Chibi British!Bakura and Thief King Bakura. On the subject of birthdays. Ohhh, dear…. ()
I have to say, I'm of the opinion that TKB is a total and utter bastard, but he has a soft spot for white, fluffy things, kittens, small, violent children who swear worse than fishwives, and his hikari-host-Other. Who vaguely falls under all those categories also in my opinion.
This ficlet is set when Bakura is about 7-ish, and has just received the Ring, so they're still getting used to each other. Thus, awkwardness. They'll grow out of it, but it's cute while it lasts.
Anyhow, on to the fic.
Birthdays
By Tyger.
"Thief?" Childish purple eyes gazed up at the elder being.
"What, kid?" His voice was unfriendly, but although he was a total bastard he'd always look after the other in his own way. How stupid would you be to neglect the complement of your soul?
The smaller of the two climbed into the other's lap, navigating the tangle of limbs that ensured with relative ease, and sat cross-legged facing the other, purple eyes regarding him solemnly.
"Yes?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Umm.... I was wondering.... when's your birthday?" He scowled.
"My what?"
"Your birthday." He laughed at the thief's confused-but-trying-not-to-show-it expression. "You know, the day you were born!" A deadpan glare.
"I was born about 3,000 years ago, fuzzhead." The other rolled his eyes.
"I know that But what day was it?" He snorted.
"How am I supposed to know? Besides, even if I did, the calendar is different."
"Is it?"
"Yes."
"Oh." A sad, thoughtful frown. "So you don't know when you were born?"
"No."
"That's really sad." Another puzzled frown.
"Why? It's not like it matters."
"Of course it does!" The little one spluttered indignantly. "Birthdays are important!" The thief looked rather sceptic about the whole idea.
"How so?"
"They tell you how old you are! They're proof you survived another year! You get to celebrate! And eat cake! And play games! And presents! And they're really, really fun!! They're the most important day of the year!!"
"Really." Deadpan glare.
"Really!!"
"What has cake got to do with born-days?"
"It's birthday cake." He explained exasperatedly." You have a cake, and you put candles on it, and make a wish, then you eat the cake!"
"Why?"
"Why!?! Because.... Because you do!!"
"Riight...."
"It's just what you do on birthdays! It's fun!"
"Putting candles on cake and then blowing them out? And singing?"
"Yes!"
"Why do you do this again?"
"Because you do! It's tradition!" The light of understanding finds the elder's eyes.
"Ahh, tradition. The reason whey people unquestioningly do so many stupid things." The younger balls his fists up in anger.
"It's not stupid!"
"Yes it is." The thief says calmly.
"It is not!" He hits him on the cheek, and stalks off, muttering to himself. "What would you know about birthdays, anyway?"
The thief rolls his eyes while rubbing his cheek -for a small child, the other hits rather hard- then walks over to where the child is sulking and picks him back up.
"All right, all right, it's not stupid. I don't understand it, but it's not stupid, okay?" The child just pouts at him.
"Bastard."
"Thank-you." The thief sits back down. For a few minutes, there is a companionable sort of silence.
"....Thief?"
"What?"
"Umm.... well, since you don't have a birthday.... I was thinking.... um, well...." Purple eyes met red, childlike honesty and affection in them. "....you could share mine, if you want. I know it won't be your actual day, but since you don't know what yours is.... you could share mine. And we could celebrate together! Um... if you want to, that is." He lowered his eyes abashedly. I mean, I know you don't understand birthdays, you just said you didn't, but.... maybe I could teach you? ....That's what I was thinking, anyway." The thief regarded the child for a moment, in which the child became very uncomfortable.
"Umm...."
"Hush." The thief placed a finger over the smaller one's mouth, his expression oddly gentle, in direct contrast to his usual demeanour, even with the child.
"Sure." He said. "If that's what you want, sure. Hell, maybe it will be fun, you know I don't know anything about this shit." The little one smiled at him.
"Okay." Companionable silence reined again for an indeterminate amount of time, until the child was on the verge of sleep.
"....Kid?"
"Yeah?" He mumbled sleepily.
"....thanks...."
"s'okay." He slept with a smile on his face for the first time the thief could remember.