This is another ficlet, just one this time, since I'm planning on a longer fic in this AU. That one will play out in ancient Egypt, having to do with the events around Bakura and Yuugi's first meeting and beyond. I was planning a short ficlet for that idea too, but I realized it wouldn't work, sinceI wouldn't be able to shorten it down enough. Too much there to make it simple enugh for a short ficlet.

Once again the explanation of when and other things is in the parenthesis after the ficlet.

Pairing; Bakura x Yuugi

Warning: not much, but yet again probably for mentions of implied cousin incest.

You do What You Have to

"Bakura?"

"Yes, Yuugi?"

Rolling his eyes at the way the spirit said his name; in a drawling, almost sensual, voice, Yuugi rested his chin in one hand, the other fingering the rim of the cup in front of him disinterestedly. The hot chocolate in it was only half-drunk, and had gone cold a long time ago.

"We're both too stubborn for our own good, aren't we? Fight to the end. Claws and fangs." The teen muttered while looking out the window of Ryou's apartment, following the rapid dance of wispy clouds outside.

Bakura was quiet for a few minutes, staring intently at the spiky-haired teen in front of him. It had taken Yuugi some time to get used to that intent gaze since Bakura seldom looked away to study other things, not even to be polite (as if "polite" was a word in his vocabulary), but preferred to look at whoever was with him.

"Can't be stopped now, little Pharaoh. It has been brewing a long time. And even if everything had happened nice and clean back then, it would just have happened again when the Items got into the hands of their rightful owners. They're like magnets." The darkness of the Ring said with a shrug, but he was not as disinterested as he seemed.

This was his life after all, what he had died for, what his village had died for. And revenge is a flame that burns hot even beyond death apparently. Eyes narrowing a little more, Bakura drank the last of his own chocolate. And if it ever came out that he actually liked the stuff, he knew he had only two places to look for the tattle-tale. Either his own yadonoushi, or the little Pharaoh in front of him. It was highly unlikely that either of them would say anything.

"Besides, I am not going to give this up. I want my own back. Revenge for it all." The spirit hissed viciously, acid on snow. Yuugi nodded, turning his head from the window to look directly at his lover again, large eyes dark and sad.

"I know. And we can't let you win. We both do what we have to, and fight for it to the bitter end."

The kitchen was silent, minutes ticking by, counted by the clock on the wall. Light spilled over the table, a long string of brightness dividing the two sitting at it. The teen, his spiky hair a spot of darkness in the bright kitchen, shifted.

"Bakura..."

As if in answer, the taller boy moved, walking around the table to be met by bare arms and a leather clad chest as Yuugi embraced him. The little Pharaoh was right of course. They both did what they had to do, or was that wanted to do? No matter, despite their closeness, they would fight the other with all they had to see that they and not the other was victorious. "Fight to the bitter end". Whoever won, the end would be bitter. Yuugi would most probably loose both his other, and his lover.

The wannabe Pharaoh would want to find his name (which Bakura would take advantage of, of course) and then use it to go to the afterlife.

All without knowing, until it was too late, that he would be hurting the one he loved, the one he'd sacrificed his very afterlife for, by leaving him behind.

Mou hitori no Yuugi never thought things through properly. Even if he did have some leadership skills. And if Yuugi won, Bakura would have lost, and gone... wherever. Whether he was destroyed by the Shadows, or went on to the afterlife didn't matter, but in the end, Yuugi would have lost the two most important people in his life, both in this one and the last.

And Bakura? Oh, if he won? He would have gotten his revenge of course, but it was most probable that the only thing he would have at the end aside from victory would be the empty shell of the little Pharaoh in his arms. Mou hitori no Yuugi and his little lover having been killed/destroyed by the Shadows as a result of the coming ultimate Yami no Game.

And that was if he survived his revenge.

He had a thing or two to "talk out" with the Dark God too. And whether he survived that or no, was much harder to predict than if he would win this game that had continued for the past 3000 years, and was only now coming to a head.

Rousing them both from their comfortable embrace, Yuugi extracted himself and stood up on tip toes, kissing Bakura on the lips. Not letting this opportunity go by, the white-haired spirit locked his hands behind the small of Yuugi's back, quickly deepening the kiss and invited their tongues to dance. At length, Yuugi let go, sliding his arms from where they'd come to a rest around Bakura's neck and smiled apologetically.

"Time's up. If my side of the link stay closed any longer, mou hitori no boku will wonder what I'm doing. And let Ryou get back control of his body when I've gone!" Yuugi said sternly. Bakura snorted, but nodded, nose in the air and a nonchalant expression gracing his pale-skinned face. Putting on his shoes, Yuugi smiled and hugged Bakura again, before opening the door.

"Bye, Bakura. And stay safe."

The door closed, leaving the apartment quiet and empty except for the teen and his spirit again. Bakura snorted violently, but withdrew, letting Ryou back in control. Who looked around confusedly, and sighed, shaking his head. In his soul room Bakura tapped the surface of the door leading out to the corridor outside and muttered.

"Always, Yuugi. Always."

(After Battle City, but before the beginning of the ultimate Yami no Game/Egypt TRPG. Yuugi's comment of "time being up" has to do with that I figure (and just added it to the fic) Yuugi and Atemu to spend some time "away" from each other. Which would mean their link is closed so they can be "alone", but only for a little while.)