A/N: This probably took long to update... I know where I'm going with this, I just don't know how to get there -.-''
Malik was feeling a bit confused about the fact that Bakura had actually been nice to him after the incident in the village, taking care of the wound and all. That just seemed so unlike him. The boy hadn't questioned him about it though, feeling that if he did the other would just go bastard on him again. The wound was healing nicely thanks to the care it was getting and was no longer so sore it had been nor bled so easily.
Now he was helping cleaning the building to make it more livable. The boy was sweeping the floor deep in thought, being careful how he moved his other hand. The make sift broom got the dust to just fly around mostly but he tried to direct it towards the door.
Bakura had previously disappeared somewhere, not giving any sort of explanation of where he went, not that he usually did. It would have been nice to have him help out too, that Malik didn't like to be alone. Well, he wasn't technically alone since there were all the other people that lived there but they kept their respective distance. The boy knew this was because he was Bakura's property and no one wanted to get on his bad side. He huffed angrily at the thought, having long ago decided that he didn't like being property. Without noticing it, he had started sweeping harder and the dust flew around and the others were coughing and yelling him to quit it. Malik didn't bother with their complains, there was nothing they could do anyway if they didn't want the thief on their case. Taking his sudden anger out on the floor was relaxing really and he wasn't about to stop any time soon.
A hand came down on his shoulder, making him let out a yell and whack the person with the broom. He had just been so deep in his own world that the contact had really scared him.
"...I didn't come back here just to get hit by a brat with a stick..."
"You scared me!" Malik held his chest and breathed heavily. Bakura held his arm up to block the offensive object, which had managed to drop it's sweeping part on the floor.
"You should be more aware of your surroundings."
Malik frowned at the broom. "You broke my broom..." He said accusingly.
"No, you broke it by hitting me with it. I just wanted to tell you that people are choking in here so stop raising all the sand from the floor."
"Yes your highness..." The boy muttered, throwing what was left of the broom on the floor and stomped to their room quickly. Bakura just stared after him, wondering what had that been about.
Malik soon realized that he should have stomped out of the door instead so that he could go see Pharaoh, that always helped if something weighted him down. He climbed out of the small window and ran towards the place he knew the horse would most likely be.
The way the boy had acted puzzled Bakura. He hadn't acted that way before... Maybe he was reaching his more rebellious age, though it might as well be something else seeing that the thief knew next to nothing about children, or people for that matter.
It would probably be better to leave the kid be for now, he for one didn't want him to spit on his face, literally or otherwise. He would find out later and maybe he could learn what was so special about the boy that made him care if he acted up and not just put him back to his place.
He had to admit that he had been a bit surprised to be attacked with a broom but at least the boy had some spine, even though his self defending skills lacked greatly.
Bakura glanced at the doorway to their room briefly before going back at telling people what to do and how to do it. He would just talk to the kid once he had all the other things out of the way.
In the town earlier he had gotten some interesting opinions about his latest "acquired possessions", though that also included the valuables he had traded. He ignored them all, especially all the people who wanted to buy the boy for some purpose or other. Malik was much more valuable than anything anyone could offer anyway...
"Pharaoh!" The boy called for the horse who galloped to him. "Hey, where were you with Bakura?" The horse nodded his head and pushed Malik's shoulder slightly and he petted him with an affectionate smile. "It would be so boring without you boy. To who would I tell everything then huh?"
The horse whined quietly as the boy sat on the ground, hugging his knees and Pharaoh played with his hair. Malik sighed and absently scratched the horse.
"Why do you think he's keeping me here? I mean, it's not like I'm terribly useful or anything... Of course there's the blood thing... I haven't told you about that, have I?"
The boy then proceeded to tell everything that had happened in the village. It felt good to get it off his chest and it was almost like the horse could understand, at least he listened carefully. He also talked about other stuff that had been going on, this was way better than talking with himself and the horse wouldn't, couldn't, tell anyone so it would just be between them.
"...it's not like I hate him or anything like that, though I think I might have at first, a bit... I don't know anymore... He's not terrible to have around, at least I'm not alone. You think I'm being stupid right?" Malik didn't really expect an answer. "I don't think he even likes me... I might like him some, I mean I know he can be nice if he wants to. You agree with me, don't you? You know him better than I do."
The horse neighed and nodded his head high up in the air. Malik smiled at the animal. "I knew you would."
"Where the hell is he?!" Bakura yelled more at himself than to anyone else. The boy wasn't in the room and he hadn't seen him leave. Where could have he went? He wasn't stupid enough to go to the village again so that left him, what? A whole lot of empty desert...
Then it came to him. The horse was the boy's best friend as far as he knew so there he was likely to be found, with the horse. The thief took off towards where he knew the horse would be, striding quickly through the desert. The boy should learn not to just leave like that, not that he had been worried or anything...
Reaching the place where he expected his horse to be at, he saw the boy sitting on the ground, chatting happily at the horse who appeared to be listening. Bakura shook his head a bit before he approached them. Pharaoh noticed, or paid attention to him first and trotted lazily to him. The thief petted the horse absently and went to the boy who was still sitting on the dirt.
"You do know that the horse doesn't understand you, right?"
"I know..." Malik looked at the ground, drawing small patterns on it.
"Hey, why did you took off like that, without telling me?" Bakura too sat on the ground near the boy who was still not looking at him.
"I wanted to get out." Malik just stated.
"Uh-hu... So what was that about earlier then? Are you mad at me or something?"
"No, I just felt angry..."
"It seems to me that wasn't all there was to it. I might not be a people specialist or anything but I don't think someone just gets angry for the heck of it."
Malik sighed. "I don't like being property..."
Bakura's eyes narrowed a bit. "Well, tough break. Are you saying that I'm not treating you like a person? That's what that sounds like to me and one could take that as an insult after been taking care of you."
"That's not what I'm saying!" The boy yelled and stood up. "It's just the knowledge that I am and that's what everyone takes me as that's bugging me..."
Bakura stayed silent for a while, just looking at the other. This was unexpected... "I must say that that's just too bad. I can't let you own yourself because that would mean you could choose to leave."
"What makes you think I would? It's not like I can get anywhere on my own anyway, I don't even know where we are."
"Hmph, of course you would. At least if you had the chance, you don't have a reason to stay since you don't like it here and you don't like me."
Malik sat back down next to Bakura. "I never said I didn't like you. And what makes you think I wouldn't escape if I had the chance anyway? If I'm just property here, I truly have no reason to stay..."
"I don't treat you like I own you so stop whining about it already." He didn't have the patience for this now. "How's your hand?"
Malik looked at him surprised. "It's fine... You know, I've been thinking a bit and... you must have known about the whole sacrifice thing for some time... You could have just told me, I... I would have helped you..." The boy looked away again and Bakura was left staring at him.
"Why?"
"Because..."
"That's not even a real reason." People just didn't do stuff like that to each other without wanting something in return.
"I just would have, ok?!" Malik snapped but at least he was looking at the other now. "...It was nice of you to take care of me though..."
"...No problem..."
"You could just keep that up, no need to be all bastard, I know you're a tough guy anyway." A tiny-est hint of teasing was heard in the boys voice as he spoke and Bakura ruffled his hair with a small grin.
"You'd better kiddo." He was a bit taken back again as the boy beamed at him, he was sure he would never get used to the pretty smile... "We... should head back, it's getting dark soon." He quickly got up and offered a hand to help the boy up. Malik took it but after he got up, didn't let go like expected and just proceeded to walk towards the building while still holding the hand in his grip.
A/N: I can't believe I actually got that done... I was stuck on one place for so many days and then just suddenly I wrote the whole damn chapter with almost one sitting (had to eat and study). Those who want fluff and stuff, it's on it's way so no worries :)
Please review!!
