Fandom: Yugioh
Characters: Yami Bakura/Malik Ishtar
Prompt: #100: Writer's choice
Word Count: 4,867
Rating: M
Chapters: 8/100
Summary: Bakura the thief trying to keep ahead of the pharaoh's guards. Malik trying to keep himself and Bakura out of trouble.
Warning(s): Yaoi. Some spoilers are lightly mentioned, names mostly. Tormenting and Fluff ahead with a twist of humour. Fanfic100 Claim
Author's Notes: Once again just watch out for time changes, I haven't really marked them, but each break is a time change, it's not important. This one is the longest on I have done yet, I think. Enjoy.
The market was rather busy, noisy, dusty and hot for this time of the morning. He had been knocked to the ground quite a few times. He had a scrape on his knee that bled a little and was slightly painful. Though he wouldn't complain for the others would laugh at him and he didn't want to be called a baby. "Wait here," The oldest boy hissed and they shoved him between a wall and a camel out of view of the palace guards that walked by.
Once the guards were gone they all huddled around and hissed out in whispers of getting the food they needed for home. They drew everything in the sand with excited enthusiasm, where they would come in from, how they would escape, where they would meet if they got separated. The youngest and smallest of them all watched it all with wide eyes... "Remember," The eldest stood up. "No one gets left behind."
"Right!" The five others said in unison and rushed off swiftly through the crowds of people in different directions. The youngest went to rush after them, not wanting to be left behind or left out, he wondered how he was going to keep up with them all.
"Not you Bakura." He was pushed against the wall again, not hard, but enough to get his attention. "I have something special for you to do." A bag was thrusted into his chest, "Your job is to get gold. From the crowds or the venders."
"… that's, that's the grownups job." Bakura stared wide eyed at the large bag then at the boy before him.
"Don't have to fill the whole bag, just a few coins. For the training." He ruffled Bakura's hair before he turned and walked off. "I'll be watching." He called back with a wave.
Bakura huffed a little, this was his father's doing… always pushing him to be that one step better than the others. No one his age was out in the pharaoh's market place stealing money. No they were stealing rocks from the villagers at home for their training. They were safe from harm, safe from the pharaoh's guards.
With a sigh, Bakura pushed off the wall, he had to get some money before returning home, he didn't want to be laughed at or his father to become mad. He kicked a rock that was in his path. Why did his father have to be the ruler of the village or the king of thieves. Everyone expected so much of him. He scanned the area for an easy target… it was best to get the job done fast and leave before seen.
There she was, a few feet away and bent over a table, transfixed with all the jewelery, her pouch was hanging from her hip and slightly open that even he could see the coins from all the way over where he stood. He ducked through the people swiftly; no one took any notice of one's as young as him. He crawled under the table, from the side so not to be seen. He could hear them haggling over a price. Bakura moved the cloth only to have it fall on his white locks, he pulled a knife from his belt and made a reach for the pouch… he paused as he saw a few of his friends running like their lives depended on it.
"THIEVES!" Came a scream over the market and guards were in chase. Bakura's heart froze up and his mind shut down, they had been spotted and it would make it hard for them to escape, some of them Bakura knew that he would never see again, but such was the fate of a thief in the pharaoh's kingdom.
"THIIEEEF!" Came the scream that priced his ears making him wince, he jerked his head up and saw the woman screaming at him, pointing and popping from one foot to the other while holding her pouch. Four of the guards slid to a stop and changed direction and came after him. In the hurry to escape Bakura knocked over the table, causing the guards and the woman to fall over it as he made a run for his own escape. The merchant was yelling at them angrily for the damages done to his stock.
Bakura glanced back and the guards were after him… he ducked and weaved through people and a few times the guards almost had him, almost. Bakura crawled through a wooden fence and ducked under the bellies and legs of camels and horses. The animals made their protests nosily and stooped their hooves in the sand. Twice Bakura almost got trampled on. He reached the other side unharmed on his hands and knees. The guards were fighting the animals to get through. Bakura found himself at a dead end, he turned about to find the guards were nearly upon him. "Give up boy." The leader sneered, panting and sweating from the chase. "There's nowhere else to run."
The boy had let slip the cheekiest of grins, "You don't have me yet." He kicked the latch on the pen, the frightened and panicked animals charged taking out the guards. Bakura ran with them successfully escaping. Once turning a corner he slowed to a walk, glancing over his shoulder just to be sure and as luck would have it he walked right into the pharaoh himself and his royal court that were out for a daily walk through the market. 'Oh mother of Isis…' Suddenly the back of his knee was kicked and Bakura was face first in the mud and a weight was on his back.
"Found you!" Was the ridiculously happy voice above him, Bakura glanced up to see the Pharaoh, his son and his royal court move on without so much as a second glance. "Let's go," That voice hissed and Bakura glanced over to see the guards looking for him again.
Bakura let himself be pulled into an alleyway and shoved within the shadows. "Wait here," The other said rushing back to the entrance only to shout. "THIEF! THIEF!" Bakura wide eyed didn't know what to do, there were solid stone walls all around him… he was done for. How could he have let his happen? A good thief was meant to get himself out of trouble. The guards stopped for a moment as the other told them what happened and pointed them in a different direction. "He stole all my money."
"This way!" The leader of the guards shouted. "Towards the river." The all rushed by in a hurry.
Bakura slumped against the wall. "They are… gone." The other turned about and walked towards him. "You were lucky that I had been watching. They would have taken your hand and your head for what you did. I'm Malik by the way."
"I had everything under control." Bakura scoffed sliding to the floor in relief that he could relax for a moment to get his breath back, ignoring the fact that the other introduced himself.
"Sure you did." Malik placed his hands on his hips. "Though I have never seen thieves run into the pharaoh himself like that before."
"I am the great thief and I never do anything that isn't on purpose." Bakura waved off.
"I think you're great at trying to get yourself killed… I think maybe you should pick something else to make a living from. Like breeding cows… or in your case, sheep."
Bakura stood up dusting himself off. "You think too much." He moved forward a little only stopping a few inches from Malik. "What is it that you do?" Bakura poked him in the chest, staring into the brightest of lavender eyes he had ever seen. The boy before him was a little younger by a few years, but he was dressed rather well for just a commoner or a slave.
"I make parchments and scrolls for the palace with my father." Malik said rather proudly.
Bakura just scoffed again. "So you're one of those learn people. Bet you can read and stuff."
"Rather well." He added, "Learned."
"What?" Bakura raised an eyebrow.
"It's pronounced learned." Malik said, though his voice lacked the smug tone. Bakura rolled his eyes and walked around him to leave now that it was safe enough. He had to get home so his father and mother wouldn't worry. "Indebted."
Bakura froze and glanced back over his shoulder. "What?"
"It's pardon or excuse me." Malik huffed. "And you are indebted to me because I saved your life."
"No I'm not." Bakura said, never had he heard of anything so stupid. Sure his grandpa talked about something like this once or twice, but he didn't really listen to the old man.
"You owe me." Malik grinned.
"I owe you nothing." Bakura snapped back, this was going to go down so well when his father finds out, who had this uncanny ability to know things that no one else did.
"I saved your life." He hissed.
"No you didn't." Bakura hissed back.
"Yes I did."
"Did not."
"Did."
"Did not."
"Did."
"FINE!" Bakura snapped at the end of his patients, "You saved my life!" He was never going to live this down when the other's find out, he'll be the laughing stock of his village. "Can I go now?"
Malik wasn't sure on where this was meant to lead; he had no clue on what to do now. "Sure." He didn't know what else to say. Bakura walked swiftly to the entrance of the alleyway and glanced about to make sure it was clear for him to move. "Wait!" Malik called out, taking a bag from off his shoulder and held it out. "It holds food, water and a few coins. Not much though, but enough." He pressed it into Bakura's hands and walked by him out into the street looking about before hissing back. "Go, now." He waved the other out.
Bakura rushed up to Malik and kissed his cheek, "Thank you." He whispered out, he had been helped out in more ways than one. Bakura disappeared among the people of the market. Malik smiled and turned about to walk home. Unknowing to him that it wouldn't be the last time he would see the thief.
The palace court yard and the village below were packed with everyone that came from all over to celebrate the seventeenth birthday of the pharaoh's only son. Malik walked the dusty streets with an arm full of scrolls. "Did you hear? The king of thieves is on the move again."
"Best we take extra care at night." Another woman whispered back."Or it might be one of us he steals."
Malik's heart sunk a little, his poor thief only got that title after his family was murdered. Malik had been out that night getting water when the thief stumbled upon him, injured and bleeding. Malik's father had patched up the thief the best he could and left the boy in Malik's charge to feed him and keep an eye on him. In the days of recovery Bakura never once mentioned what happened to him, but the only thing that was a reminder of that night was a scar over Bakura's right eye and cheek.
The thief was back on his feet and stole everything that wasn't tied down or under the watchful eyed of the palace guards. One night Bakura never showed up. Malik's father tried to ease him by telling him that a thief's life wasn't an easy one. Malik though heartbroken when days turned into weeks and weeks into months and no sight of the thief anywhere. And then just as suddenly as Bakura vanished he would reappear as if nothing happened. Malik soon got used to the thief's ways.
Bakura had become the most wanted man in all of Egypt within a year. Though at times it was hard to get any time at all together since Malik was watched closely most of the time and now living within the palace walls did provide difficulties for the thief to find him.
"Is that the pharaoh's report?" Malik was snapped out of his thoughts and before he could react the scroll was taken from his arms and Bakura walked by him unrolling it, the ends of his red cloak flapped loosely as he walked by, his hair hidden by a tan hood.
"Bakura!" Malik hissed lowly making sure no one over heard him. "Bakura, give it back!" he followed the older male. "I'll not be placed up on charges for treason for associating with you."
"How else am I to know what's going on in this place?" Bakura squinted his eyes at the scroll while turning it this way and that.
"You can't even read." Malik said, still walking after the thief.
"Not the point… the little pictures help." Bakura turned it upside down.
"Their hieroglyphs and you need to be able to read to understand them." Malik followed him through the crowd that seemed to busy doing their own thing to notice them.
Bakura stopped suddenly holding out the scroll, "then read it too me."
Malik's eyes narrowed at the bit of rolled up paper. "No."
"Malik." Bakura growled, the real threatening tone was lacking that he had witnessed the thief use on so many others. However, he still took Bakura seriously for this was still a serious matter.
"I won't do it." He was refusing only because the thief would get himself hurt by doing something stupid. "I won't have your death on my conscious." Malik snapped. "My answer is no." He turned to walk away, but Bakura blocked his path.
"Read it!" Bakura demanded.
"No!"
"Read!" He narrowed his eyes.
"No." Malik hissed and started walking; the thief stayed a few feet ahead of him, walking backwards, the scroll behind his back and a wicked grin stretched across his lips. "That's not what you were saying the other night in the pharaoh's treasury." Bakura said in a sing-song tone.
Malik stumbled on his own feet and flushed furiously, gasping, "Do not..?!"
Bakura said in a lust filled tone mimicking the same little gasps and pants that Malik always made. "Yes, yes. H, harder… oh, Bakura, Yes, I'm going too, yes, I'm…"
"THEIF!" He shouted at the top of his lunges, the guards nearby stopped and started to run towards them. The few women and men about gathered their children and hurried from area. Bakura's eyes widened not believing that Malik had just done what he did.
"How dare you, I'm the king of thieves!" Bakura hissed dangerously, his eyes however shone with excitement, Malik did always know how to keep him on his toes.
"Please, you can barely steal yourself a goat." Malik growled back with a smirk, Bakura lent in and placed a kiss to Malik's lips, his fingers tangled in gold spun hair and his other hand at the younger one's backside, both enjoying the unique tender moment. A moan escaped Malik and then Bakura whispered. "I'll see you tonight." He turned away fleeing.
The guards stopped a few feet from the blushing young man wondering if there was something more going on between the two and what they should do about it. "Did you see what he did?!" Malik suddenly screeched at them, trying to look horrified. "He violated me! The pervert!" The guards stumbled over themselves and ran after the thief. Malik gathered up his scrolls knowing that Bakura would escape them easily enough.
"Cut him down!" Atem screamed outraged at seeing the corps of his father hanging in his great hall for all to see. Yet again another tomb was robbed and no one knew the whereabouts of the thief. Yes, he knew who was responsible for this. This Bakura was a thorn in his side and had been for years now. He sent out mass numbers of guards to hunt down the king of thieves and always found that he was one step ahead of them.
"I want anyone that knows this thief, friends, family, lovers, dogs, anything that will give us his location! Then they too will share the same fate. Offer them gold if you have too. Place a bounty on his head" He yelled storming from the room.
Malik shook his head, if only Atem knew that all those things had been taken from Bakura years ago… the thief had only himself to look out for.
Bakura always made sure to keep his life as a thief separate from Malik's life. His lover didn't know anything about him. Not what happened to his parents and his village or where he went for months on end. Malik didn't even know why he was so driven to kill the pharaoh. Malik didn't even know of his small village he had spent years building up. He had picked up anyone that would make it as a thief and took in anyone who was on the run from the pharaoh. And by the time his nineteenth birthday came about, Bakura had a good size village that was full of families, people young and old and even some he had pulled right out of the palace dungeons.
There were times where Bakura's world and Malik's clashed, when Bakura used what information he got out of Malik to stay ahead of the pharaoh and kept his new village safe from harm. This also meant that it kept him away from his secret love for weeks and sometimes months on end. Bakura thought many times to never go back, to simply fade from Malik's life completely. Though his lover was so good at keeping secrets, but there would be one day were they would be caught out, and they would use Malik in the worst ways possible to get to him… it scared him that he would give himself up to save the other.
"The last tent is packed and everyone is waiting." A tall male approached him, half eaten apple in one hand.
"Thanks Jou." Bakura turned away from his view of the town that kept Malik so safe within its walls. They were moving to the next town, it would be a good full fours day travel back if he wanted to see the other. It was getting harder and harder to see Malik to the point that it would become impossible… maybe he would have to give Malik up.
"Whatever's keeping you coming back here, bring it along." Jou mumbled around the bit of fruit.
"He doesn't belong here." Bakura jumped down off the large rock and started down the hill.
"He," Jou mumbled to himself with a grin and followed the other down the hill.
The only way that Malik could keep track of Bakura was by listening to the visitors and travellers that spoke about a white haired thief at dinner in the hall. How the thief came out of the shadows like a ghost and robbed them with his minions and would leave without a trace. "So if you don't mind, another monthly recount of my treasury." The pharaoh said in his demanded way.
"I'll get started today." Malik smiled as the key to the great treasury was handed to him. He bowed as the pharaoh walked by followed by many others. A personal guard named Mahaado stood before him, with an expressionless mask. Great, Malik was going to be stuck with him until the job was done.
Half way through the worship ceremony, Malik was on his knees, just like everyone else and his face almost touched the floor and his rear-end in the air, his hands beside his head and his eyes lightly closed as he listened to the priests give their offerings to the god. "Now, this is a position I'm yet to have you in. could we try it later?" Malik choked on the air he was breathing and glanced to his left. Bakura was in the same position as him and the rest of room, the thief grinning at him from under pale hooded robes.
He stole them from the temple, no doubt. Malik thought displeased that nothing escaped Bakura's light fingers. "What are you doing here?!" He hissed glaring at him. "It's been four months. I thought you might have been killed."
"Awwee." Bakura looked genuinely pleased. "You care about me that much?"
"No." Malik said bluntly. "I hate worrying and you are still a poor thief." Bakura's smile fell. "What are you doing here?" Malik asked again placing his head a little lower to the floor, hoping to not get noticed and pulled his own hood over his head a little more. If Bakura was caught here and now he would be done for.
"Stealing." Bakura said honestly shrugging in his non caring way.
"Atem is planning to place a price on your head." Malik hissed back, then taking a glance at everyone else to see them all with their heads down. Mahaado looked as though he had fallen asleep; his mouth was slightly open and drooling on the floor.
"How much?" Bakura whispered back completely interested now.
"Be serious." Malik growled, both of them ducking their heads as a priest walked by. "You've angered him too much. He'll kill you if he gets his hands on you and anyone else close to you… not that you have anyone close to you for you to worry about that, now do you?"
Bakura moved in close enough to tilt Malik's chin up to face him and kissed him soundly on the lips. Malik was only starting to enjoy the slow yet passionate kiss when Bakura pulled back. "Only you." Before Malik could ask what he meant the thief spoke up again. "Well, I came here to steal something. Want to help me? Sure you do." Once again before Malik could react he was pulled to his feet and a knife placed at his throat. "Sorry to interrupt Pharaoh!" Bakura shouted, people scurried away crying out in fear, as Atem stood with his guards and priests.
"What do you want thief!" Atem growled hatred laced his voice.
"Just one thing," He grinned moving back towards the wall and stopped a few feet from it. The pharaoh's guards circled around him their weapons pointed at him. Bakura just grinned as he ran his hand slowly down Malik's chest over his bare stomach and headed south.
"Bakura," Malik gasped and flushed red and squirmed. "I'll make you pay for this!" He hissed out. "You're still a pathetic thief." He snapped angrily at having a knife pulled on him.
"I'll look forward to it and it's the king of thieves to you." He then licked up the side of Malik's neck to his ear, before whispering, "I'm leaving and I don't know if I'll be coming back this way." His eyes still locked on the pharaoh's guards as he grabbed hold of the key under his clothing and a bit of scroll shoved down the front of his pants. Tears filled Malik's eyes and his heart sunk. "I can't offer you the comfort of a palace life. Though, it would be a life with me." To anyone else it looked as though Malik was crying over what the thief was doing to him.
"You're sick!" Atem yelled disgusted wanting to kill him where he stood.
"I know!" Bakura pulled the key and turned Malik about to face him.
"If you're supposed to be the king of thieves then why do you need a key?" Malik said annoyed and worried at the same time that Bakura would risk his own life to ask him something like this… But then again Bakura did nothing by halves.
"You know I can't resist the temptations of your flesh." Bakura kissed him again soundly on the lips; Atem hissed furiously and barked his order to kill the thief. Bakura dashed off, up the pillars like a skilled cat rather than a man, then along the thin stone railing and out the window, all while avoiding arrows and spears that were aimed and thrown at him.
Malik fell to his knees and breathed out shakily, Atem was at his side. "You'll be fine Malik; he was just after the key." The pharaoh reassured. "Get him, I want his head!" Atem screamed standing up and stormed by Malik. "AND GET THAT KEY BACK!"
Malik waited until he was alone in the temple before he pulled out the bit of paper, reading it over. It told him where he could meet the thief if he could make up his mind before the sun went down. Malik's mind was made up almost instantly and it broke his heart on what he was giving up.
The sun was setting when Jou approached him. "It's time to leave. It'll take us a day to catch up to the others."
"Just a few more moments," Bakura said desperately hoping; not taking his eyes off the pebble path Malik should be walking long any moment… now.
"Bakura." Jou sighed placing a hand on his shoulder. "We have to go… he isn't coming."
"Maybe I asked too much of him?" Bakura started to walk away. Really he didn't want to admit to himself that Malik might not have loved him as he had led on to believe. They mounted the horses and with a heavy heart Bakura left Malik and the town behind.
Bakura picked up a large bag of treasure and slung it over his shoulder and started for the exit of the tomb. He had finally become the king of thieves. He had his village. He had his thieves. He had a bounty on his head. He had everything that his father had when he was alive… the only thing that he didn't have, that his heart yearned for and that was Malik. He wondered if Malik ever thought of him. If he was missed as much as he missed Malik. Bakura trudged through the tunnels, his head down his thoughts a million miles away. He did think of Malik often over the months, especially on those cold nights.
Suddenly a rumble came and the floor gave way under his footing and he fell, the loot slipped off his shoulder and he caught it in his hand as the other hand grabbed onto the ledge and he hung there. "Damn it!" Bakura hissed unable to pull himself up without dropping his treasure.
"You're still that pathetic thief." Came a voice from above him.
Bakura's eyes widened and he glanced up. "Malik?!" He couldn't see anything but a stone ceiling and suddenly the brightest lavender eyes came into his view. "How did you find me?" Bakura asked bewildered.
"Like I said, you're a pathetic thief."
"That's king of thieves to you." Bakura growled still hanging from one hand and his loot in the other. "Help me up." He ordered.
"Not so fast." Malik said, not moving at all to help. "I am making some demands of my own. If I stay, you have to stop teasing me all the time."
"Only if you stop calling me a pathetic thief." Bakura threw back.
"You also have to stop vanishing on me for months on end or at least tell me before you leave."
"Fine." Bakura sighed, feeling his grip starting to slip.
"I also want you to teach me how to steal."
"You don't want to do that for a living… you're a, reader." Bakura scoffed.
"I do too want to learn." Malik snapped back.
"No you don't."
"Yes I do."
"No you don't."
"Yes. I. Do!"
"FINE!" Bakura snapped he never did get anywhere when Malik was like this. "You're so stubborn." He grounded out.
"I also want to apologise if I made you worry about me." He bit his lip.
"Malik, I'm going to fall." Bakura said, watching his fingers lose their grip on the stone flooring. "Save it for when we are out of here."
"I want you to hear me out first and this is the only way I'm sure you'll listen to me. It wasn't that I didn't want to go with you."
"Malik, I'm hanging by my nails." Bakura cut over him.
"I couldn't leave because the pharaoh was watching me after you attacked me in the temple. By the gods that was the most stupidest thing you have ever done." Malik shook his head remembering how much trouble he had escaping his own personal guards the pharaoh had assigned to him.
"I'M GOING TO DIE HERE, MALIK!" Bakura yelled at him, still not wanting to drop the loot.
"I'm just so sorry it took so long. I had to search every cave, oasis, village and town and then I had to make sure that I wasn't being followed."
"Yes, I was worried about you. Yes, I was hurt that you took so long. Yes, I still feel the same about you. No, it wasn't the stupidest thing I have done. Yes, you did the right thing." Bakura's eyes widened as his fingers slipped a little more.
"I knew you'd see things my way." Malik grinned as he reached down and pulled the thief up.
Well, not sure what I could have placed this under; there were a few to pick from. And this kinda came to me so I just wrote it –shrugs- kinda long, but I had fun writing it. If you wanted a theme then I guess I would have placed this as Thief. Review (love and cookies)