A Little Fall of Rain
Summary: When the angel Ryou becomes smitten with a mortal who he believes can do no harm, he creates a misunderstanding, resulting in the wrath of the young demon Malik whose unrequited love was never satisfied in life.
Rated: T
Genre: Supernatural/Romance
Author's Note: And the story continues…
Disclaimer: Yuugiou is not mine, STUPIDS. Just kidding, I love you all. Lyrics are from Gravitations' Blind Game Again, sung by Kotani Kinya.
Empty Chairs at Empty Tables
Three long months had passed since Malik and Marik had parted for the second and last time. The two older demons that had tried to protect him broke both their own pearls shortly after the small blonde had disappeared, the taller giving Marik a firm handshake before departing. After the dead had left, Marik spent a fair amount of time searching for Malik's broken necklace, succeeding in finding the half that was still attached to the chain. He now wore it religiously, as its original wearer had done. In the rough weeks that followed their separation, Bakura had been victim to Marik's violent mood swings, often involving an hour or so of self-loathing followed by two hours of carelessly breaking anything and everything in sight. They had replaced closet doors twice already.
The blonde had only recently calmed down, a flood of homework assignments effectively distracting him from any inner turmoil. When he wasn't doing homework, Marik spent hours at a time resting on Malik's favorite beanbag chair, which was positioned near the window. He would often wonder what the small boy had been thinking about while curled up there, earphones in place and strawberry smoothie at his side. He found himself wishing he had spent more time with Malik during his brief stay, returning once again to his suffocating pit of mourning. He knew Malik wanted him to move on, wanted him to forget about what they almost had and enjoy the rest of his life. But Marik knew he couldn't.
It was now late December, a few days before a long awaited Christmas morning. The cold rain that had fallen so ruthlessly many nights ago had slowly given way to a heavy blanket of snow which covered the college campus in a beautiful sheet of white. Students were currently enjoying their two weeks of winter vacation, most of them returning home to their families. Marik and Bakura voluntarily stayed behind, the former knowing that his mother already had plans. After being abandoned by Marik's biological father seventeen years ago, Hasina had finally started dating again.
Bakura on the other hand stayed in order to keep an eye on Marik, spending a long afternoon on the phone trying to convince his parents that he'd be okay. Despite the blonde's constant denials, the medical student knew that the thought of suicide still rested prominently on Marik's mind. Marik, being the devoted psychology student he was, knew what Bakura was up to, but didn't confront him about the issue. It was comforting to know that someone other than his mother cared about his well-being; Bakura's concern wasn't nearly as warm as Malik's, but it was something.
Today was a particularly miserable looking morning; grey clouds embraced the sky as cold winds blew through the mostly deserted dormitories. Icicles hung from the windowsill, looking like intricate springs of spun glass, growing larger as the pure white snow continued to fall. Bakura was asleep, wrapped inside three blankets; one fleece, two wool. He was never particularly fond of the cold, his germ phobia increasing tenfold at the mere thought of frostbite or even the common flu. Because of this, the teen usually stayed indoors as much as he could, preferring to watch TV with a warm cup of cocoa over participating in a mucky snowball fight any day. Bakura's comfortable realm of slumbering darkness was interrupted when a bright light penetrated through his closed eyelids, causing him to flip grumpily onto his other side.
"Bakura!" A low voice whispered. Said teen opened his mahogany eyes blearily, searching for the large wall clock that lay opposite his bed.
"Quit it Marik," he groaned sleepily, pulling blue pillows over his face. "It's six in the morning, go back to sleep…"
Marik frowned, and hopped down to the floor, flashlight still in hand. Looking back at the lump that was Bakura, he sauntered over to their new stereo and set the dial on the loudest possible volume. The blonde smirked, deciding to allow Bakura one last chance.
"Ba-Ku-Ra!"
When no response was heard, Marik casually pressed the 'Power' button.
'NAGARERU NAMIDA
HABIKORU USO NI
JIBUN O SOMETE YUME O NISU
SORA NI MAU, HAIIRO NO JOUNETSU!'
Bakura shot up in surprise; his head hitting the ceiling and causing a few pieces of plaster to fall onto the bed. "AUGH! MARIK WHAT THE HELL?"
The blonde continued smirking and pushed the button again, silencing the upbeat music. "Knew that'd work."
"What do you want?" the other whined, rubbing his head irritably. "I was having the best dream… We graduated and never saw each other again."
The comment stung, but Marik didn't flinch. "Guess what day it is."
"Uhhh…Tues…day?"
"Enhh!" he honked, trying to imitating a buzzer. "Guess again."
"Marik, I'm really not in the moo-"
'DON'T LET ME DOWN KITTO, KITSU KYASHINAI!'
"Alright, alright, ALRIGHT! SHUT IT OFF!" Bakura wailed, clamping pale hands over his ears.
"Baby," Marik scoffed. "Alright Fluffy, one more chance before I wake the entire floor up. I'll even give you a clue! I am…"
"A total spaz?"
"Bakura…"
"Oh…OH! Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! You're twenty! Shit, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"
"Ding, ding, ding!" the other chimed, opening the blinds. "I've finally rid myself of the teenage label and become a young adult. Aren't you proud of me?"
"Yes, congratulations on not dying," Bakura yawned. "Oh…I didn't mean–"
"Don't worry about it; you don't need to act like you're walking on glass eggshells whenever you talk to me. I can handle it…my emotions are forged with high grade steel."
"You sure?"
"As long as you don't make anymore stupid comments about Malik, then we're good," Marik said evenly.
"Right then. What do you wanna do today birthday boy?"
"I dunno." Marik shrugged.
"Wha? Bu…THEN WHY DID YOU WAKE ME UP?"
"So I could harass you until you gave me my present." The blonde said evilly.
"Big boys don't get presents," Bakura snarled.
"You didn't get me anything?" Marik gasped, looking like he had just been slapped with a fish. "Oh woe is me, receiving a present from my only friend left in this world was the only thing I was looking forward to! What's the point of living when the guy you bunk with doesn't even remember your birthday? What else is there to do but wallow in my own self pity?" He fell neatly onto Malik's beanbag chair and began wailing pitifully. "Oh what a world, what a world!"
"What a drama king; for a twenty year old you sure do act like a child," the medical student laughed, leaping down from the top bunk. "I'm not that inconsiderate, of course I got you something."
Marik sat up and followed Bakura eagerly to the closet, his mind buzzing with excitement. The shorter student stood on a suitcase and removed a colorful bag from one of his many jackets, knocking over a small black book as he did so. Cursing lightly, Bakura picked up the book and tossed it onto Marik's bed. The tall blonde looked curiously at the bright package and poked it.
"Was it expensive?"
"What a brat!" Bakura seethed.
"What? I'm allowed to ask, it's my birthday, asshole," Marik snorted.
"It's got…emotional value."
"Which means it's cheap."
"Look, do you want your present or not?" Bakura huffed, waving around the small pouch.
"Well, if it's that puny…" the blonde started, rolling his eyes.
"Hasn't anyone ever told you that some of the best stuff comes in small packages?" Bakura said irritably, shoving his gift into Marik's chest. "Just open it, and try not to cry onto the carpet okay? Nothing ticks me off more than salty spots embedded into fabrics." He twitched slightly after envisioning the horrible scene.
"Shut up Bakura, I'm not gonna–"
Marik's plum colored eyes widened. Inside was a small pink bell, only about an inch across; a note reading 'For Ankha II,' was with it, printed in Malik's neat handwriting.
"We bought it just before the whole incident happened, while you were in class," Bakura said quietly. "It was Malik's idea, I didn't really get why he'd want to buy you something so random, but I guess he knows you better than I do, right? He was planning on giving it to you as soon as we got home that night but…well you know. So what's the story behind that thing? Anything you wanna tell me?"
A few seconds of pure silence followed, interrupted only by the soft ticking of the room's clock. The blonde jingled the ornament slightly, a rush of nostalgia filling him as he listened to the light hearted sound.
"My cat, Ankha, died a few weeks before he left for America," Marik said finally, attaching the bell to his necklace. "She wore a bell on her collar that was just like this one. He'd always bug me about getting a new kitten to take her place, but I never could." The blonde smiled bitterly. "I was never very good at replacing things that meant a lot to me, people included."
"Tell me about it. How long have you had those pants?" the other student scoffed. Bakura was never very comfortable in gloomy situations; they made him feel like he was trapped in a room full of heavy breathing cotton balls. Doing anything to lighten the atmosphere became second nature.
Marik laughed, wiping his eyes. "Hey, if they still fit why bother getting new ones"
"Exactly," Bakura stressed. "To you, Malik and Ankha still fit. So, replacing them will just end up being a waste of time. You're obviously never going to find anyone that'll make you feel the same way you did with them; you'll always be comparing whomever you date with Malik, and you'll compare any new pets to Ankha."
"Huh, that's pretty good Bakura. Ever consider taking up Philosophy? I think you'd be great at it."
"Believe me, that's the last time you'll ever hear anything that profound come out of my mouth."
"I wouldn't be surprised," Marik chuckled.
"So birthday boy, back to the other matters at hand. What do you want to do?"
"You're really willing to do anything I want?" The blonde asked skeptically.
"Anything." Bakura confirmed.
"Just for today, or…?"
"Whatever, whenever, I don't really care. I'm like a half-assed genie. I grant you one wish and then I'll never ever do it again."
Marik thought for a moment, searching his mind for the perfect request. Bakura noted that he looked remarkably like Malik while he was deep in thought. Marik's eyes seemed to be narrowed naturally, but while thinking they tended to close, so he appeared to have the same soft features as the deceased teen. It was almost like looking at an adult version of the blonde demon. After awhile, Marik perked up, having decided on something. Bakura brightened as well; however, the answer he received was far from what he was expecting.
"…I want you to make me happy."
The white haired teen blinked confusedly. "How…how do you mean?"
"Will you do it?"
"What exactly…?"
"Will you do it?" Marik repeated firmly, fixing an intimidating glare into the other's mahogany eyes.
"I…I'll do it," Bakura agreed, nodding slightly. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you want. I said I'd do anything, didn't I?"
The blonde grinned darkly.
'Perfect.'
"Happy Birthday Marik," Malik said quietly, squeezing the silver locket around his neck. "Here's hoping that there'll plenty more following this one. Bakura had better remembered to give him that bell we bought for him. After all…" Lilac eyes blazed with fiery passion. "Hell hath no fury like an Ishtal scorned!"
"Hey kid, all hands on deck! A bunch of customers just came in and they look like they'll start eating each other if we don't get 'em some grub!"
"Keep your pants on Jounouchi, I've got it!" The small blonde drawled.
"I'm keeping my pants on, just make sure you still have yours at the end of the day," the other demon snickered, placing a plate of food onto Malik's tray. "That scar's healing up nicely," Jounouchi added, running a fair digit along the side of the other's left cheek. "Does it still hurt?"
"Just a little," Malik sighed, hoisting the tray onto his shoulder. "Hey, help me with the drinks, okay?"
"What's the matter? Six mugs of beer too heavy for you?"
"Shut up, I only have two hands!"
"I'm just teasing, jeez," Jounouchi said exasperatedly.
"So did Seto say when he'd be back from seeing Pegasus?" Malik inquired, tilting his head slightly.
"Nah, but I'm sure he'll be in before the evening rush. You know he hates that ambiguous fruitcake."
"Hee, fruitcake…"
The two blondes strode briskly to the main dining area, the smaller getting a round of wolf whistles and suggestive winks upon entry. Rolling his eyes, Malik followed Jounouchi to a large group of six, seated at a round, wooden table. The rough looking men had rippling muscles that were as thick as Malik's entire waist and covered with winding veins; most of them had more than a few teeth missing, making chewing an incredibly horrifying thing to witness. With a grunt, the Malik lifted the heavy tray off his shoulder and set it on the table, the older demons wasting no time before eating the meal.
"It's like something off a nature show," the young blonde said idly, cringing as bits of food flew past his face.
"We'll just have to add the clean up to their bill. How's an extra seven coins sound?"
"Best make it an even ten."
"I knew I'd like you," Jounouchi grinned, shoving him teasingly.
"That's not what you thought a few months ago," Malik commented, following him back into the kitchen.
"Kid, I said I was sorry about all of that," Jounouchi sighed. "And I still owe you big time for taking so many hits from that brat angel for me."
"You know, you can start by calling me Malik from now on, seeing as it is my name," the small demon pouted.
"Aww, ain't that the cutest thing? Come here you," the taller squealed, pulling Malik into a headlock.
Just then, the bell hanging on top of the bar door chimed, signaling another customer had just walked in. However, before the blondes could turn around, a glass-shattering cry of outrage erupted from the surrounding tables, Varon in particular being extremely vocal.
"HEY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING BACK HERE?"
"GET OUT!"
"YOUR KIND AIN'T WELCOME HERE!"
"'Your kind?'" Malik repeated, looking to the entrance. Upon laying eyes on the new patron, his pupils contracted into slits. There, standing in Ivory, was Yami. However, he no longer bore the pristine white wings of a dove; instead, his feathers were a muddled grey, the sign of an angel who had fallen from grace. Burning hatred rushed through Malik's veins, filling every inch of the young demon with an uncontrollable rage. His claws extended a good three inches. If Jounouchi hadn't been holding him back, he might've ripped the former angel's handsome face right off.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
"Kid, calm down!" The other demon barked, holding the small blonde close. The bar's customers stood up and began to surround Yami, trying to intimidate him; however, he failed to bat an eye. Instead, he walked confidently toward Malik, easily overpowering anyone that blocked his way. The transition from angel to demon did not seem to have hindered his strength one bit.
"LET ME GO! I'LL NEVER FORGIVE HIM, NEVER!" Malik screeched, tears streaming down his face. "How dare you…HOW DARE YOU SHOW YOUR FACE IN HERE AFTER DOING WHAT YOU DID TO MARIK!"
"Listen, I know you wanna tear this guy limb to limb, I do too! But if anyone's gonna do him in, it needs to be Seto!" Jounouchi explained in a harsh whisper. "Their grudge goes way back before you and I were even born! And no offence kid, but the guy could crush your spine without even breaking a sweat."
Yami bent down and smirked tauntingly at the distraught blonde, a pointed fang peeking over his lower lip. "Listen to the puppy dog Malik; you wouldn't want to do anything you might regret. …Again," he added with a scoff. He leaned in closer to the demon's ear and whispered something that caused the teen's pupils to contract.
"I hate you," Malik sobbed, still struggling to wrap his hands around the other's throat. "I HATE YOU!"
"Aww, is that supposed to make me feel bad?" Yami pouted, talking in a baby voice. "Are you trying to hurt my feelings? Because it isn't going to work. You can hate me all you want. I'll never apologize for what I did…because a piece of worthless trash like you deserves it."
Malik was shocked into silence, hot tears still pouring from his eyes.
"Leave the kid alone, you've already tormented him enough," Jounouchi snarled fiercely, pulling Malik behind him. "You wanna talk shit then you talk to me!"
"Actually I'd rather not talk to either of you dumb blondes," the former angel sighed. "Where is Seto Kaiba? I need to talk to him."
"He's not here," Jounouchi said immediately, still hiding Malik behind him.
"Then where is he?" Yami spoke slowly, as if the other demon was an idiot.
"That ain't any of your business."
"Actually, it is. You see, I'm looking to end this stupid feud once and for all… Heh, I'm sure he's never told any of you freaks why we hate each other so much, probably thinks you all are too stupid to understand."
"For you information Mr. Angel, he's told me," Jounouchi grinned. "The two of you used to be lovers, and when he dumped your sorry ass for cheating, you killed his father and framed him for it. The only reason you even made it into Heaven was because you died a 'noble' death, protecting his younger brother Mokuba, isn't that right?"
Yami smiled grimly. "He said I cheated on him? That's not surprising. Last I checked it was the other way around. Not that I'd expect anything else from a filthy, murdering liar."
"I don't care what happened between you two, the fact is, he's with me now."
"Yes, but for how long? That little brat you're protecting could very well be Seto's next love interest. Sure, it seems like an innocent friendship now, but as the years pass and the boy matures mentally, who's to say he won't ditch you and go for him instead? I thought Seto loved me too, but now look where we stand: playing a constant game of cat and mouse that's transcended all physical boundaries."
Jounouchi cast an almost fearful glance at Malik, uncertainty reflected in honey colored eyes. What if Yami was right? What if somewhere along the line, Seto grew tired of him and began to love the younger blonde instead? The two already seemed very close…
Suddenly, a long cut appeared on his neck, black liquid spraying from it like a broken pipe. Gagging, the blonde demon grasped his throat and fell to his knees. The injury was far from 'life' threatening, but it still caused Jounouchi an incredible amount of pain, like a large paper cut pressed into a generous amount of salt. Eyes watering, he looked up at Yami's smug face. The claw on the fallen angel's index finger was dripping with demon blood. Malik grabbed a cloth napkin from a nearby table and pressed it firmly against the cut, his eyes filled with genuine concern for the other blonde. The other demons shifted nervously, some even hastily exiting the room in fear.
"Let that be a lesson to anyone who even attempts to get in my way. I want to end the feud right here, right now! If I have to spend the rest of my existence surrounded by all of you," Yami was now addressing the rest of the bar, "then at least grant me the privilege of killing the one person I hate the most!"
"Not a chance."
Yami looked behind him and saw the youngest demon standing defiantly over Jounouchi, lilac eyes shining with a violent passion. Before the former angel could respond, Malik tackled Yami to the floor, his claws piercing through the other's chest. An inky liquid covered his knuckles, smelling faintly of metal. "I can't believe a sick drip of slime like you has the balls to ask us demons a request when you wouldn't even let me live out mine!"
"You're centuries too young to even begin thinking of destroying me," Yami growled threateningly. "I can break you in a second."
"Then do it," Malik challenged. "Kill me."
In a flash, Malik found himself pinned against the wall, the fallen angel's thin fingers wrapped tightly around his throat. Marik's locket clinked against the boy's chest, popping open to reveal the small photograph. "I told you before; I have no problems disposing of trash." Yami chuckled, "Especially when that trash is a whiny, selfish, overconfident little boy who doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut." His violet eyes glanced at the picture contained in the oval locket, a feral grin spreading across his lips. "Heh, It's too bad…I'm sure Marik would've ended up just like you…but it looks like you're doomed to be separated forever. Sad, isn't it?"
Lilac eyes opened laboriously, glaring into furious violet orbs. Suddenly, Malik saw a comforting flash of azure, and managed to shoot Yami a defiant, fanged smile. "Yeah…it is sad…for you."
"You little punk!" The fallen angel extended his claws so far that they resembled daggers, and brought them down with full intent to kill.
A silver blade found its way through Yami's chest, its metal glinting slightly under the dim light. Horrified, the short demon looked over his shoulder to see Seto's emotionless face. A bead of black blood dripped lazily from the corner of Yami's mouth, hitting the floor with a muted 'plop.' His hold on Malik's throat began to weaken, so much so that the young demon was able to wriggle free, immediately darting back to Jounouchi. The intense pain had caused the other blonde to fall unconscious.
"Ha…always seem to jump in just at the right time, don't you?" Yami laughed, the light leaving his eyes.
"What can I say? I like my entrances to be dramatic," the brunette replied, mouth twitching. "Unfortunately for you, this will be the last time you'll see me in action."
"Then allow me to make my final exit just as dramatic," the angel grunted, still smirking. "I want you to know Seto…that even after all this…after all I've done to you…and after all you've done to me…I still…" He collapsed onto the ground, his breathing now heavy and painful. He clenched his hand into a fist and placed it over the fatal wound. "I still…love…" He let out a shuddering sigh and closed his eyes for the last time.
"Feeling's not mutual," Seto shrugged, wiping his blade indifferently. He tossed the sword onto a table, scaring the crap out of most of the room. "Do I really need to tell you all to leave?"
In a matter of seconds, the bar was completely empty save for Seto, Jounouchi, and Malik. Yami's corpse had dissolved shortly after its spirit had been destroyed.
"Are you two okay?" Seto asked, kneeling down beside the two blondes.
"Jounouchi took a way heavier hit than I did," Malik said quietly, removing the blood soaked napkin. "You should look after him first, I'll be fine."
"That's the second time I've almost lost you," the brunette muttered, placing a finger on Malik's nose. "I really should keep better watch…you always seem to attract the most unpleasant of enemies."
"Chalk that one to bad luck," he scoffed, looking away. "But really, I think you should take Jounouchi up–"
Seto quickly captured the boy's lips, giving the blonde demon a gentle, yet heartfelt kiss. Startled, Malik abruptly pulled away and wiped his mouth, staring at the brunette with wide eyes. What had brought that odd gesture? Seto knew Malik's heart belonged to Marik, and Marik's heart belonged to him. Did he think that a meaningless kiss would make Malik forget that? Suddenly a jolt of fear shot through the young demon's body. He had placed all his trust in Seto without even thinking about the elder demon's true intentions. What if his seemingly protective keeper had ulterior motives? Was there something to Seto that Malik had neglected to consider?
"Relax Malik, I know you're not mine to love," Seto grinned, lifting Jounouchi over his shoulder. "I was just testing to see if you'd kiss back. You didn't…so you passed. Congratulations. If you had…then I'm afraid that your relationship with Marik would have become very similar to the one between me and Yami. Love only works if both parties remain faithful. Remember that."
"So was it you or Yami that was unfaithful?" Malik blurted out, unable to contain himself.
"…He was seeing a woman by the name of Anzu. I was seeing a woman by the name of Kisara. This occurred while we were both supposedly seeing each other, so in a way, we were both at fault. However he was the one who acted upon his own jealousy. He murdered my father and framed me for the act. I was sentenced to death. He died protecting my younger brother not two days later, expecting me to be in heaven waiting for him. Needless to say, he was furious to discover I had ended up here."
"Even if Marik finds someone else, I'll always remain loyal to him," the small blonde said determinedly, closing his locket with a quiet click. "I…I don't want to prevent him from pairing up with someone else who can make him happier than I ever did..."
"When two people are truly in love, one does not need to worry about being a burden to the other." Seto stated coolly, walking up the stairs.
Malik blushed and looked toward the spot where Yami had fallen.
'Marik…I really want to see you again.'
A single tear traced the white scar on Malik's cheek.
ONLY ONE MORE CHAPTER LEFT! What was Marik's request? Will Bakura honor it? Will Malik and Marik ever be reunited? Can I suck up my dislike for Ryou and include him in the final chapter? …Probably.
If you've been reading the story without reviewing, now's a pretty good time to jump in. If you have been reviewing, just this story would never have gotten this far with your support! THANK YOU SO MUCH!