LeoOsaka - Sorry I made you sad! This thing's almost over now... there might be a happy ending. Or not. Mwahah.
Anyway, a bit of drama in this one to make up for those filler chapters, because writing pointless filler is my special talent.
Brave New World 7
Yami Yugi POV
It's been a whole month now since Kaiba took the thief in, and yet again I'm at his mansion. It looks as though things have finally reached breaking point for them, I can't say I'm surprised. Kaiba seems to think I can talk some sense into the tomb robber, regardless of the fact that we hate each other. I don't know why someone like Kaiba – who could have anyone he wants – has humoured that dirty thief for so long.
I would have thrown him out weeks ago. In fact, I would never have let him in to begin with. I wonder exactly what they feel for each other? I'm sure Kaiba loves the grave robber, and I hate it. Someone as base as he is does not deserve Kaiba – what could the thief possibly give him?
He can't even have a child, he's useless.
Now, though, Kaiba has called me in to talk with the thief, and I will do it because it's what Kaiba wants. I know he's chosen the tomb robber over me, and disgusted as I am at his choice I must respect his decision. This won't last anyway, anyone can see that the thief is dying. If things carry on the way they are now it won't be long before it kills him.
I think things would work out for them if they just called off this stupid agreement and Kaiba told the thief how he feels, but there's still the matter of the child, and the tomb robber might not feel the same anyway. I don't think Kaiba is willing to risk losing the thief altogether, it sickens me how much he cares about that freak. I don't like the look in Kaiba's eyes when he watches the tomb robber, he's never looked at me like that.
I don't know what I can say to make the thief see that Kaiba just wants to look after him, but I will try. And if I fail… Well, perhaps it'll be better for Kaiba in the long run.
XxXxX
Yami Bakura POVIt has been a month and still I feel nothing growing within me. I think I am fading away, each day I speak less, move less… feel less. Each night I let him do as he pleases with me and each morning I stand on the balcony connected to my room and get a little closer to throwing myself from it. It is a long way down, I am certain I would not survive the fall.
He knows all this. He makes sure to be gentle with me each night, as though it would matter to me if he just threw me down and tore into me. I almost wish he would, then I would not have to make it hurt. He even brings me food each day and stays to make sure I eat it, since I barely leave this room now.
Today it is raining again and I stand at the balcony window, looking out. He has taken to locking it – if I had the energy I could pick the lock but I just stand and watch the water fall heavily against the glass. The door opens behind me but I do not turn to see if it is Kaiba checking that I have not died yet. Not before I can give him his child.
"So you are still here." A deep voice says, and I recognise it easily. Before I would have spun around, ready to attack or defend myself, but now I just keep watching the rain blankly. There is barely anything here anymore, not even room for hatred towards the one who granted me this hell.
"Kaiba is worried about you. Does he have reason to be?" The pharaoh's hand touches my shoulder and finally I turn, seeing the look of shock on his face at the sight of my dead eyes. I hear his words but stare straight through him, not wanting to see him pity me.
"No. He will get what he asked for." I say, my voice only a shadow now. He will have a child, even if I have to be his whore every night until I finally fall apart completely. I will do as I said I would do.
"You know that's not why he's worried. I can see what he meant. Ra, thief, what has happened to you?" He sounds so surprised. See what I have become, pharaoh. See what your gift of life has made me into.
"I want to go back to the Ring." I say simply, my voice tired and emotionless.
"But you have a body now, you're alive." He insists foolishly, as though I had not noticed. I cannot even bring myself to get angry at his stupidity. I want him to go away, Kaiba should not have called him here.
"I did not ask to be alive again. I did not ask for this body. Look at where it has gotten me, Kaiba has more use for it than I do." I turn back to the window, wishing that the pharaoh had it in him to stab me in the back.
"Kaiba loves you, can't you see that?" He says, and I am sure those words must taste like poison to him.
"This is love?" I smirk bitterly at the rain.
"He's worried for you, he wants to protect you." The pharaoh insists.
"Of course, who else would he find to do this for him? I am a means to an end."
Pharaoh would do it. I do not care about all this. I am tired again.
"That is not true." Pharaoh growls. I watch raindrops slide down the glass, wanting him to leave so that everything will be quiet again and I can sleep.
"Send me back to the Ring…" I breathe, almost begging. "End this punishment…" Perhaps the pharaoh would give Kaiba his child in my place so that I can crawl back to the darkness where I belong. They could be a happy couple and I could go out in the rain and finally walk off that balcony.
Without even noticing I take a step closer to the glass and press my hands against it, longing to be out there in the freezing cold. This place has become my prison and I wonder when my punishment will be enough.
"I am not punishing you, thief." Pharaoh tells me, but I ignore him. I am starting to feel dizzy and I lean against the glass, sliding slowly down to the floor. Kaiba wanted pharaoh to talk with me, perhaps he really can help me. He can free me from this agreement: as long as Kaiba gets his child one way or another whatever happens to me is no longer his concern. I will not get to die at Kuru Eruna, but this is a small price to pay to be able to return to the Ring before I lose my mind.
"Pharaoh." I say quietly, looking blankly out of the window at all the grey. He walks over and stands beside where I sit, listening to me. "You love Kaiba." I state, and he looks shocked. It is obvious, the pharaoh has been chasing Kaiba since he became mortal. Even before that, through his host.
"I-I-" He stumbles on his words. At one time this would have amused me.
"You wish to be the one to give him his child."
He stares down at my hollow eyes seriously, frowning.
"He wants you, thief." Pharaoh says, and I can tell he does not approve of Kaiba's choice. I smirk emptily at the rain, because I do not approve of it either.
"No. I was just there. You know that this deal will not work. Ra will not grant me a child when all I want is to die again, and do you really want to see him raise something with my blood in its veins?"
He thinks I am tainted by evil or some such idiocy. He is usually right about these things.
"No. I do not have a choice, he has chosen you. He loves you." Pharaoh repeats grudgingly.
"He does not love me. What is there left here to love? Take my place, pharaoh. Give Kaiba his child and release me from this agreement." I say, watching his eyes. He wants this.
"I can't-"
"Do you think it is kinder to let him keep thinking that I can give him anything? Do you think he enjoys having me here? Having to lock the window so that I cannot throw myself from it?" I growl. Ra, please let him just agree, let me know that if I run from here Kaiba will get his child and forget me. I should not care.
"I have to respect the choice he made…" Pharaoh says weakly, and I drag myself up shakily, anger boiling inside me. It is the first thing I have felt in days.
"What about me?" I snarl, knowing he does not care for me but letting this out anyway. "You owe me! You forced this body on me as though it were some gift from the great and merciful pharaoh, I do not want this!" I all but scream. "You know how my life went the first time I lived it, what made you think I would want to do it again?"
"Thief…" He is shocked. He can see the despair and hatred that are all I have left in me.
"I hate this world! I am trapped in this hell because you gave me this body and Kaiba needs it, I want to go home before there is nothing left of me! I want to go back to the Ring!"
I must look insane to him, and I am sure Kaiba can hear me screaming from wherever he is.
"This is really…what you want?" Pharaoh looks upset, but I know that deep down he wants to be the one to be with Kaiba in my place. Pharaoh could make Kaiba love him. He would be there for the child. I am just a whore for him, just this body.
I do not care. I do not care.
"Tell him I cannot help him. Tell him I am… sorry, and you can take my place. I should not be here." I whisper, the anger washing from me and leaving me drained. "This new world is so big, so loud… Do you remember how quiet the desert was, pharaoh?"
No. He does not remember. He would not know, he was never alone out there to listen to it as I was.
"Don't do this…"
He knows what I will do, and he can pretend to care all he likes. I am still his enemy, even now.
"Give me a good reason to stay." I say, and he cannot give me one that I will believe, so I walk past him and out of the door.
TBC
I love drama... This fic will have nine chapters, I think. I'm too lazy to go check my files. Yeah, I have it written out already so I know how it ends, nyah nyah. Usually even I don't know how my fics are going to end... Righto, keep reviewing and I'm off to write something where Bakura's evil for a change. Yay for keeping everyone in character!