Pacing, thinking. The two often seem to go together, don't they? Nekomi
thought, retracing her steps in front of her bedroom mirror. There was an
un-expected hitch in her plan.
"He doesn't like me, so it doesn't matter, right?" She stopped, fingers gripping the edge of her mirror until the knuckles turned white. Her mirror- reflection didn't answer. A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts.
"Hazime! I told you! I want privacy-!"
Malik strode into the room, a bewildered and cautious looking Hazime followed.
Lady Nekomi turned back to the mirror to compose herself. HE would have to come NOW, wouldn't he? She wasn't looking bad, her green eyes were flashing at being interrupted. Her long black hair was silky after being brushed absentmindedly for an hour. The flowing sleeves of her favorite white-and- gold dress billowed around her with the breeze from the window. Not her best, but not bad.
She lost the battle to remain calm. "What do you mean by coming in here, unannounced and-?!"
"I'm sorry lady." Hazime spoke up when her words faltered. "I couldn't stop him. Not HIM lady. He put me under some kind of spell. I-."
Nekomi raised a hand. "I'll deal with you later. You're dismissed."
Malik grinned. She was starting to trust him. Well, at least enough to be left alone with him with out their annoying bodyguards breathing down their necks.
'Shakaku' was in her hand before Malik could flinch. Okay, maybe she didn't trust him, but he had to admit, she was fast with a blade.
'Angel of Fire', Nekmoi's favorite blade was well named after the fire- jewels inscribed into the handle. The steel was scoured of any blemishes, razor sharp, and pointed straight at Malik. She may not possess the magic of a millennium item, but with any weapon, she was matchless. Hours of practice... and a natural gift, Malik decided. She had a place in the history of the ancient world, one of the warrior maidens, perhaps.
"Speak," she demanded coldly, her green eyes icy.
"Nekomi, Nekomi" he chanted softly, playfully, "I thought we were passed all this."
"Unless you want another scar, you keep your distance and say what it is you came here to say."
He loved a woman who could be as ruthless as he. "I just thought you ought to know you're being tracked. By none less than Seto Kaiba. I don't recall telling you to piss off anyone important."
She lowered her weapon slightly. Crap! How did that arrogant little... "The duel disk," she whispered, menace in her voice. "YOU told me you took care of that!"
The flat of her blade struck him across the face. Or would have. Malik calmly reached out and caught the strike with his left hand. Blood pooled from where his fingers curled around the blade. "I thought I did. Keep your temper, woman!"
She shakily dropped Shakaku, shocked at her boldness. Even when Malik deliberately frayed her temper, she was... she should... He had more power over her than she held over him. It was the mad things he was doing to her in the farthest corner of her heart. "Come here. Let me see."
The cut in itself was not threatening, but the blood flow had to be stopped. Nekomi pushed aside her feelings for a moment and applied pressure to his hand. The nearness of the two quickened both their hearts to the point where each, separately, had to remind themselves that they were partners in evil, NOT in any other way.
"How did you find out about Kaiba?"
"As if I'd tell you." As an after statement he added "My Lady." As though to be polite.
"Have you a computer? I could re-hack the system-" He was going to throw her out! She couldn't stay here if she was endangering his safety and security.
"He'd already have fixed the glitch I used to shield your signal. You'll have to find someone else to hold the duel disk, if you're to remain here."
That was it? He wasn't going to turn her out as a threat to him? She was only required to place the duel disk somewhere safe. A small part of her mind cautioned her as it noticed that they still held hands, though the bleeding had long since stopped. It's warmer this way, Nekomi protested to herself silently, knowing she sounded silly and love-struck. Giddy, almost.
"What can I do with it?" Her voice trembled purposefully to gain his pity.
"Visit Little Yugi tonight. He'd not refuse you anything, especially when he watched you attack Seto Kaiba. Say you're afraid he'll come after you. You, or those you care about. A relative you're staying with. I'll station Ki somewhere..." Malik rambled on.
Oh!! To be rid of Ki for a moment! He had a nasty habit of popping up whenever she was least expecting him. Annoying. "We've already used Ki, he's been seen," she muttered regrettably. "My servant, Matrome, will have to be entrusted with this specific task."
"Is he trustworthy?"
Good question. Is Ki? We both have our little secrets about the loyalties of our servants. At least, I don't think Ki is loyal... "Of course."
"Then summon him." Malik stood to leave, not realizing the two still held hands, he pulled Nekomi to her feet as well. "My apologies, My lady."
Flustered, she let go and looked away. Her mind and heart were playing nasty tricks on her. She COULDN'T be falling for Malik. Could she?
He hesitated a moment. She obviously felt... something for him. He couldn't be sure that she returned his affections, but she didn't hate him. That at least was sure. And them only having spent a short time together. Unless it was all acting. Malik had watched how she played with Yugi's emotions, toyed with Kaiba's jealousy and pride. Was her expression here just another act?
Only one way to be sure, wasn't there?
"Nekomi." Malik softly spoke her name, demanding she face him once again. He swallowed his fears and pressed his lips softly against hers. She gasped at his boldness and let herself be caught up in her arms and his lips.
"He doesn't like me, so it doesn't matter, right?" She stopped, fingers gripping the edge of her mirror until the knuckles turned white. Her mirror- reflection didn't answer. A knock at the door startled her out of her thoughts.
"Hazime! I told you! I want privacy-!"
Malik strode into the room, a bewildered and cautious looking Hazime followed.
Lady Nekomi turned back to the mirror to compose herself. HE would have to come NOW, wouldn't he? She wasn't looking bad, her green eyes were flashing at being interrupted. Her long black hair was silky after being brushed absentmindedly for an hour. The flowing sleeves of her favorite white-and- gold dress billowed around her with the breeze from the window. Not her best, but not bad.
She lost the battle to remain calm. "What do you mean by coming in here, unannounced and-?!"
"I'm sorry lady." Hazime spoke up when her words faltered. "I couldn't stop him. Not HIM lady. He put me under some kind of spell. I-."
Nekomi raised a hand. "I'll deal with you later. You're dismissed."
Malik grinned. She was starting to trust him. Well, at least enough to be left alone with him with out their annoying bodyguards breathing down their necks.
'Shakaku' was in her hand before Malik could flinch. Okay, maybe she didn't trust him, but he had to admit, she was fast with a blade.
'Angel of Fire', Nekmoi's favorite blade was well named after the fire- jewels inscribed into the handle. The steel was scoured of any blemishes, razor sharp, and pointed straight at Malik. She may not possess the magic of a millennium item, but with any weapon, she was matchless. Hours of practice... and a natural gift, Malik decided. She had a place in the history of the ancient world, one of the warrior maidens, perhaps.
"Speak," she demanded coldly, her green eyes icy.
"Nekomi, Nekomi" he chanted softly, playfully, "I thought we were passed all this."
"Unless you want another scar, you keep your distance and say what it is you came here to say."
He loved a woman who could be as ruthless as he. "I just thought you ought to know you're being tracked. By none less than Seto Kaiba. I don't recall telling you to piss off anyone important."
She lowered her weapon slightly. Crap! How did that arrogant little... "The duel disk," she whispered, menace in her voice. "YOU told me you took care of that!"
The flat of her blade struck him across the face. Or would have. Malik calmly reached out and caught the strike with his left hand. Blood pooled from where his fingers curled around the blade. "I thought I did. Keep your temper, woman!"
She shakily dropped Shakaku, shocked at her boldness. Even when Malik deliberately frayed her temper, she was... she should... He had more power over her than she held over him. It was the mad things he was doing to her in the farthest corner of her heart. "Come here. Let me see."
The cut in itself was not threatening, but the blood flow had to be stopped. Nekomi pushed aside her feelings for a moment and applied pressure to his hand. The nearness of the two quickened both their hearts to the point where each, separately, had to remind themselves that they were partners in evil, NOT in any other way.
"How did you find out about Kaiba?"
"As if I'd tell you." As an after statement he added "My Lady." As though to be polite.
"Have you a computer? I could re-hack the system-" He was going to throw her out! She couldn't stay here if she was endangering his safety and security.
"He'd already have fixed the glitch I used to shield your signal. You'll have to find someone else to hold the duel disk, if you're to remain here."
That was it? He wasn't going to turn her out as a threat to him? She was only required to place the duel disk somewhere safe. A small part of her mind cautioned her as it noticed that they still held hands, though the bleeding had long since stopped. It's warmer this way, Nekomi protested to herself silently, knowing she sounded silly and love-struck. Giddy, almost.
"What can I do with it?" Her voice trembled purposefully to gain his pity.
"Visit Little Yugi tonight. He'd not refuse you anything, especially when he watched you attack Seto Kaiba. Say you're afraid he'll come after you. You, or those you care about. A relative you're staying with. I'll station Ki somewhere..." Malik rambled on.
Oh!! To be rid of Ki for a moment! He had a nasty habit of popping up whenever she was least expecting him. Annoying. "We've already used Ki, he's been seen," she muttered regrettably. "My servant, Matrome, will have to be entrusted with this specific task."
"Is he trustworthy?"
Good question. Is Ki? We both have our little secrets about the loyalties of our servants. At least, I don't think Ki is loyal... "Of course."
"Then summon him." Malik stood to leave, not realizing the two still held hands, he pulled Nekomi to her feet as well. "My apologies, My lady."
Flustered, she let go and looked away. Her mind and heart were playing nasty tricks on her. She COULDN'T be falling for Malik. Could she?
He hesitated a moment. She obviously felt... something for him. He couldn't be sure that she returned his affections, but she didn't hate him. That at least was sure. And them only having spent a short time together. Unless it was all acting. Malik had watched how she played with Yugi's emotions, toyed with Kaiba's jealousy and pride. Was her expression here just another act?
Only one way to be sure, wasn't there?
"Nekomi." Malik softly spoke her name, demanding she face him once again. He swallowed his fears and pressed his lips softly against hers. She gasped at his boldness and let herself be caught up in her arms and his lips.