Ruseshipping (Rishid x Marik)
Marik stood with his back to Rishid. The boy's arms were folded tightly, and Rishid could see the tenseness in his muscles. Although Rishid could not see his face, he could tell what Marik was doing. He seemed to be staring at nothing, but in reality, he was visualizing. Contemplating all of the information they had recently gathered, meshing it together, tearing it apart again, considering every possible exit, entrance, camera, and lock in the whole of the museum, moving and placing people mentally like it was a giant chessboard.
Rishid knew that when Marik got like this, there was no breaking him from his trance. And when he came out of it again, he would know the exact when, where, and how of their stealing the god card.
Rishid leaned back in his own chair, studying the faraway rafters of the warehouse, listening to the rain pound against the metal roof. If not for the rain, he might have thought that he was back in the catacombs again.
"Marik? What are you doing?"
"Leaving."
"But Marik –"
"Don't try and stop me Rishid! That is an order, do you understand!"
"...I wasn't...going to..."
"...? You...weren't?"
"No."
…
"Rishid, will you come with me?"
"Yes, Marik. Where ever you go."
Had it really been six years since that day? Since the day he and Marik had left everything and everyone they ever knew behind and stepped out into the light?
It doesn't seem very light now, Rishid thought wryly. Even in a world with sun, the clouds will eventually create a ceiling.
He looked again at the stone statue of Marik. He could almost see the plans forming in the air above his head. Marik had...changed a lot since they got to the surface. He was taller, broader, stronger. There was more stone in his gaze and flint in his words. The edge of his mind had been sharpened on the whetstone of the cruel world they found themselves in. Despite seeing it with his own eyes, Rishid could still not believe seeing how easily the younger Marik had outsmarted the legendary underworld leader of a small crime organization, and then nurtured it until Marik controlled areas all across the world.
He was a strong, intelligent boy. But...something was missing in him. Rishid knew. Just the barest flicker of joy that used to shine in his eyes...that had been squelched.
Rishid's thoughts stopped in their tracks as Marik whipped around to face him, those flint hard eyes alight with the flames of decision.
"This won't be difficult," he said, returning to the table and sitting down across from Rishid. "We'll have the god card within a week."
Rishid nodded silently. He did not ask questions. That was not his job – Marik would tell him what he needed to know.
Marik peered at Rishid with narrow eyes.
"You don't seem very enthusiastic," he said. "Are you in on this, or not?"
Rishid inclined his head.
"I'm always coming with you, if that's what you're asking," he said softly.
Marik's expression did not change. He watched Rishid for a long moment. In that moment, it seemed like more than the table was separating them. The silence of memories, some that should be forgotten and some that should not, weighed between them like a curtain.
Rishid nodded again to Marik.
"Tell me when we are ready to leave, and where," he said.
Then he stood up, and walked silently away. Marik watched him go, and as the tall man disappeared, the mask slipped from the young boy's face. He slid down to rest his face in his hands.
"What am I doing?" he whispered to the silence.
He knew that Rishid was listening – hoped that he was, even. Because only in brief moments of weakness, when he pretended that he thought no one was looking, could he ever show his true feelings.
All he had wanted in that moment was for Rishid to look at him. It was his fault that Rishid wouldn't meet his eyes. He knew that. But...for a moment...
He just wanted Rishid to meet his eyes, like they used to, when they had been real brothers.
But it was own fault. He had created this barrier.
In the silence, two sets of wishes were unspoken. And two invisible pairs of hands built their walls a little bit higher.
A/N: Marik and Rishid's relationship is so sad. :'( The Ishtars are my favorite; I love delving into the states of their minds and their thought processes. There's so much feeling in there. Next is Ruffleshipping (Pegasus x Otogi x Mokuba).
