Hmm... I think I lost a reviewer there. Ch, oh well. Oh, for those of you who didn't realize (how could you not) that Malik's birthday is December 23, I'm now going to incorporate that into the story. Yay! And for lacking of having mentioned a disclaimer, I say it now: I do not own Yugioh. If I did, it would be a lot more like this fanfic, and Bakura would be the troubled bad guy who is really the good guy, he just doesn't know it yet. And Bakura's "bat wings" is what the front of his hair does, sticking up. It's extra pointy in a few episode towards the end of Battle City. Oh and Malik "overflowing with kindness" as you put it isn't unusual since after the end of Battle City, his dark side was removed. It'd be natural for him to be kind and normal. And no one really knows WHAT happened to the real Malik after Battle City anyway. I assume he stayed in Domino with Isis since she still has to monitor the museum.
"Malik I don't think having everyone in here is a very good idea..." Ryou whined.
"It's okay. Okay everyone, into the kitchen!" Malik announced.
Everyone did so, but Bakura lingered at the doorway looking in at them all, glaring at Malik.
"My birthday is on the 23rd! Don't forget to get an EXTRA present for me, everyone!" Malik leaned against the countertop, "I'd like to have a party, but I don't know where to host it. This house is so empty, I think it'd be nice to have it here!"
"HEY!" Bakura growled, "This is OUR house, who put you in charge, you can't take over!"
Malik winked, "Come on Baku' it'll be fun."
Bakura scowled and Malik ignored him, and kept talking to everyone. Bakura looked around to find Yami to glare at, but strangely didn't see him. Maybe he got bored and went into the Puzzle. However a tingling on the back of his neck told him otherwise. He looked sideways down the hallway and backed up trying to make an escape from the feeling of impending doom he sensed, but only failed to back up into the said person he was going to hide from. Bakura froze.
"Hey, tomb robber..." came a hushed whisper behind him, "I see we run into eachother for a second time today..."
Arms latched around Bakura's waist, preventing a noiseless escape as Yami buried his head into Bakura's hair, "Oooh, you really do wash your hair... smells good."
Bakura let out a yell and grabbed the door frame to pry himself away, "RYOU!!!"
Yami quickly let go as Bakura turned around to throw a punch, but Yami only gave an accusing glare and a playful grin as he phased out from his physical form and dissipated back to the Millennium Puzzle. Right afterwards Ryou quickly showed up in the hallway. The noise in the kitchen seemed to have ceased as well. Bakura turned around and looked at Ryou, just realizing that'd he'd called out for him. Now he had to think of an excuse, just great. But the momentary lack of what to say gave room to Ryou to make his own strange realization.
"You... called me by name. You... have never called me my name."
Oh shit, he thought, another thing to make an excuse for.
"Mmm... yes, Ryou," Bakura started, perfectly aware the entire kitchen was listening in, "I..."
Might as well make this believable, he thought.
"I apologize," he blurted, "I'll explain to you later when... the ENTIRE kitchen ISN'T listening IN."
Whispering broke out immediately after that statement.
"Hikari..." he hissed, "If I see either star fish head around here it'll be too soon! Keep them away from me..."
Bakura dissipated into the Millennium Ring and Ryou walked back into the kitchen with his friends, just as Yuugi's cell phone went off. Yuugi blinked and turned it on and put it to his ear.
"Oh, it's grandpa, he wants me home for lunch," he said.
The rest of Yuugi's foursome friend group agreed, and they all took off, saying a simple good bye to Ryou and Malik. As soon as the front door swung closed, Bakura reappeared sitting on the kitchen counter.
"Bakura?" asked Malik, "Are you going to tell Ryou the good news?"
Ryou looked from Malik to Bakura, not knowing what to expect.
"It's only half good, good for him I guess..." Bakura mumbled, "Ryou, I'm going to start calling you by your name, two... Yami is having the same dreams you are, such has happened in the past..."
As this point Bakura wasn't even looking at Ryou, but out the window at the still falling snow, with the same blank expression Malik had noted. Ryou stopped breathing all together it seemed when he heard Bakura's statement.
"Yami threatened me this morning to leave you alone or else he'd come back for me. Not that I doubt he won't anyway, I just don't want to give him reason to. So, I won't be... hurting you anymore, but that doesn't mean I'm going to be Mr. Nice Guy all of a sudden..."
Bakura's monotone voice went on a bit farther, but the rest was unheard. He obviously had something more to say, but Ryou suddenly leapt over and gave Bakura a big hug. Bakura didn't move or even look at Ryou, but narrowed his eyes in warning. Malik smiled and came over.
"Bakura-sama! Thank you! This is the best winter ever..."
"Don't call me that anymore," Bakura's eyes half closed and then he turned to Ryou at last with his blank half-lidded expression, "Before it flattered me, but the title suddenly lost its charm. You're damn lucky, you know that? Don't push your luck."
"Now's a good time to tell him something Ryou..." Malik commented.
Ryou turned his head to Malik and shook his head with his eyes wide.
"Suit yourself," Malik looked up at the clock, "I've got to be going home."
5:30
Malik left, and snow kept falling. A foot now covered the ground. If this kept up, winter break would have to let the school out early. The heater broke somewhere after the time Malik left and before the time it got so cold Ryou started to shiver while doing his homework. Bakura sensed this and came into check Ryou at the kitchen table. Ryou's back was to him from where he leaned in the doorway, but he still visible shivered. Bakura felt a pang of sadness for the boy suddenly.
"Are you cold?" he asked after a minute or two.
Ryou jumped, but then nodded, "Yes, very..."
"I'll see what I can do."
"Hey Bakura.... There isn't any food left..."
"None?"
"Unless you want cereal, but there's less than a bowl full left.... the milk ran out this morning... and the water in the pipes is frozen."
"That can't be right."
Bakura walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It was pretty bare. He closed it and turned to one of the lower cupboards and looked for something canned, though he never did like that stuff because he could never open the damn things. But all he saw was an open package of crackers with only about five left. And more likely than not, they were stale. He turned around back to Ryou, he was right there was no food left.
A tear slid down the side of Ryou's face and landed on his homework, warping the penciled writing.
"Ryou - You're crying."
Ryou instantly turned face out of view and let his hair cover it.
"Ryou..." Bakura came closer and put a hand on his shoulder. Ryou flinched and moved away but not out of reach, "What's wrong?"
"Do you hate me...?"
Bakura considered his answer wisely, and his answer was to not respond directly to the question.
"Come on Ryou... its late and the day's been rough, let's just go to bed and everything will be okay in the morning..."
Ryou stood when he shoulder was tugged on. Bakura tried to move the hair out of his face to see if he was still crying. Damn it all, it was probably his fault to.
"I don't."
"Hm?"
"I don't hate you."
Not knowing what came over him, Bakura wrapped his arms around Ryou and held him close. He was freezing cold... Ryou melted into Bakura's warmth, his breath and his momentary thoughts sucked out of him by the kindness of hug... out of the person he'd last expect one from, but also from the person he most wanted it from. And strangely to him, Bakura didn't instantly regret his decision like he thought he would.
"You're cold, follow me."
Bakura took Ryou's hand and pulled him across the kitchen and up the carpeted stairs into the garage bedroom. It had no windows, and it had a thick door, and it wasn't exactly the largest thing... but that all benefited in keeping all warmth in that room. He sat Ryou on the bed and tried again to move the hair out of his face.
"Ryou..."
Large brown eyes finally appeared behind the mass of hair, "I'm cold Bakura..."
He leaned against Bakura, resting on his chest. And he fully expected to be pushed away... but to even feel like he was in heaven, for a few moments was enough... But he didn't get pushed away. Ryou then quickly pulled away himself.
"I..I'm sorry I... I'll take an extra blanket and go."
He attempted to stand, but only got pulled back down again by Bakura, who cuddled Ryou into his lap, "Ryou... I'm sorry..."
Ryou swallowed hard, he was again back in Bakura's arms, and Bakura wanted him there. And he was growing warmer by the second, not just from body heat either. The small infatuation that had been growing spread a small, hopefully hidden flush to his cheeks. He'd told Malik... but surely Bakura didn't know how he felt... Maybe things would get better...
"Ryou I'm sorry..." he said again. Bakura began to fiddle with a lock of Ryou's hair, "Ryou you've always reminded me of me... a younger, foolish, weak me... but you've been though so many things I never had to go through, and you didn't deserve any of it. I'm sorry, Ryou..."
Ryou looked up in shock. Bakura has now said he was sorry three times in the last minute, and four times total today.... he couldn't see Bakura's face, he shifted and tried to see into Bakura's eyes, but again, hair was in the way.
"I'm the fool Ryou, I've treated you so badly... I've caused you so much pain. I realized this but I couldn't bring myself to stop... but now I am. And I don't think I can ever forgive myself..."
Awwwwwww... That was sweet. Hope you liked. Review please, thanks for reading. But it's far from over! It's only just begun!