So, first thing to say about this chapter: it involves Yugi's birthday and I'm sure his real birthday is nowhere near the timeline I'm putting it in, but I don't care, it works for the story. Another is that the place, The Museum Store, is an actual place in a mall by where I live and they actually sell the sort of stuff I describe, so I'm not trying to steal the name or anything.
Next, this is kind of an in between chapter, so not too much plot development, but there are a couple references to the manga that I'm pretty sure aren't in the anime, so if you don't read the manga you might be a little confused, but it's not really that big of a deal. There is a great site for the Yugioh manga called Jenniyah's Yu-Gi-Oh! Scanlations if you want to check it out.
Thank you to Starlit Hope, Luna Heart(), XAbunaiX(), TaleneIsMyYami, Lyn/Lin, DreamingChild (heh heh, visuals are great… most of the time), Silver Mirror, and fatlazikat (I wanna see what you wrote! And yes, violence is a beautiful thing. That's so funny that you misread it like that though, I do that sometimes too.) I am always happy for your consistent input!
So, here's the next chapter and I hope you like it.
Chapter 19
Birthday Preparations
"Yami, wake up!!" Shaking, yelling, and even pinching him has done nothing. This is starting to try my patience.
"Yami… if you're faking it to get out of going shopping, I'm going to be rather pissed." Ra, I can't believe he's still sleeping so calmly. I swear lately he has become more and more of a heavy sleeper.
"Yami… If you don't wake up, I'm going to throw you into an ice cold bath." Dammit, no reaction whatsoever. Okay, since he's in his normal clothes, I won't throw him in water, but maybe suffocation will work.
Kneeling down next to the couch, I reach over and pinch Yami's nose shut. This has to work. The seconds pass and just when I expect him to wake up, gasping for air, his mouth opens slightly and he continues to breathe peacefully.
"You stubborn bastard." I clamp my hand over his mouth, making sure there's absolutely no way for him to breathe. About a minute goes by and I'm starting to think maybe I shouldn't be doing this, considering I might actually hurt him.
Suddenly, Yami's eyes bolt open and his arms flail up, pushing my hands away. He sits upright and pants heavily for a few seconds, before looking to me for some answers. "So, when did you become such a damn heavy sleeper?"
"What?" He asks in a soft, confused tone.
"I've been trying to wake you up for the last ten minutes to go shopping for Yugi's birthday present like we planned. It's not like I really want to go, but I know you were intent on going today."
"Sorry, guess I just didn't sleep well last night." He gets up from the couch, as I stand up gradually from my kneeling position, tracing his movements. There it goes again, that hand to the side of his head that makes me worry and my head hurt as well.
"Are you alright?" I abandon my scolding tone altogether, adopting a more concerned one.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"It's just that, you've been sleeping a lot lately." I state cautiously, not wanting to force the issue.
"Oh, I'm sure that's only because I've been doing more than usual in the past couple months and it's taking me a while to adjust." He starts to walk away, back up to his room. "I just need to get a couple things and then we'll go, okay?"
"Okay." I watch him disappear around the corner. I can't be absolutely positive, but I think he's lying to me. I have no idea why he would be or even need to, but if that's what he wants, then so be it. I told him last week that he has the right to have some secrets from his friends and that applies to me as well. Besides, he would tell me if it was something that directly affected me or our relationship. It probably has something to do with Yugi.
"I'm ready to go!" Yami comes back down the stairs with his jacket on. I head over to the front door to get my own jacket and put my shoes on. Yami joins me at my side to slip his shoes on.
"I'm surprised you actually woke me up, considering I know how much you hate going to crowded places like the mall."
"Yeah, well, Yugi's birthday is in a week, so I figured you didn't have much time left to do this sort of thing. Ryou was gracious enough to take the time to explain to me that this whole birthday thing is very important in this day and age." I still don't know what the point is though. It's like all these other idiotic and meaningless holidays they have now.
"Aw, how cute. You were actually thinking of someone other than yourself for once." Yami says sarcastically as we leave the house.
"I was only thinking of the problems it would've caused for you."
"Sure, sure. I know the truth is that you desperately wanted to go out and get something for Yugi yourself."
"I'm not getting anything for that miniature brat."
"Whatever you say." That smug little tone of his is really going to get him into major trouble one of these days. He tries to make up for the teasing by giving me one of those looks that he probably thinks is cute, but ends up being slightly evil looking because it's coming from him. But then he interlaces his fingers with my own, knowing that I can't help but fall for those simple acts of affection.
We make our way to the mall, the one that's luckily not so far away and since it is a weekday afternoon, it's not as crowded as it could be. Yami doesn't let go of my hand like he usually does, as we walk through the main entrance. This is a bit of a change, maybe it's his first step towards telling his friends about us.
"What are you planning on getting him?" It seems like he is leading me aimlessly.
"Um, actually, I have no idea." Yami looks over at me and grins sheepishly. He'd better decide quickly, I don't know how much more of these disapproving looks from the older people and the knowing smiles from the girls, I can stand. If only I could set one of my Duel Monsters loose, that would teach them to stare, but sadly I forgot my deck.
"Let's go in here." Yami changes our direction abruptly, catching me off guard and nearly causing me to fall. Hm, the Museum Store, why would Yami want to go in here? I doubt there's anything Duel Monster related in this store and that seems to be the only thing Yugi is really interested in.
"Look at all this stuff." Yami mutters under his breath, in amazement. We weave around various displays of items from an array of cultures and time periods. There's a section of very intricately designed jewelry, all having a common weaving-like pattern. The sign says Celtic, whatever that means. Ooh, those might be fun to steal. Too bad they're under glass, might have to come back later. I shift my attention to the next grouping, noting the rather excessive use of precious jewels in all of the pendants.
It's been so long since I've had a chance to really use my Tomb Robber skills. Maybe I can take Yami and raid that museum that Ishizu runs here in town, get back some things that might even have originally belonged to Yami. I bet she has some high-tech security system though. That's what made it so much easier back in Egypt… but I guess it's only more of a challenge, which makes it all the more enjoyable.
"Stop drooling over the jewelry, Bakura and get over here." Wait, Yami's not at my side anymore, when did that happen? I didn't even notice him letting go of my hand. Oh well, I glance around to find his location and head over to see what he wants me for.
"Look at this Egyptian stuff, isn't it odd to see it like this?" I survey the items, finding numerous replicas of statues of Bast, Horus, Anubis, and several other gods. There are also some books on Egyptian culture and various trinkets and jewelry on display as well. I pick up one of the books and skim through, glancing at some of the pictures.
"Yeah, I can't believe the Pyramids look like this now though." I say, showing him the particular picture that I had stopped at.
"There were much more stunning when they were a glistening white. Very beautiful in the moonlight." He stares at the picture for a moment and then turns his attention back to the necklaces in the display case. "But that's what time does…"
I wonder how much he misses being in that time period, especially since he has all of his memories back. For me, it was certainly fun, but the things that I did, the things that hurt Yami so deeply, I don't know if I could ever go back to that life as I am now. He must remember those things too and yet he still loves me. I sigh aloud, maybe I will never understand.
"Are you young men interested in Egyptian culture?" A polite voice comes from behind me, catching me by surprise and making me jump a little. I swing around and come face to face with a very petite and very cheery woman, presumably someone who works here.
"Uh, yeah, in a manner of speaking." Yami answers for us, probably because he knows I certainly wasn't going to provoke her into talking anymore to us.
"Oh, that's wonderful! That necklace you were looking at is called a cartouche, which is a sort of nameplate written with hieroglyphs, usually reserved for high ranking people. We can make special ones that say anything you would like however." Ugh…. the ever-peppy and informative type I see. These types of people haunt my nightmares. It's not like we don't know what they are anyway.
"Actually, I would like one, but silver, not gold."
"That's great! Please come over here to the counter and you can write out what you want it to say and then we can translate it."
"That's okay, I can do that." The woman gives Yami a weird look, but goes over to the desk anyway and hands him a paper and pencil. I follow at his side and watch what he is spelling out on the paper.
"Is this what you are going to get Yugi?"
"Yes, I think it'll be different from what everyone else usually gets him. Besides, he never wears anything nice like this anymore. The only time I ever got him to even put on a few bracelets was when I insisted, because I was the one who wanted to be wearing them later."
He draws a few hieroglyphs for 'Yugi' and then he starts writing something that annoys me. "You're not going to use that name, are you?"
"What? It is my real name after all." He looks confused, but the woman behind the counter looks even more so.
"Keh! Does Yugi call you 'Atemu?' Nobody calls you that here, besides, you're not the Pharaoh anymore." Yami searches my face for a moment and then erases the symbols on the paper, replacing them with 'Yami.'
I don't even know why I got so irritated. I guess I just don't like thinking of Yami that way. Maybe it would've been better if we both lost our memories of the past permanently.
"There!" Yami exclaims, setting down the pencil. In very neat script, he has written out 'Yugi and Yami' side by side and 'forever' underneath it.
"When you write it like that, you make it sound as if you two are a couple." I state, critiquing the phrase.
"We are, but not like that. Don't tell me that you're jealous."
"How could I be jealous of an ankle biter hikari like Yugi?"
"I don't know, you tell me."
"I can't believe you're trying to provoke me in the middle of a public place like this."
"But it's just so much fun." He teases, taking one of my hands in both of his. Calmed down a bit, I consider my last statement, specifically the public place part. I turn my attention to our audience, who is looking at both of us like we are completely insane. Heh, it's so much fun to scare people.
"Um, this will be fine, thank you." Yami says, noticing the astounded woman watching us as well. He slides the paper across the counter, catching her attention and breaking her bewildered stare. I suspect mentioning the whole Pharaoh thing in public was not the best move.
"Oh, fantastic. We can have this ready in two days for you. Just fill out this contact sheet and we will call you." She smiles widely, although overly compensating, probably feeling awkward because of her earlier gawking.
"Okay." Yami fills out the paper and hands it back. He hooks his arm around mine and starts to push me towards the door. "Thank you!"
Once we get back into the main walkway of the mall, Yami stops and starts to crack up. "I can't believe the look on that woman's face!"
"Yeah, it was pretty funny. Though, who knows if she'll actually let you back in the store without calling the cops, thinking you're some psychopath or something."
"Me? You look more like the unstable, murderous type than me."
"Why, thank you. But I don't think we said anything bad enough to warrant those types of suspicions."
"I guess you're right." We continue walking aimlessly through the mall. I'm just wondering why we haven't left yet.
"Hold on, did you just say what I think you said?" Did he actually say I was right about something?
"What? No, you're
just imagining things." Oh, you're not
going to dodge it that easily.
"I know what I heard!"
"Ooh, let's go in this one!"
"Ah, dammit Yami!" This time when Yami jerks me in the opposite direction, I would have fallen if it weren't for the fact that he is still holding onto my arm. Regaining my balance, I look around to see what store that Yami felt that we needed to go in. Big surprise, it's a card shop and Yami is making a beeline for the new Duel Monsters display.
"I just want to look for a moment and then we can go." He lets go of my arm and begins to inspect the new cards. Deciding not to watch Yami drool over the little pieces of cardboard, I wander around the store by myself. I don't think I'll ever understand his obsession with the game at all. It's no fun when lives or souls aren't at stake, not to mention the fact that the Monsters are just holographic projections now.
Mindlessly glancing over the Duel Monsters, DDM, and other miscellaneous gaming items, I find myself at a shelf of numerous stuffed dolls. There's a wide assortment of Monsters represented. Ra, they even chibified version of the Dark Nechrophia… disturbing. A stuffed Black Magician catches my eye and I pick it up without a second thought.
I've never really made the connection before, but Yami's whole thing with his faithful Black Magician makes complete sense to me now. That priest I killed back then- what was his name, Mahado-
"Why are you staring at that doll like that?" Yami's voice startles me and I place the thing back on the shelf. He covers his mouth as he yawns and then smirks with that glint in his eye. "I thought you said you weren't going to get anything for Yugi."
"I wasn't, but I couldn't help but think how well this fit him," I snatch up a stuffed Kuribo and hold it up for Yami to see. "Being such a tiny Monster and all."
Yami rolls his eyes, but smiles anyway. "Come on, let's go buy it and get outta here. We can't have you stealing things at the moment."
We walk up to the cashier and I give the person there the stuffed Kuribo. I hate paying for things, it seems so, I don't know… wrong. The cashier looks at the doll, then to me and smiles. Urge to kill rising… rising… A short, but intense glare at him and the problem has been fixed.
He hurriedly utters a thank you as I give him the money and take back my purchase, intending to leave the store immediately. "Can I please kill someone?"
"Now, Bakura…" He whispers back, playing along.
"Pleeeaasse?"
"I was hoping that we'd be able to get out the main entrance without incident."
"Send someone to the Shadow Realm?"
"I'll make it up to you when we get home."
"I don't know if that's enough. You know how long it has been since I've gotten to do that?" Yami stops in the middle of the mall and turns to me dramatically, catching a few bystanders' attention. He's going to do something to get me into trouble, isn't he?
Yami takes a step back from me and tilts his head down, shadowing his eyes. "Not enough!? How could you say that? I'm just not good enough for you anymore, am I?"
At this point, we have quite a few onlookers who have stopped to watch our little spat. Though, I have to try really hard not to burst out laughing at Yami's spontaneous change in character. Might as well play along as well. "Now Yami, you know that's not what I meant."
"You've found someone else, haven't you? Someone who enjoys your twisted little hobbies as much as you do. Well, I hope you're happy!" Yami puts a loosely clenched hand to one eye and turns, almost in slow motion, and runs off leaving a trail of sparkling tears and everything. Though, they are obviously fake tears.
And I am left in awe of his performance. He must've taken that comment about being a bad actor I said a while ago seriously, either that, or he's just having fun messing with me again.
It is then that I detect the incredible amount of negative energy coming from everyone in my vicinity. I look around to find about a dozen people directing condemning comments straight at me about how heartless or cruel I must be to have upset Yami like that.
Feeling rather uncomfortable under such scrutinizing gazes, I take off in the direction Yami headed in, which was luckily towards the front entrance. I leave the mall in search of Yami, only momentarily deterred by the blinding effects of the Sun as I exit the building.
Where is he? He's really going to have to make it up to me now, especially after getting the distinct impression that I was going to be lynched by those people. "What took you so long?"
I turn in the direction of his voice to see Yami peak his head around a corner several feet away. I join him in the shadows, out of the view of most of the people passing by. "I vaguely remember you saying that you wanted to leave the mall without incident."
"I did say that, didn't I? Well, I guess I changed my mind." He laughs a couple times and leans back against the wall.
"You realize that you're completely insane." I tell him while I place my hands on either side of him, after dropping my shopping bag.
"Ah yes, but whose fault is that?"
"Well, your little act hasn't gotten any better. I didn't believe it for one second."
"But all those other people did. There are some out there who can appreciate real talent when they see it."
"Talent? You haven't been watching those shows called soap operas, have you? They're giving you the wrong idea." Yami laughs and drapes his arms over my shoulders.
"You know, what you said back there about my twisted little hobbies, I have already found someone who enjoys them as much as I do."
"Really?" I take a small step closer to him, never once breaking eye contact.
"Yes, really."
"Who could it be?" Another step.
"Wouldn't you like to know." I tell him quietly before capturing his mouth with my own. He presses his body against mine as I take the initiative and deepen our kiss. I guess this makes up for it, just a little bit.
Though, I do love Yami's spontaneity, it makes things more interesting. It's a quality that I never knew he had before all of this.
Finally needing to breathe, we break apart, but Yami still has that mischievous look on his face. He stands on his tip toes to whisper in my ear. "If you want, we can finish this somewhere much more private."
"Home's too far away. What if I want to finish it here?" I ask, deciding to tease him.
"I think that would be called public indecency." He gently tugs at my earlobe with his teeth, as if to hurry me along.
"Fine, so whose house?"
"Mmm… yours… I think Yugi has people over today." He informs me in between kisses along my neck. I really hope Ryou isn't home, Yami hasn't been this frisky in a while and I plan to draw out his full potential.
"Okay, let's go! We can make it there pretty quickly if we run." He pushes me back and starts off, pulling me by my arm behind him. Luckily, I manage to snatch my bag before Yami drags me away.
"Just as long as running doesn't tire you out." I easily match his pace, not taking it too fast.
"Oh, it won't, believe me."
We make it to my house in no time and we stop at the front door to catch our breath. I grab the house key from my pocket, but fumble a bit when I try to put the key in the lock. "Bakura, if you take any longer, I might not be in the mood anymore."
"Not in the mood? You've got to be joking." Finally, the door is unlocked. Yami grabs the doorknob and pushes me through the door. He forcefully shoves me against the wall, producing a rather loud noise.
"You're the same way. Besides, we have to make up for 3000 years of lost time." Ah, now the fun begins. I push him back against the adjacent wall, making another loud thud and turning the tables in our little competition.
"Good point." He looks like he's ready to pounce again. Good, he's not backing down one bit.
Yami jumps up, pretty much tackling me, and crushes his mouth into mine. He starts to bite at my lip, but not enough to draw blood, yet.
Randomly regaining rational thought, for some odd reason, I consider the fact that we have no idea who is in the house. Suddenly, I sense the other Ring nearing our current and rather compromising position.
"Yami… Ryou is coming towards us." I manage to tell him before we get much further.
"So, he'll leave us alone." He says back in a low and wispy voice.
"But there might be others here."
"Right." Realization hits and he backs away from me just in time for Ryou to come around the corner.
"What's going on over here? It sounded like you were banging something against the wall."
"Well, that would've been Yami, if you hadn't interrupted of course." Ryou's face turns red and Yami immediately punches me in the arm.
"Don't be so crude!" It's so funny how Yami gets embarrassed when I joke around about that kind of thing in front of him.
"What? He asked." Unfortunately, Yami isn't buying my clueless act, but then again, he never does.
We follow a still flustered Ryou back into the living room, where I stop short when I see who else is there.
"What are you doing in my house?" I ask a perturbed looking Kaiba in one of my more hostile tones. But, I guess Kaiba always looks a little perturbed though.
"Funny, I thought this was Ryou's house and that you were just a worthless freeloader."
"Kaiba was just here to drop something off." Malik interjects before an argument can ensue. Didn't notice he was here as well.
"Drop what off?" I direct to Ryou.
"I asked Kaiba to find a rare Duel Monsters card for me, for Yugi's birthday. He was just dropping it off." Oh, so that's what all the whispering to Kaiba has been about lately.
"And I was about to leave."
"Good." I say when he starts to head towards the door.
"Ah, wait Kaiba!" Ryou runs after him as they both disappear around the corner.
"Rare card? Which one? I want to see!" Yami asks Malik excitedly.
"Nope, you are coming with me." I pull Yami back by his collar before he can get any further away from me. He pouts, but I pay no attention to it. "And you, take Ryou to a movie or something."
"I think I'll go with the 'something' option." I can tell that Malik, with his innocent grin, is already plotting something I don't want to know about.
"Just leave."
"Okay, okay!" Malik exits the room in search of Ryou.
I turn back to Yami and notice that thankfully, he has not lost our previous train of thought. "You still have to make it up to me."
"I haven't forgotten."
To be continued-
So, kind of a pointless chapter, but I think it was fun. There will be one more chapter and after that, things will really start to pick up plot wise, so hang in there until then. Hopefully I can get these next couple chapters up pretty quickly before a lot of my tests start coming up, but I won't promise anything. Anyways, thank you for reading and please leave a few comments!!