Author's Note: I now understand how George R. R. Martin feels while writing Game of Thrones. Powerful yet heartbreaking.
That is to say that the last chapter was very exhausting to write.
I hope you enjoy! I update weekly!
Bon appetite!
"The clean-up effort around Tokyo Museum of History reaches its fourth day after the supposed terrorist attack that rocked the city. Several nights ago, at approximately 2:45 am, the evening crew was shocked when all electrical power was lost. Only moments later did they realize what was happening. Three bombs went off in the Northern Wing, destroying the infrastructure beyond repair. The number of artifacts lost due to this explosion is still currently unknown.
"An emergency crew is still working to clear the rubble, as the city is left reeling in shock and asking – why attack the museum? Initial reports suggest that this might be the work of the Orichalcos, a terrorist organization that was responsible for the hostage situation in Domino City several years back. The location of the bomb explosion is also indicative that this might have been an attempted robbery. The Northern Wing of the museum held a special exhibit on Ancient Egyptian history, with the recently recovered Millennium Puzzle as the centerpiece.
"The museum administration declined making comments at the time. However, as emergency crews continue excavating, there have been no reports of recovering the Millennium Puzzle. We can only speculate whether this priceless artifact was stolen, destroyed or simply not yet found. The Tokyo Museum of History has declared they are closed until further notice, as they now must deal with the financial burden and reconstruction effort of the museum.
"The police initially had two main suspects in the bombing. Odion Ishtar and his younger brother Marik Ishtar, were found in critical condition in the rubble shortly after the explosion. These two men are immigrants from Egypt who moved to Japan about eight months ago. After several days of investigation, the police have determined these two men are not responsible for the bombing nor are they are affiliated with the Orichalcos. The two men are being held on charges of breaking and entering and attempted robbery of government property.
"The police are currently accepting tips from any individuals who might have information on the bombing. Law enforcement is working to take preventative measures against terrorism and to combat the already volatile situation that has developed over the past few days. The chief of police here in Tokyo went on to say, quote: 'The bombing of the Domino Museum is nothing short of cowardly. That one should seek to dismantle our country's trust and faith in history is foolish. The acts will not go unanswered. We will take whatever measures necessary to protect Japan and her people. Fear shall not conquer, nor will it ever.'
"I'm Miho Nosaka, reporting outside of the Tokyo Museum of History. Now, back to you."
The days following the attack felt like a blur to Bakura. Bakura lay low, keeping away from the public eye until he could find a way to get back home to Domino. He had traveled with Odion and Marik, but since they had both been arrested, it would have been stupid to take their car. It wasn't until three days later that Bakura finally found his way home. He knew exactly what to expect when he got home – he knew Ryou would be furious and horrified and worried sick over him. Ryou would yell at him and scold him and blame him.
Which was why Bakura was shocked to walk through the doors only to be slammed against the door. He had initially thought Ryou was so pissed that he shoved him into the wall. However, it was only afterwards when he realized the body was still there, arms wrapped around him did Bakura realized what was going on. He comforted Ryou but more than that, he sought to comfort himself. Because despite completing the case, Bakura could only taste the bitter sting of failure.
Bakura knew that on some level, he should be pleased. Despite how things went wrong, things also went surprisingly well for him. He had the Puzzle. He had collected all seven Millennium Items. Ryou would be safe. He would be able to find collect the reward money. So far, there was nothing linking him to the bombing. Even if Odion and Marik ratted him out to the police, his brother could lie and vouch that he was home during the night of the bombing.
A few months back, this would have been the perfect crime, the perfect way for the Thief King to exit the world. His legend would have then become untouchable – not even law enforcement or criminals could tear him down. He had escaped conviction and not even the infamous Orichalcos could get their hands on him. Best of all, his identity was still shrouded in mystery – the true identity of the Thief King was a grand enigma to most. It quite literally was the perfect note to exit out on.
And yet as Bakura laid on the couch, staring up at the ceiling, listening numbly to the news, all he could see was those damn lavender eyes, that shimmery golden hair, that bright and stupid grin on Marik's face. He hadn't meant for Marik to get hurt. This was all done to protect him. And Bakura fucked up so spectacularly. Marik was in critical condition. If he stabilized, he would be put on trial for several crimes. So much for protecting him.
The past days Bakura spent playing through the events of that night, trying to figure out where he went wrong. What could he have done differently? What if he had tried to talk to Marik before the mission about his condition? Sure Odion threatened him, but the risk that Bakura took to keep all of them safe was clearly not worth it. Not with the consequences they all faced. Regardless of his efforts, Bakura had failed all of them. He had failed Odion, Marik and himself that night.
Bakura felt a hand touch his knee from where he laid on the couch. He glanced up to see Ryou watching him, a concerned look on his face. The younger twin gave a weak smile. "Tea?" Bakura looked at the cup that was now offered to him. The thief sighed as he sat up, muttering his thanks as he took a sip. Ryou just nodded, raising a hand to rub Bakura's back. The two didn't say anything, but sat in silence.
To Bakura's amazement, Ryou had been nothing but supportive and gentle towards him since he got home. He had expected a guilt trip somewhere along the lines, but Ryou had kept quiet and let Bakura brood. The thief had to wonder why this sudden change – if anything, Ryou had more reason to be angry with him this time than any other incident. Ryou knew Bakura had broken into the museum that night and the appearance of bombs seemed too coincidental to play it off as chance.
If Bakura had to guess, he suspected Ryou was laying off him because he knew what happened to the Ishtar brothers. He knew that Marik and Odion were injured and were going to be prosecuted. And even if Bakura never said it, Ryou seemed to sense how truly devastated his brother felt over everything. So Bakura sat quietly, leaning into his brother as he drank his tea, grateful for the silent presence and comfort his twin offered with no stipulation.
Their moment of peace and quiet was interrupted by a phone call. Bakura sighed loudly, not moving for a moment as he listened to the phone. Part of him wanted to ignore it, but he already had an idea who it would be. He slowly sat up, leaning away from Ryou as he reached to grab the phone off the receiver. He caught the phone by the fourth ring, sighing as he answered the phone. "Hello?"
"… So you didn't get yourself killed. Aren't you the miracle worker?" Bakura figured he should start placing bets on who would call. It would be a quick way to get rich. "Hello, Mai." Bakura growled out a greeting, feeling less venomous and more exhausted than anything else. He had barely spoken a word since he got home. Ryou and him had this mutual understanding that he needed some silence. Unfortunately, it would be difficult to convey this to Mai over a phone.
"Don't sound too excited to talk to me! I was just checking in to see how you're doing." Bakura couldn't muster the energy to laugh at that comment. He knew damn well what Mai was checking in on. It was easier to just give her what she wanted it. "I know. I got the Puzzle. I have all the Millennium Items. When does Yami want to meet up?" He heard a pause on the other line, almost as if Mai was somewhat surprised that Bakura had just answered her question with no gloating or teasing.
"Well, haven't you been a busy bee? I suppose we will first schedule the exchange. Any idea if your partner will be back in action? Are we going to arrange his meeting between court dates or what?" Bakura blinked. He lowered his gaze, thinking for a moment. Of course she would assume that Marik would still want his reward. Bakura would have set her straight on the matter. He glanced towards the window. "Scheduling a meeting for Marik won't be necessary." Bakura murmured the words softly, glad he didn't have to face Mai in person for this.
"Oh? Having issues with your boyfriend, Bakura?" Bakura couldn't even get angry at her teasing tone. He just wanted this conversation over. He wanted to be done with this mission. "He… He slipped up. Got left behind. I was mistaken – he didn't have what it took to make it in this field. So forget it." Bakura composed himself enough to spit out the words, trying to sound more like his old self. It made it easier to distance himself from the issue for the moment.
"… I'm sorry to hear that. Well, in that case, we'll just plan on making the exchange then. I'll give you a call back with a time and location." Bakura blinked, noticing a distinct change in Mai's tone. Her flirty and mischievous attitude disappeared as she suddenly took a more serious and solemn tone. It was rather… unexpected of her. He was used to Mai's snarky and promiscuous behavior. This sudden change felt strange and yet, oddly sincere.
"Yeah. Just give me a call with the date." Bakura glanced over towards Ryou, who was reading a book from his spot on the couch. The glimmer of hope Bakura could take away from everything was that his brother would be safe. He supposed that was at least something. He moved to hang up the phone when Mai's voice caught his attention. Bakura paused for a moment, glancing at the phone suspiciously. "…Yes?" He heard Mai hum, almost as if thinking.
"… Take care of yourself, Bakura." The albino blinked and before he could reply, the line went dead. He hadn't expected that from Mai. He had expected a flirty response, asking for him to call her back or a teasing remark about them dating. He hadn't expected an almost normal farewell from her. This is… unexpected. Bakura stood up from the couch, grabbing his tea that had now gotten cold and walked to the kitchen. He gave a small smile as he recognized the tea cup as the same one from when he had tea with Mai.
He placed the cup in the sink, leaning over the edge as he took a few deep breaths. Bakura hated this. He felt empty and weak. He felt the complete opposite of how he always was. Being a thief was all about an illusion. To appear poised and collected, but behind the calm visage was a scheming mind that was one step ahead of his enemies. While he politely shook hands with his enemies with a smile on his face, his other hand slipped their watch off their wrist.
Bakura was a thief – he always had it together. He always took whatever he wanted. He always got what he wanted. And now that Bakura realized he could never get everything he wanted, he had to live with that knowledge. He had to accept that he will never be happy. Because he'll never know if that path he chose was worth it in the end. And he knew no matter what he did, he would never be satisfied. He closed his maroon eyes, trying to escape the lavender eyes that burned through his mind.
A knock at the door broke Bakura from his stupor. He jerked his head up in alarm before realizing what the noise was. He walked out of the kitchen towards the front door before Ryou could get up. Bakura opened the door, expecting Yuugi to come over. Ryou's midget of a friend had been visiting rather frequently since the attacks, still in shock that someone would bomb a museum just to get his Puzzle. Yuugi had some strange idea that it was his fault. Like if Yuugi hadn't solved the Puzzle and given it to the museum for the public to appreciate then the bombing wouldn't have happened.
Well… he's kind of right. But I'm an asshole. So the same laws don't apply.
Bakura opened the door, ready to herd the pipsqueak in. Bakura's instincts kicked in as he saw a flash of silver pass in front of him. He quickly twisted to the side, swearing under his breath as he backed away, now aware of quickly approaching assailant. His attacker didn't pause as the knife slashed forward again, catching Bakura right underneath his right eye. "Fuck!" He swore, stumbling backward against the wall. He squinted his one eye shut, hissing in pain.
He heard the door slam shut and before Bakura could move, he felt the cold metal press up against his throat. Bakura froze, glancing down at the woman who glared angrily at him. Her blue eyes were like ice, brittle and harsh. Her long, black hair that was usually so neat was frayed and disorderly. He could tell by the way she took long measured breaths that she was barely containing her rage. Bakura met Ishizu's angry gaze, unflinching in her resolve.
"Ishizu…" Bakura had only whispered the words but he felt the flat of the blade press harder into his throat. He flinched at the contact, maintaining eye contact with Ishizu. He could see her lips tremble, before her face slowly contorted, revealing her fury. "Give me one reason. Give me one goddamn reason why I shouldn't kill you, Bakura." Ishizu hissed out the words, her voice rising as her anger came forth unchecked. Bakura didn't move, studying the shaking woman who now held his life.
The part of his mind that hadn't completely given up on life urged him to talk his way out of the scenario. Part of him knew if he tried, he could appeal to her good nature. Ishizu always seemed to regret her irrational actions later. Bakura could manipulate the situation. Yet despite knowing this, Bakura lowered his gaze. Because no matter what he offered, what he suggested, the truth of the matter was her rage was justified. She knew Bakura couldn't be trusted. She warned Bakura not to hurt Marik. And he did exactly that.
"… I'm sorry. You're right. This is my fault. Marik and Odion weren't supposed to have gotten hurt. It's early to say if they'll pull through, but Marik has always surprised us before." Bakura joked weakly, not meeting the angry gaze of Ishizu. He heard give an angry huff. "I'm not fucking around. I know this is your fault. You betrayed my brothers and now they're… they're…" Bakura avoided Ishizu's gaze for different reasons this time, not wanting to reveal the hurt he felt as well. He understood her pain, regardless over whether she would believe him.
"How- How could you do this?!" Bakura felt Ishizu grab at his shirt with her free hand, clenching the fabric as she tried to steady her hands. "Why would you betray them? I thought- you and Marik… They trusted you!" Ishizu choked out those words as the tears that had been filling her eyes finally began to fall. Bakura felt the blade slip away from his throat, resting near his collarbone. He remained where he was, not wanting to risk upsetting the shaken woman before him anymore than necessary.
"I… It's complicated. I didn't want them to get hurt. They weren't supposed to. But I messed up. My tech didn't work and things fell apart. I should have gotten them out of there and I panicked and now…" Bakura sighed heavily, feeling the weight of letting down everyone – Marik, Odion, Ishizu, Ryou, himself – sweep over him. Ishizu said nothing, but tightened her grip on Bakura's shirt. He knew he was not yet in the clear, understanding that whatever rage she had was justified towards him.
He listened to her sob for a few moments, staring at the wall above her head. Bakura could only hope his twin brother had enough sense to not come into the hallway now and just leave Bakura to solve this problem. The sound of Ishizu crying filled the apartment. It wasn't until a few minutes later did Ishizu finally seemed to compose herself, breathing deeply before speaking softly. "Do you know who called me today?" Bakura blinked, confused by the question. He wasn't sure where Ishizu was going with this. He stared at the night-colored hair, waiting for Ishizu to explain.
Ishizu gave a long shuddering breath, her hand shaking yet again after she had long calmed herself down. "I got a call from the morgue in Tokyo. They asked me-" Bakura felt a weight sink in his stomach, a sudden sense of dread filling him. The morgue? Oh God… No… Bakura stared in shock, the young woman before him trembling. "They asked me to identify the body. That's how I found out… that Odion and Marik…" Bakura felt like his heart had stopped beating.
In his mind, Bakura held on to the hope that the two were alive and okay. They were injured – the news had indicated as much. But wouldn't they contact immediate family members before releasing their names to the public? I think that's how it works. Bakura hadn't paid attention to that – he had figured if he kept an eye on the news, he would find out if Marik and Odion were okay. But now, with Ishizu standing in front of him in tears, he could only assume the worst.
"Ishizu…" Bakura started softly, feeling numb inside as his heart clenched. Ishizu kept her head ducked down, her knife still resting on the albino's throat. She let out a loud sob. "Odion is… he's dead. He's dead. Oh god." If Bakura hadn't already been leaning against the wall, he would have stumbled back for support. Odion is… dead. He was killed in the explosion. He… I did… Bakura stared into nothing, shocked by the realization that he was responsible for Odion's death.
And despite how horrible this was, Bakura was relieved. Because that meant Marik was still alive.
Bakura leaned his head back, closing his eyes. He ignored the cold steel that rested by his collarbone. I'm the worst kind of person. Bakura killed Odion, his boyfriend's older brother, and all he could feel was relief. He was the sort of despicable human being that was okay with doing horrible things if it meant he got what he wanted in the end. The ends justify the means. Even now, Bakura couldn't shake that trail of thoughts. He felt frustrated and disgusted by himself.
Bakura was broken away from his thoughts of self-loathing as he felt Ishizu suddenly move, her anguish and despondency suddenly switching to anger. "This is all your fault! You killed my brother! You killed Odion! What am I supposed to do now? Huh? Marik is being charged as a criminal, Odion has been taken away from me, and now I'm left to pick up the pieces! This is your fault! If you hadn't befriended my brother, he wouldn't be in jail right now! If you hadn't come into our lives, our family would still be whole. If you hadn't… Odion would still be…"
Bakura could only watch in shock, the tears flowing freely from Ishizu's face. He saw her face washed over with devastation and grief. He could feel her anguish radiating from her being. Odion's death just crushed her. He had never seen Ishizu lose control like this before. She would snap and lose her temper, but for the first time, Bakura saw Ishizu at her lowest point. She was broken and defeated and overwhelmed.
And this is my fault. Bakura knew from the beginning but it hit him again – he was responsible for all that happened. "… You're right. This is my fault. So your anger is justified. I took your brother's life. So if this is what it takes to make things right…" Bakura muttered softly, emotionally exhausted from it all. It was overwhelming. He couldn't do this – a physical foe would either conquer or be conquered. But an emotional onslaught was something that Bakura couldn't handle. I failed everyone…
Ishizu seemed to find her resolve again, pressing the knife up against Bakura's neck. The albino felt a slight sting as she broke skin, a thin red line forming. "Nothing can ever make things right. You've ruined everything. You took away everything from me. So I'm taking the only thing that matters to you – your life, you selfish asshole." Bakura felt her hand tightened on her shirt, almost as if to ensure that Bakura wouldn't try to run. The thief wasn't stupid though – he knew he wouldn't be able to escape with her knife on his throat.
… So this is how I die? Not what I expected… Bakura met Ishizu's blue eyes, his dark eyes clouded with his own confusing emotions. "Then go ahead." He muttered, accepting his fate. Bakura always thought he would go down fighting, never accepting death as an option. And yet here he was, almost passive to what was to come. A part of him screamed to fight back and not to accept death. But Bakura didn't want to deny Ishizu her justice.
Bakura saw the conflict in Ishizu's eyes, almost as if debating internally whether to go through with the actions. For as furious as she was with the albino, her hand trembled at the thought of actually killing him. Bakura vaguely recalled that Ishizu once got involved in the Rare Hunters organization, but he wasn't sure how deep she got in and what sort of things she had to do. To be honest, he only knew what he little he found out from Marik and Odion. Would she honestly be able to kill someone even in her rage?
Ishizu narrowed her eyes, pressing her blade into Bakura's neck. His breath hitched, as panic started to register. Apparently Ishizu would actually go through with this. The two remained frozen, as Ishizu seemed almost transfixed, caught in the moment of the action. Bakura was aware the blood flowing down his neck now stained his t-shirt. This is bad. I should stop her. I can do that. She's not a killer. But Odion… Bakura closed his eyes, allowing Ishizu to make the choice for him.
"No! Please don't!"
Bakura snapped his eyes open at the sound of Ryou's voice. Ishizu lowered his knife slightly, shocked by the sudden appearance of a second albino, almost identical to the thief she had trapped before her. Bakura reacted on instinct, snapping his hand up to quickly grasp the knife. Ishizu jerked her head back, twisting her knife. Bakura didn't give way, ignoring how the blade sliced into his hand as he raised his other hand to twist her wrist. She gasped in pain as she suddenly released the knife.
Bakura immediately let go of Ishizu, holding the bloody knife that still cut into his hand. Bakura turned his head slightly to glare at Ryou, feeling both frustrated and relieved at the same time. He returned his focus on Ishizu. The anger that had been so visible a moment before was gone as she stared stunned between the two albino brothers. Bakura sighed, glancing over at Ryou. "I'm sorry, Ishizu. You have every right to be angry with me. But… I can't let you kill me. Sorry." Bakura carefully placed himself between Ishizu and Ryou, using himself as a shield between the two. Ishizu just glanced back between the twins, as if unsure what to make of this.
Bakura glanced back at Ryou for a moment, both relieved and conflicted. His brother shouldn't have gotten involved. Ryou should have stayed back and let him handle the situation. Especially since he was dealing with a vengeful Ishtar who wanted retribution for his brother's death. What better way to make Bakura suffer than to take his brother away? In spite of his anger, part of him was relieved. It was almost as if the spell was broken. It was so easy to wallow in his own self-loathing and pity, but Ryou stepping in reminded Bakura why he couldn't die just yet.
Despite his brother's good deed, Bakura had to remain focus and keep Ryou safe. "Get out of here, Ry. I've got this." He muttered softly, his eyes not leaving the trembling woman in front of him. He had no idea how Ishizu might react and it was best to assume violently so as to be prepared. "No." Bakura growled his annoyance as he glanced back at his twin, Ryou wearing an equally stubborn look on his face. "I'm not going to sit in the background. I have a right to know what's going on as well. Though you two weren't exactly quiet."
Bakura blinked before turning away, focusing his gaze back on Ishizu. He hadn't talked to Ryou about what occurred a couple of nights ago. However, any doubts Ryou had about what happened at the museum heist were just confirmed. Ishizu seemed to have settled down from her shock, an exhausted look stretched across her face. Bakura felt Ryou push past him before realizing what he was doing. Bakura quickly grabbed at Ryou's arm to prevent him from going forward, still hesitant to trust his only family with a woman who just tried to kill him.
Ryou gently removed Bakura's hand from his hand, giving him a small smile. Bakura just stared in confusion, at a loss of words. What is he planning? Ryou bowed politely to Ishizu, who was watching him with a look of distrust and yet almost stunned. "I'm Ryou. It's a pleasure to meet you Ms. Ishtar. Would you like some tea?" Bakura just blinked at his ever-polite brother. How on earth does he manage to remain calm and civil in everything life puts him through?
Ishizu glanced between the two brothers, Bakura sure she would refuse his request. To his surprise, Ishizu nodded, ducking her head down as she wrapped her arms around herself as if to hide her discomfort. Bakura immediately pick up on her posture, noticing how Marik would do the same thing when he felt uncomfortable. The thought triggered a guilty twinge through Bakura. He left as he walked to the bathroom, leaving Ryou to handle their assailant-turned-guest.
Bakura looked at himself in the mirror, startled by the amount of dried blood. I'm surprised Ryou didn't start panicking when he saw me. Blood stained down his neck through the top of his t-shirt, his hand a mess of copper red. He rolled his eyes, allowing himself to truly breathe since Ishizu entered the apartment. I always get myself into the worst situations. Despite the heaviness of it all, despite the hell Bakura was feeling, he couldn't help but chuckle. Despite it all, he started feeling like himself again.
Bakura washed off the dried blood and carefully bandaged his wounds. He was struggling to wrap his hand when he heard a soft knock. Bakura glanced up as Ryou entered the bathroom. "Need any help?" His younger brother asked with a small smile, though the smile didn't reach his eyes. Bakura just nodded down to his hand that was in need of some help. Ryou didn't say anything but simply picked up where Bakura left off, finishing off the job. The two stood there in silence in the bathroom, not saying anything.
Finally, Bakura broke the silence. "How is she?" Ryou pinched his lips together, but didn't look up, still focused on wrapping up his twin's hand. "She'll be okay. She's very shaken up and hasn't had time to really process." Bakura growled as he glared at his brother. "You shouldn't have gotten involved." Ryou just rolled his eyes, still not meeting his brother's gaze. "Why? Because you had it under control?" Bakura gaped for a moment before glancing away. If anything, he had been completely out of control of the situation.
"No… She… She was right. I… Ryou, I fucked up. I ruined everything. She's right to do what she wants. I'm responsible for Odion's death… So if she wants to-" Bakura was snapped from his thoughts when he felt a hand smack the back the of his head. He could only stare stupidly at Ryou, who glared at his twin. "And what will you dying prove? You're both idiots. How do you think Marik would feel if he found out not only did his older brother die, but so did his boyfriend at the hands of his sister? He's already lost one loved one – don't make him lose more."
Bakura blinked as he realized what Ryou was implying. He's right. Fucking hell. What would dying prove? In his mind, he had accepted that the only way to atone for his actions was to accept death. That Ishizu sought righteous justice and that involved losing his life to achieve that. If he died now, Marik would be even more alone. Things were shitty, yes, but Marik was still alive. Ishizu was alive. Bakura was still alive. For the first time in days, Bakura dared to feel… slightly hopeful?
Bakura turned to stare at the wall. Everything had been feeling overwhelming, but as he always said in impossible situations – it wasn't over until it was over. Perhaps I can't save everything. Perhaps things will get worse. But perhaps we can still take this opportunity and not waste it. Marik would need Ishizu's support as he got ready for trial. Bakura wasn't sure if there was anything he could do, but if he were needed, he could help. Things might not get better, but settling for what they had wasn't an option.
"There. You're all set. I'm going to check on Ms. Ishtar. Do you want some tea?" Bakura shook his head, glancing down at his hand. "No, I'm good. I have some thinking to do, to be honest, and I don't think Ishizu is looking for a chat with me right now." Ryou nodded, glancing over his shoulder towards the living room where Ishizu was presumably sitting. "I suppose that's not a bad idea. If it's all the same to you, I'm going to try talking to her. Even if she doesn't want to talk, I can be there… she shouldn't be along trying to deal with all of this."
Bakura nodded, glancing away. Though he rarely sympathized for Ishizu, he understood what Ryou was saying. Ishizu was grieving and had no one to turn to for comfort or to confide in. Ryou was a lot better at dealing with people than Bakura ever was. "Okay… just be careful." Ryou just chuckled, a small smile in my face. "Don't worry. I'll be fine. I have it under control." Bakura snorted, ignoring the cheeky grin on his twin's face.
Bakura followed his brother out, not bothering to go down the hall but instead towards his room. He pulled out a long sleeve shirt to throw on before laying down on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. As if his thoughts weren't confusing enough, Ishizu made things more complicated. Odion is… The weight of the elder brother's death weighed heavily on Bakura's mind. Unintentional or not, he had killed Marik's older brother. And although Marik was safe for the time being, Bakura felt a strange grief wash over him.
He was aware that with Odion dead, Ryou would be safer. But that was a small comfort with the knowledge of the man's death. They hadn't spoken much, but Bakura had respected Odion. It was clear that his siblings loved him very much and that he loved them in return. Perhaps Odion's actions were not always the best, but they came from a place of concern and love. He would have given his life for his siblings without a second thought for himself. Marik adored his elder brother. And now Bakura was the one responsible for his death.
… What do I do? The question came not from a position of hopelessness as before, but one of confusion. His despondency couldn't last forever and Bakura would eventually have to pick himself up and figure out something. But truth be told, he wasn't sure what to do. He felt aimless. Typically he had a job or his brother or chores or even Marik to give him reason to keep moving forward. But Bakura wasn't sure what direction to go in anymore. Should he turn back to crime? Apply to jobs? Wait to hear from Yami? Talk to Ishizu? Ryou? Marik? Bakura closed his eyes, his mind swamped with conflicting thoughts.
I don't know what to do anymore…