emotions flowing through the link from his yami. Next to him, Bakura's arms tightened around his hikari, as if he were afraid of loosing the pale boy. Ryou could sense the unease and the deep-set pain hidden with in his dark other… and hidden even by those emotions, a sense of harsh, self-inflicted guilt. What had happened to shake these three spirits so deeply? Yami also had an expression of pained memory crossing his face. Even so, despite the obvious hurt contained in the memory of a night over fifty years ago, Ryou had to agree with Malik.
Please, he murmured in Bakura's mind. I have to know… Bakura let out a deep sigh.
Very well, Yadounshi, he replied. The thief glanced at Ishtal, who had calmed slightly due to the presence of his hikari, and then at Yami, whose eyes betrayed the same fear they all shared. The only difference for him, was that the pharaoh's hikari was still nowhere to be found.
"We can't hide it forever," the tomb robber murmured. After a moment Yami nodded with a heavy sigh.
"So be it…" was his reply.
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Author's note: Next chapter, the truth behind that amazingly confusing prologue will be reviled, as Yami tells the two hikaris, Jou and Seto what happened the day they died.
Yami: Why do I have to explain it all?
Malik: Because you're the damn, know-it-all pharaoh.
Yami: You're evil, you know that… *shakes finger at Cat* So are you!
*big grin* Why thank you, Yami no baka! See ya around next chapter… don't forget to review!
-Cat