Wrapshipping (Jonouchi x Thief King Bakura)

It was almost scary to see how two people could be so alike, and so different.

So Bakura thinks as he glances out into the marketplace. Though the pharaoh and himself are the ones he is thinking of, he can't help but draw the same conclusions between himself and the boy standing out in the marketplace.

The boy is surrounded by people. Bakura is alone. The boy is smiling brightly. Bakura is not. The boy looks like he's having fun. Bakura is having fun, avoiding the Guardians by being in plain sight.

The boy hefts a large sack easily, apparently talking to the other boys with him. It looks as though they are working for one of the booth vendors. Bakura knows he should move on, but he is curious. How could anyone be so cheerful doing such menial work? The other two boys with him don't seem half as optimistic.

All the sacks, most likely stuffed with flour, are now stacked neatly in piles by the booth. The vendor comes out, and the boy starts to talk to him, gesturing at the stack. Obviously, this is the job they were assigned to do.

The vendor considers the pile, then removes something from his pocket and drops it into the boy's hand. Bakura lets his eyes narrow. He knows that is a paltry amount, even from here. Not enough for the work done and the boys there. The boy knows it too, and his smile falls away. He says something else, looking a little angry. The vendor shakes his head, and waves the three off.

Hm. Well, that is what people get for working honestly, Bakura thinks. He starts to turn away.

A shout rings out, and he can't help but glance back. The vendor has hit the ground, dust rising up around him in a cloud. The three boys scatter – the first, the one Bakura has been watching, has two sacks of the flour on his shoulders. Bakura can't help but admire his recklessness. Trying to run with that weight, and in the middle of a busy marketplace, no less.

Bakura can't help himself: he wants to know if the boy will get away with it. He leans leisurely out of the alleyway, watching the boy's wild dash as people scatter around him.

One group does not move for him, however. He loses his cargo as two soldiers grab his arms. Bakura can almost catch the hint of his shouts, but not the words themselves. A tall, richly clothed man appears in front of the struggling boy. Ah. High Priest Seto. Fancy him being here.

The much taller boy glares at the one they captured. His lips move, and a bald man steps forward, his golden key in hand. And Shada here as well. My, my, this is quite the party.

It would almost be a shame to see the boy caught so easily after such a show, Bakura thinks.

He steps out into the light of the marketplace, and someone screams. It's a thrilling sound, knowing how much fear he can inspire just by being there. Seto and Shada look up, and catch sight of Bakura.

Bakura simply grins at their stunned faces. He barely catches the gaze of the boy. He looks angry, Bakura thinks. Hm. I wonder why.

Bakura flips his cloak around in a theatrical fashion, and zooms into the alleyway. He can already hear the pursuit coming down for him.

They will forget about a petty thief, he thinks. After all, I am the greater prize.

He grins to himself.

It would be interesting to see how far that boy would be willing to go. It is a pity I won't be able to pay attention.

A/N: ...yeah. More crap, I know. This is a difficult pairing. The chances of those two even meeting are pretty much zero, unless you count the Shadow RPG game, and I don't. So, I made Jonouchi have an ancient Egyptian counterpart, and they only saw each other from a distance. Yep. Next is Wishshipping (Jonouchi x Yugi).