deliciae
Amor in aeternum: Forever Love : Chapter 8.
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Muse: We're BACK! Finally!!
deliciae: Yes, we are, Muse. Thanks go out to Chibi Kitty and DreamingChild.
Muse: ::looks around, then realizes she's holding onto a torn leash… promptly screams:: NO!! My book!!… ::runs off, screaming:: I must save it!!
deliciae: ;;
Muse: ::offstage:: I saw that, deliciae! Bad MiniMiniMuse!! ::sounds of tearing echoes into the stage::
deliciae: I can't believe she'd let it rip that book… Anyways, here's the new chapter.
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For disclaimers and warnings, please refer to previous chapters.
Pairings: Yami x Bakura ; Yugi x Ryou ; Honda x Jou
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The Goddess of Night held her embrace on the world, until the early rays of Ra appeared, and forced her to relinquish her grasp. With a quiet sigh, she fled, and Ra burned greatly in his glory. However, not many people appreciated the sun, especially those who were still trying to get in a few precious hours of shut-eye.
As such, in an apartment across Domino, two males cursed the sunlight that filtered brightly into the room. Indeed, the morning was beautiful and all, but they would have none of it. "I don't wanna get up," the sandy-haired youth whined as he burrowed further into the piles of blankets.
From beside him came the agreement of a simple, "Yeah." Honda rolled over and pulled Jou into his arms, then covered their heads with a light blanket to avoid the morning. A gentle, sleepy laugh slipped from Jou at his boyfriend's antics, but was to tired to do anything else.
Just as honey-brown eyes slid close, ready to rejoin slumber, the deep voice of his lover nudged him back to consciousness. "Jou, I wonder if this is the right thing for us…" That was like a splash of cold water on the duelist, for he shot upright in bed and looked at his lover incredulously. "W-what do you mean?" The words shook with nervousness and caution.
"It's just that… I mean, we got together so quick, and you moved in right after; sometimes maybe, did we move too fast?" The words were rambled, but made sense all the same to the shocked blonde, as he peered down at the brunette beside him. Indeed, they had moved quite fast; it was only two days after the incident with Yugi's grandfather that the two had confessed their growing attraction for the other, and soon after Jou moved in.
However, neither had questioned the speed of things, and not once had it affected the relationship either. "No, Honda. We didn't…" A gentle kiss was the reassuring response, and quickly it escalated as hands trailed over unclothed areas.
Then, like most things, it was interrupted. At first, the gentle knocking at the main door was going unnoticed by the couple, as things were rapidly turning from normal to hot and heavy. However, after a minute, the knocks became loud and demanding. With a grumble, Honda slid from the bed and donned a robe, before heading to the door.
Quickly he jerked open the door, startling the two outside. An apologetic smile was on both hikaris' faces as they looked at Honda. "We didn't interrupt something, did we?" Yugi asked, a light blush on his face.
Instead of being angered, the brunette shook his head, threading his fingers into the tousled locks. With a silent gesture, he allowed the two into the quiet apartment, before he closed the door then followed them. "Give us a moment, and we'll be out, okay?" Both hikaris agreed just before settling themselves on the couch, ready to wait for their friends.
Honda shook his head in disbelief as he entered the room. When the going gets good… things just interrupt, don't they? Jou's brown eyes held concern and confusion; he cocked his head, causing the sandy locks to fall to the side, before he asked, "Who's here, Honda?"
By the time his name was uttered, Honda was pulling on his jeans and he looked regretfully at Jou. "Yugi and Ryou are here." That spurred the duelist into dressing at a quick speed, for he wanted to see his friends. Within minutes he hurried out into the living and skidded to a halt in front of the two on the couch. His feet slipped, and for a moment he lost his balance before regaining it quickly, and he grinned sheepishly at the two.
Behind him, Honda followed at a leisurely pace, and entered the room just as Jou asked, "So why ya guys here?" Indeed, the blonde was overly blunt at times, and amethyst eyes blinked in shock, before lowering under a veil of lashes. Instead of Yugi, Ryou answered, "We were going to go shopping, and wondered if you wanted to go." The words were cloaked in a heavier British accent, as the almost-albino looked at his despondent lover.
Jou frowned at Yugi's actions, then pulled the duelist into his arms. "Yug'," the nickname brought a quirk of lips into a partial smile, and then Jou laughed. He knew that Yugi wasn't truly mad or upset, but trying to force him into doing anything. With a sigh, he released the petite youth, and smiled. "Sure, Yug', we'll go."
However, once inside the Mega-Store, the hikaris headed straight towards the electronics, which elicited a look of confusion from the former-bullies. "Yug'?" Jou's voice questioned as rows and rows of televisions, DVD players, VCRs, and other items filled his view. With a giggle, Yugi responded, "Ryou blew up the television," just before he took off down an aisle with the silver-white haired hikari in hot pursuit.
Honda and Jou shook their heads at the thought then laughed; normally it was the dark half of Ryou that had caused many electronics and appliances to suddenly blow up. And for it to have actually been the cautious youth that blew up something, it was actually hilarious.
Quickly the duo hurried after the two youths, somewhat interested in what was going on, but at the same time concerned. Yet, what they saw did not worry them: Ryou held Yugi by the arm, and was chatting with a sales representative about the giant screen HDTV before them. With a groan, Honda slipped his arms around his thinner love, causing the sandy-haired duelist to lean against him. It appeared it was going to be a long day.
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After the television had been replaced, Yami and Bakura crowded around in shock. They had never seen such a large television that showed such high quality and life-like pictures, and were quite amazed by Ryou's purchase. Apparently, that "not enough money" that had been more than what was needed, as the albino-like youth had also purchased several new DVDs, a new DVD player, and a surround-sound kit for the television. Only, now he prayed that Bakura or Yami wouldn't dare break it, for it had taken all the spare cash he had for the next few months.
However, after having the television in the house for about a month, it seemed to lose its mystical appeal. No longer did Yami or Bakura stay for hours in front of it; instead, they were hardly ever found. Instead, they were out at the clubs downtown, the shopping centers, or just strolling the streets.
It was on one of these occasions that the pair saw something, rather someone, who they had thought they'd never see again. Anzu. She appeared the same as ever, wearing another short-cut outfit that did not appear made for her. Yami frowned, his crimson eyes narrowed, as the brunette girl finally looked up and noticed the duo across the street from her.
She paused at the sight of the two, her posture much like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. Afraid, she began trembling, and Bakura smirked at the fear that was evident in her expression. Apparently she had indeed been broken like a vase, and held fast to the shattered shards that had once been her life.
Her lips twisted into a frown as both began to walk away, paying her little mind. Anzu watched in envy and a twisted sense of fear when Bakura wrapped an arm around Yami's lithe waist. Angrily, and in a last defiant attempt, she crossed the road with the intent on giving Yami a piece of her mind.
"Don't walk away from me, Yami!" The shrill voice screamed as the pair began to get further away. Tears of frustration flooded the brunette's eyes, as she raced after the two darks. Finally catching up to them, she grabbed Yami's wrist.
The monarch stilled at the touch, his face expressionless. "What?" The word was uttered quietly and coldly, and Anzu almost dropped his hand from her hold. Yet, a glint caught her eye, and she lifted his lithe hand to her eye-level. There was a gold band on his ring finger, one engraved with the hieroglyphs used in Ancient Egypt. Looking over, Bakura sported an identical one on his ring finger. Only then did it make sense…
Horrified, the hand slipped from hers, and she backed up. Hands covered her mouth and she shook her head as disbelief penetrated her entire body. Her eyes squeezed closed, causing the sheen of tears to trickle down her cheeks, marring her makeup. A low sob slipped almost unnoticed in comparison to the wail that followed, as the final shards of her once-treasured life slipped away from her fervent grasp.
Yami looked away, his crimson eyes filled with several indistinguishable emotions. He did not like the girl, yet he felt she had her punishment served already, with the "coming out" of Ryou and Yugi. This seemed to be taking it a bit too far; but when he turned back to see what was going on, his head reeled, snapping to the side. Bakura's brown eyes narrowed in both hatred and disgust, at what Anzu had done. She still had her hand out, the palm marred by redness; a similar shape and redness was on Yami's cheek, proof of her rage.
With a final decree, Anzu shouted, "I hope you both burn in Hell…" Crimson and brown eyes watched as the girl took off running, pushing several people out of her way in a hurried manner as she sought to get away.
The handprint on Yami's cheek began to sting as the brunette girl finally was out of sight, and he reached a hand up, tentatively feeling the spot. "Ow…" The Pharaoh whimpered lightly, and Bakura looked at it closely. A growl slipped from the darker yami's lips, and Yami's hand immediately latched onto Bakura's arm. "No, she's suffered enough."
The tri-haired spirit began to walk down the sidewalk, pulling his mate along. However, the white-haired darkness was still incensed at Anzu, for he stated, "But… She hit you!"
Crimson eyes glanced into the dark-earth brown, weariness evident in the regal gaze. "Yes, she hit me." That only caused the thief to be more confused, as he stated, "To hit the Pharaoh, instant death was the…"
Bakura's statement was interrupted, "Yes, to strike the Pharaoh, a god-incarnate, would result in immediate death. But this is no longer our time, and our rules do not apply." A sad, reminiscent sigh slipped from the very Pharaoh who denounced his power, and Bakura looked at him.
"Yami…" The word slipped out, a tinge of comfort and sadness tainting it. "But you are still my Pharaoh." That seemed to instantly brighten the despondent monarch, and the tomb robber wrapped an arm around him. "How about we go and get some of that ice-cream?"
A mirth-filled laugh slipped from the crimson-eyed spirit, and he pulled his almost-albino mate along the sidewalk. The happiness was contagious and Bakura hurried along, allowing himself to be dragged to the nearby ice-cream parlor.
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In the swirling darkness that was known as the Shadow Realm, a figure stood, his pupil-less gaze trained on something out of sight in the darkened area. Threads of energy pulsed around the area as they slipped towards the item, and a smile tugged at the lips of the always-impassive guardian. One of his tanned hands held onto the ancient twined cord, feeling the pulse of energy, even the energy that pulsed from within his own Millennium item—the Ankh; his other hung next to his body, hidden by the flares of his robe.
Nearby, two Shadow monsters stood, their stances filled with protectiveness. Their names had been lost to history, yet they were known by their stations: the Dark Magician, and the Celtic Guardian. Each held the place of guardian to a duelist: Dark Magician for Yami, and Celtic Guardian for Bakura. Normally the Shadow monsters and the Gods had forsaken a thief, yet Bakura had regained favor by bonding with Yami. For that, he received the swordsman as a protector.
What they were there for, they had no idea. Instinct guided the creatures, no understanding of their actions, only acceptance. However, both were able to feel the stubble shifts of energy in the Realm, and felt the need to protect the region and what lay within. They knew not of what they were to protect, or even who, but they both knew that time would unlock this mystery.
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TBC.
deliciae: Next chapter will bring us more into the 'side-effect'—why has Bakura gotten so tired lately? Does it deal with what was just revealed about the tendrils of energy in the Shadow Realm? What will Yami do now? Will they find out exactly what could be wrong?
Muse: ::interrupts deliciae:: deliciae, um, you might want to come back here…
deliciae: ::goes backstage:: What is it, Muse?
Muse: ::coughs, then points to MiniMiniMuse::
MiniMiniMuse: ::sitting, tearing pages out of a book::
deliciae: OO - X.x
Muse: Hmm, that was one of her new textbooks for school… stupid deliciae, going onto another college for another degree and leaving me alone… ::encourages MiniMiniMuse to shred more books::
MiniMuse: ::walks in, holds up paper stating—'See you all next time!'—And is promptly attacked by MiniMiniMuse::