Note: Thanks to Nameless One for your massive reviews! Bakura's past will be revealed at the end, it's already sort of hinted that the thing that freaked him out so much was his own death, I just haven't gotten to how he died yet and why it made him so scared of Yami. I'll get to that nearer the end, the whole fic is leading up to it, I suppose.
If you like Bakura angst, Brave New World is up now so go read it and leave me some reviews! I'm also re-posting pretty much everything I have on my computer that doesn't completely suck, so there'll be a helluva lot more fics up in the next few hours.
Dread and the Fugitive Mind – Part 9
When Seto awoke early the next morning it was to the feeling of a warm arm draped around his waist, holding him loosely against a strong chest behind him. He opened his eyes slowly, not snapping awake as usual but taking his time. He could see the grey morning light through the window across from him, brightening slowly as he watched with the promise of a sunny day.
"Morning, beautiful."
There was a smile in Marik's voice and he nuzzled the back of Seto's neck gently. Seto wasn't used to being called 'beautiful' by any means, but when Marik said it… he supposed it was ok.
"What time is it?" The blue eyed former duellist asked, turning in Marik's arms and sighting contentedly as he was pulled gently against the Egyptian's golden chest.
"Early. We should grab 'Kura and make good our escape before the others catch us." Marik said.
"You'd have to let me go first." Seto smiled.
"Do I have to?"
"I'm afraid so, unless you want to put up with Yugi following you around all day…" Seto kissed Marik, noting that the Egyptian actually took a moment to decide if it was worth letting him go.
"Oh, alright. But I'm making up the time later." Marik grinned, purple eyes sparkling as he released Seto and watched him get up.
"Can you walk around naked more often please?" He asked, complete with puppy eyes. Seto just laughed and threw a shirt at him.
XxXxX
Once they were dressed and washed they headed to Bakura's room, opening the door quietly in case he was still jumpy. The thief lay sprawled on the bed, thin sheets barely covering him and his white hair splayed across the pillows.
"Not…no…" He moaned quietly in his sleep, rolling onto his side and curling up.
"'Kura?" Marik followed Seto over and shook Bakura's shoulder gently, watching him slowly wake up, blinking tiredly in the morning light. After the night he'd just gone through it was no wonder he looked exhausted. He seemed tired all the time lately, Seto thought.
"If there isn't a good reason you just woke me up I'm going to do terrible and inventive things to you, Marik." Bakura glared sleepily.
"We're heading out before Yugi-tachi and the hikaris come looking for us." Marik explained, handing Bakura his clothes.
"Oh Ra, I just want to sleep, is that so much to ask?" The thief gave the ceiling of his room a hateful look and ran a hand through his hair.
"It seems like a nice enough day, I'll bring food and a couple of blankets – we can find somewhere to hide and sleep all day." Seto promised. Bakura sat up slowly, yawning.
"I like this plan." The thief decided, shooing them out so he could wash and get dressed. Marik made coffee and once Bakura emerged in faded jeans and a red AC/DC shirt the tomb keeper handed him a cup.
"Where are we going?" Bakura asked, looking to Seto because he usually seemed to know what he was doing.
"There's a large lake north of here, but that's probably where everyone else will be headed. If we go in the opposite direction there's a few smaller lakes and we shouldn't run into anyone if we head that way." The CEO said, a little tired himself.
"Come on then, I'll carry this lot since I'm the muscle around here." Marik flexed his arm as he picked up the bag Seto had packed, complete with two rolled up blankets.
"I'm not weak, I'm just tired." Bakura insisted, yawning. Seto held the door open for them both as they ventured out into the November sunlight. The weather was warm for the time of year and from the looks of things everyone in the other two cabins was still asleep.
"I left them a note saying we'd be back later." Seto informed the two yamis as the three of them followed him into the woods along a narrow trail.
"Wow, you're so organised. I like that." Marik grinned.
"Someone has to be," Seto replied with a smile, leading them through the trees, the path speckled with broken sunshine.
"If I'm the muscle and you're the brains, does that make 'Kura the eye candy?" Marik asked, in all seriousness.
"It makes me the one about to knock your eyeballs out of your skull with a tree branch if you don't watch it." Bakura threatened with a slight smirk.
"Now that'd be interesting," Seto mused, taking the left fork as the path split.
"Hey! Whose side are you on?" Marik mock-pouted.
"Neither, I'm completely neutral." Seto said as they approached a small lake and began to walk around the side of it to a grassy bank that looked to be a nice camping spot for the day.
"This looks good," Marik decided, setting the bag down and helping Bakura spread one of the blankets out on the grass.
"I can't believe I'm on a picnic…" Bakura said as he sat down.
"Why, what's wrong with that?" Marik asked, sitting next to the thief and dragging Seto down with him, opening the bag of food.
"It's just…girly. Like something hikari would do" The tomb robber made a face.
"Yeah, but they'll be picking flowers and chasing butterflies. We're just gonna eat and sleep." Marik placated as Seto helped him set out the food and Bakura lay down with his arms behind his head. The moment the thief closed his eyes though, Marik stuck a daisy in his hair.
"You," Bakura growled through a grin, "are now going to eat this flower."
With that said, Bakura struck and pretty much dived on Marik while Seto watched, laughing. The thief managed to pin the tomb keeper, who was much bigger than him, by sitting cross his chest with his knees on either side of the cackling Egyptian. It didn't really help Marik that he was laughing too much to defend himself.
"Eat it." Bakura demanded, holding the daisy to Marik's lips. The bigger yami snapped his teeth down over it with a click and made faces as he chewed and swallowed the flower.
"That was… oddly crunchy." Marik said, licking his lips.
"Bugs add flavour." Bakura claimed, getting off Marik and laying back down now that punishment due had been served.
"I think I'll stick to whatever Seto feeds me." Marik decided. "But feel free to jump me again any time."
"Does Malik know you're this…" Bakura began.
"Perverted? Yep." Marik said proudly, letting Seto feed him a cracker.
"Fair enough." The thief lay back down and closed his eyes.
XxXxX
The morning passed into afternoon with the three of them lazing on the blanket, the other, smaller blanket having been draped over Seto by Bakura since the CEO had been the first one to fall asleep. Marik had watched Bakura casually drape the blanket over Seto's shoulders and smiled, deciding that the three of them would fit very nicely together. All they had to do was find out what was wrong with Bakura, fix it, and then explain to him that he and Seto loved each other, but they also loved him. So why not all be together? That was where he expected Bakura would try and murder him.
Sighing, Marik looked over at Bakura, who was sitting up now and frowning.
"something wrong?" Marik asked, laying back down next to Seto and yawning.
"My leg went to sleep." Bakura winced as the feeling began to prickle back. "I'm going for a walk around the lake." He stood up unsteadily, cursing being mortal and muttering bitterly as he strode off.
"Is he ok?" A sleepy voice asked, and Marik turned to see Seto awake and sitting up.
"Fine, just pins and needles. He went to walk it off." Marik assured the blue eyed young man at his side, sitting up again to take Seto in his arms.
"Does he know we…?"
"He probably knows there's something going on, but he hasn't acted any weirder than usual." Marik shrugged. "Anyway, we'll get him soon enough." He grinned evilly, rubbing his hands together. Seto just smiled and leant up to kiss him, knowing he was right. Bakura made them complete, without him there was a gap in the relationship.
"Wow, weird couple alert." A voice cut through the peace around them and Seto pulled back, eyes widening. He'd know that voice anywhere.
"Never thought you two'd get together." Jounouchi grinned.
"Jou, don't…" Yugi pouted up at the blonde, begging him not to start a fight with Seto.
"What are you doing here?" Seto narrowed his eyes angrily, but stopped at a hand on his shoulder. He could sense Marik's worry in his touch.
"Where's the pharaoh?" The tomb keeper asked, having noticed that Yami wasn't with Yugi and Jou.
"Malik, Ryou an' Otogi wouldn't get outta bed, so we been walkin' around all day, explorin'." Jou said. "Yami's over there, said he wanted to talk to Bakura or somethin'."
"What?" Seto turned with Marik, just in time to see a flash of white on the other side of the lake, running back towards the cabins.
TBC