A/N: I finally got my lazy self dragged in front of the computer so I could write this, yay... Now that it's winter break I'm even lazier with my writing than I was when I still had school work to do and I haven't really been able to find the right mood... So now that I've found it, I will probably just do this all with one sitting...


Neither really knew what being together would bring or mean. It wasn't like it was official though... They just kind of... were. It wasn't a thing that could be easily explained, like things involving deeper emotions usually tended to be. But even though if someone asked about them and they wouldn't be able to explain it, it wasn't all that complicated. In the end their relationship with each other hadn't even changed all that much. They still some times annoyed each other, teased and argued. It was all natural and a part of it all.

The change, how small it might be, was still there. In the lingering touches, looks, words, small kisses that were only exchanged when no one else was around. Apart from the occasional shows of affection, it was all pretty unphysical. Of course that was understandable seeing Malik's age and all...

It was the perfect opposite of any so-called relationship Bakura had ever had. Everything had always been physical, no deeper emotions involved. Now however, it was the other way around and even if it was weird to him, it was all good. It was better.

Like now when the smaller body was seated on his lap, back against chest, holding his hand while pointing at the shapes that were supposedly on the ceiling. Malik had been hell bent on taking the thief cloud watching but as there hadn't been any clouds in the sky lately, this was the next best thing, the boy had decided. Bakura failed to see the point in this but since this was something the boy really seemed to think was important, he had decided to play along. It was not like he had anything better to do right now than to watch dried blood on the ceiling and listen how Malik told that it looked like something varying from horses to people or plants.

"What does that look like to you?" The boy asked suddenly, stopping his ramble about something or other the thief hadn't really been listening with a full ear. Malik bent his head to look at the other curiously.

"Uh, I don't know." Was all he could say though he didn't even know what the boy was referring to.

Malik sighed and shook his head a bit, pointing up again. "That, see?" Then he looked hopefully at Bakura again, waiting for an answer, preferably something else than 'I don't know' this time.

"It looks like..." The thief began but trailed off. What did it look like? "...a stain of blood..."

"We don't have to do this if you don't want to..." Malik said, trying not to sound too sad or disappointed. "It's probably not fun at all to you and I should go to sleep already anyway..." He made a move to get off but was stopped by an arm wrapping around him.

"Wait." Bakura started, placing his chin on Malik's shoulder. "It sort of look like a person, with the lines spreading from it as limbs. See?" He motioned towards the ceiling with his eyes and the boy looked up, eyes lighting up.

"Oh, it does! I knew you would be good at this." Malik smiled though it was difficult to direct it to the other with their faces so close.

"Well, it feels sort of stupid to me..." The thief mumbled, still failing to see what was the point and voiced his thoughts too. "What's the point?"

For a moment the boy looked at him like he was stupid. "There's no point, that's the point. It's supposed to be fun and... relaxing, it doesn't need a point because then it wouldn't be as fun."

He just looked back rather flatly. "Either it's just me or that didn't make any sense."

Malik smirked a bit with a teasing glint in his eyes. "It's just you." He stated and for a short moment, Bakura could see a hint of himself on that face. It made him feel strangely proud for reasons he didn't quite understand.

"Okay, if you need a reason, I just thought it would be nice if we did something together..." The boy looked away near the end of that sentence.

After a short while of silence, the thief decided that it would be good if he had some kind of comment to that. "Good thinking." He said and kissed the boy's neck quickly, making the other blush but smile. It was nice to have that kind of effect, even if the gesture was so small as it had been.

"So you won't mind?" Malik asks, hopeful expression firmly in place.

"No, not really."

"Good." With that established, the boy directs his gaze back to the ceiling and points again. "And that?" He asks shortly but both understand so there's really no point in making a full sentence.

They continued like that for a good while before it became too boring just to sit inside. It's time to do something where there is a point after all and one can't just sit around all day when there's things to be done.


It rained that night. After months worth of sun and dryness it poured down real hard for a few minutes. It made it impossible to sleep when the drops of water hit the roof and walls, some of the water raining into the building as well. They were really lucky that the building was located on a bit higher ground so it did flood like the dried river near by did.

The rain was refreshing in all its shortness but they were sure that when the sun would rise the next morning, it would all dry in a matter of minutes.

Malik was watching through the window the whole time the water came down, fascinated. He had decided to stay up all night and wait till the sun raised, then go out and see how it all looked before it would dry up again. He was a bit worried about Pharaoh since the horse was out in the rain but Bakura had assured him that the animal could take care of himself. It had lessened the boy's worry but he couldn't help but wonder if the horse would truly be ok...

"But what if he drowns or something?" He asked from the older male who was seated farther back in the room, avoiding getting wet.

"He won't, he's not totally stupid even though he may look it."

Malik smiled a bit at the comment and directed his attention back out so he wouldn't miss seeing the rain. There was something beautiful about it. It was pretty in an untamed sort of way. He glanced at Bakura who looked suspiciously like he was brooding.

"What's the matter?" The boy asked. "Don't like rain?"

The thief 'hmph'ed. "What's there to like?"

"Well, it's pretty and um... keeps things alive." The boy wasn't sure how to word the rain's likability but he gave it a shot and it came out lamely. Great... Bakura just snorted but didn't comment on it. Malik turned back to the window once again only to notice that the rain had stopped. He was a bit disappointed that he missed most of it thanks to Bakura. He frowned but then his face brightened when the dark gray clouds slowly revealed the starlit night sky. He had to admit that it rivaled the rain and maybe even beat it in beauty.

"Oooh, it's so pretty..." He voiced his thoughts and stared wide eyed.

"It's nothing special. It looks the same every night." The thief said flatly and Malik glared at him.

"You just don't appreciate things. It's different since it couldn't be seen from behind the clouds just moments ago." He wasn't about to let some grumpy thief ruin this for him. "I thought that you, out of all people, could appreciate pretty things." The boy told.

"I appreciate you, don't I?" The thief questioned and made Malik turn to look at him. The boy blinked in confusion at first before a pink tint adored his cheeks and he looked down a bit shyly, smiling.

"I guess..." He mumbled, not being used to be told that he was pretty, even though those weren't the exact words used but still. He would have had be an idiot not to realize what the other had meant.


In the morning after the rain, the boy ran out of the building to catch a glimpse of the refreshed desert. He was glad that he had too, he had stayed up and waited for morning, even though Bakura had told him to go to sleep several times. There were green patches here and there and the lone cactus on the side of the building was blooming. In a few minutes all the new life that had taken over the sands was gone and everything looked the same again. It had still been worth it never the less.

Malik was awfully tired, only noticing it now when he was less excited and he decided that maybe now he could go and get some sleep. He walked back inside or was about to when he remembered that he had yet to check on Pharaoh. Malik sprinted through the sand as fast as he could to where he had last see the horse.

"Pharaoh!" He called as he ran, hoping that his friend would be ok. He was relieved to see the horse galloping to him from the distance. It looked still a bit wet but otherwise ok. The horse stopped in front of him and whined. "I'm so glad to see you." The boy hugged the animal.

"I told you he would be just fine." Came Bakura's voice from a small distance away. "You just wouldn't listen to me."

"I never will and you know it." Malik grinned teasingly, letting go of the horse. "I just wanted to check on him, that's all. I think I'm going to sleep now though." He yawned and gave the horse a last pat before starting to head back. The thief stayed behind with his horse as Malik walked to the building, to their room and laid on top of his blanket. It was too hot now to wrap it around himself anyway.

Now that he could finally sleep, he fell asleep very quickly, letting the world go on without him for a while. He was sure that the world could manage that.

Meanwhile, if Malik had been there he would have discovered that he wasn't the only one who liked to talk to Pharaoh.

"...I'm being stupid really... to feel for him even though he would be much better off without me. I mean, all I have to offer is a life of a wanted criminal, not exactly good for a small boy." The horse just listened patiently as always. "That leads us to our next topic too; he's like, what? Thirteen, you think that would be a problem? Of course it would..." That was bothering him to some extent and he wondered if it bothered the boy, though he had never shown it if it did...

Pharaoh didn't comment and barely reacted at all. Bakura sighed. "Maybe I'm just thinking too much into it or something..."

Then a man came running to him, yelling his name and stopping out of breath when he reached him.

"What is it?" Bakura asked and the other man pointed something in the horizon.

"They..." Was all he said.

The thief turned to look at what the other was pointing. There was sand flying in the distance in a small looking cloud, indicating that they had visitors.

"Get everyone ready to leave and fast." Bakura told, getting a hasty nod, and ran to get Malik, Pharaoh and the other man in tow.


A/N: It's cliffhanger time! Oh and the next chapter will possibly be the last one ; ; It's ending already... Well, tell me what you think :)

Please review!!