Clash Between Two Worlds
Chapter 12: Devising The Plan

"Please, sit down."

Bakura did as he was instructed, leaning back uneasily into the mass of silk covered pillows and blankets. He looked around the small room quickly, everything bathed in a soft blue glow from the lamp hanging overhead, reminding him of earlier that day, when his angel had healed himself. There was a mound of pillows and blankets, like he was currently sitting on, in all four corners, a small glass table sitting in the middle. The noise from the pulsating speakers outside were toned down nicely, bringing the level of volume to a dull throbbing through the walls.

Malik took a seat in the corner adjacent to him, really only being five or six feet away. Bakura stared at him expectantly, waiting silently for the tanned male to begin speaking again.

Violet met nearly black eyes, due to the lighting and shadows, before saying anything.

"What would you like to know first?"

Pulling his knees up partially towards his chest, Bakura rested his forearms against them, the multiple wrist cuffs on each arm, which he rarely removed, jingling softly with his movements. He dangled the two rings off of his fingers, both males watching as the pale light reflected off the gold surfaces.

"What are they."

Malik leaned his head back against the large pillow he rested against. "Majiwaru. Mating bonds."

"How are they used."

"When a child is born in our society, the mother…" Malik paused for a brief moment, before taking a breath to continue, "The mother is given two pairs of rings, like you hold. It's her duty to engrave words into each ring for her child… something that he or she can give to the mate they chose that expresses their love. Some consider it also like a mothers blessing. " He shrugged, bringing his knees to his chest. Malik had forgotten that he had been holding a pencil in one hand from when he had been marking a shipment paper and began playing with it as he spoke, holding each end with one hand, arms against his knees. Bakura watched the boy take the same sitting position he was in, assuming that the small writing utensil was to help him concentrate as the blonde began spinning it under his fingers. "The rings are worn as anklets, as I'm sure you already know, so they are easy to access, yet hidden quite well. Once an angel has chosen a mate, each exchange two of the rings, so in the end, each still ends up with four anklets; two original and two from the mate."

Bakura inhaled and nodded, toying with the rings in his fingers. He ran his thumb along one of the flat sides, feeling the foreign words engraved rubbing against his rough skin. Staring down at the two anklets, the demon looked over the strange, curvy writing, thinking about what he wanted to know next.

"You said he was the son of Shitsui. Who is that."

Malik stiffened at the question, his jaw visibly clenching and the slow spin of the pencil in his hands halting. Lowering his gaze down past his pencil to the glass table in front of him, the blonde angel seemed to gain a distant look in his eyes, before they narrowed and he spoke.

"The one who killed my family." Violet orbs hardened as his hands tightened, a scowl crossing his lips. "He accused my father of killing his wife, never giving us a decent reason of why he would do such a thing. And my mother… she was completely innocent about everything, I swear she was… and that bastard murdered her too!"

The pencil in his hands snapped, making the angel jump, coming back from his memories. He looked down at the two separate pieces, his expression softening as he picked up from where he left off, "So much for angel's being the epitome of all that's good…"

A brief thought crossed Bakura's mind before he heard Malik continue, 'Guess that's where he gets that strange spunk from…'

"He was tried by the Council and found guilty, banished to the lower regions of the sky, past the External Gate." Malik placed the broken pencil into his pant leg pocket, "You know, the first gateway into their so-called 'Heaven'"

Bakura nodded in acknowledgment, slipping the two rings across his fingers and beginning to spin them slowly with his thumb. "Yeah, it's where I found him."

Malik leaned back against the large pillow again, "I left after that, tried to track the bastard down and kill him myself…" He bent forward, seeming to be unable to get comfortable. Slipping a hand into his golden locks, the angel let out a slightly remorseful sigh, shaking his head lightly. "Never found him though… found Marik, though, which wasn't a bad thing, I guess… didn't come up totally empty – handed, huh?" He threw a pained grin over to the silent albino.

Grunting, the demon shifted his wings against his back, debating about asking the question that had been bothering him for the past few minutes.

"What if…" He faltered; unsure he actually wanted to ask, now that he thought about it. He cleared his throat, keeping his eyes down on the glinting rings still being slowly spun by his thumb and his voice low, "What if I wanted to mate with him. What would I have to do."

He looked up after a moment of silence, finding skeptical violet eyes trained on him, a sudden flush of embarrassment tingeing his pale cheeks.

"What the hell are you staring at?" He growled, trying to cover his intentions with the gruff exterior he was well - known for.

An amused grin spread across Malik's tanned face, lighting up his previously downhearted features. He laughed, tilting his knees outward slightly and wrapping his arms around them, clasping his hands together.

"You? You want to mate with an angel? From what I know – "

The demon let out a dangerous snarl, thoroughly embarrassed and angry with himself that he had so stupidly exposed his hidden desires and to Malik, no less! The little prick was sure to go off and tell Marik, then he would never hear the end of it… he only wanted information, damnit!

"Shut up and answer the fucking question, Angel!" He growled, creating a fist around the two rings in his hand.

Malik never lost the grin on his face, even though he knew he was treading on extremely thin ice with the demon. He shrugged lightly, tilting his head slightly as he watched the white- haired male, "Do you have anything of value?"

"What?" For a moment, Bakura thought the other was suddenly bringing up a new topic and he narrowed his eyes in warning.

"Value. Do you have anything of value?"

"What does this have anything to do with what I asked?"

Malik let out a sound of frustration and explained: "If you don't have two majiwaru to give him, you have to present the kid something that you think is of value to your heart. And he has to accept it. Otherwise… " He shrugged again, "Sorry."

Bakura felt a strange feeling in his stomach and realized that it was tightening. Forcing himself to swallow, he said quietly, "I don't have anything he would consider valuable, I don't think."

Malik let out a laugh, "Are you kidding me? I heard from Marik that the entire place you usually hole yourself up in is enough to make any demon kill for. It's so close to their original home, surrounded by protection, large enough to house a good majority of the population in Hell! Sounds nice to me."

Bakura shook his head, looking up at the pale blue lights adorning the edges of the ceiling, listening as the thumping from the other side of the wall changed in speed, slowing down from its previous pace. "He's an angel though, what use would he have for a demon's sanctuary… he probably just wants to go home."

"To what."

Dark eyes shifted down to Malik, who was still watching him. His grin was gone though, as well as all traces of humor.

"His mother's dead and his bastard of a father is gone, hopefully dead too. What's to go back to?"

Bakura went silent, shifting his gaze over to the wall across from him, making his way back down to the circlets, before able to form his thoughts into a solid question.

"What… do I do."

He hated how quiet and pathetic his voice sounded as he spoke, making his eyes narrow again from internal frustration. How dare that stupid brat do this to him! He was a feral demon that was feared by all and no one had ever done such a thing as this to him!

"You're sure you like this kid enough to make this kind of commitment, 'Kura?"

Malik's soft voice brought him back and he locked eyes, a snarl crossing his lips as he replied, "I never said I was going through with anything, I just want to know for my own information."

Raising an eyebrow, the blonde closed his eyes, leaning back slightly. Smirking his own little smirk, violet eyes reopened and settled back on the leery demon.

"Alright…" He spoke in a voice that promised a plan, "Listen close."