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Please note: this chapter is censored, but you can read the uncensored version on AO3. The link is in my profile.
Chapter 7
Mariku tried to sit up, but failed miserably. Pain shot through his body and he whimpered. His body was stiff and he had neither strength in his arms nor his legs. He would be a cripple by the end of the trip if it continued like that.
Only now, he noticed that Malik wasn't next to him. He turned his head, the only movement he was able to accomplish.
Malik sat on the chair and stared at the wall. Mariku couldn't see his face in the dim blue light.
"Malik?" Malik did not respond. "Malik?"
"Don't talk to me, human." Malik hissed at him and Mariku sighed.
Oh no, he was on one of his power trips again. Mariku kept his mouth shut. He hadn't the strength for a dispute with Malik.
He didn't hear Malik's steps, and flinched, as Malik crawled back into bed. He lay down next to him and frowned like he was thinking about something.
Would Malik use Abulu to disappear? He seemed to know the planet; after all, he knew that it was a hot planet.
Did he have allies there?
What would he do when Malik tried to escape?
Would he stop him? Probably not.
Mariku closed his eyes.
If only he had kept his mouth shut. But he would be dead if he had kept silent. After all it was thanks to Malik they got away alive from the Trodectans.
"There has never before someone who saved me."
What?
Malik's words interrupted Mariku's thoughts and Mariku opened his eyes. Malik was facing him, but didn't look at him.
"I'm sure you were always able to take care of yourself."
For a moment a dark shadow crept over Malik's face and he pressed his lips together, as if he tried to keep himself from saying something.
"Besides, you have saved me as well. We're square."
"I didn't feel obliged, human."
"Okay, okay, keep calm. You are strong, and proud, and want to kill us, I know." Mariku sighed. He really got tired of the way Malik acted.
Malik lowered his eyes, as if he was ashamed, but Mariku knew him well enough by now to know that something like shame did not exist for Notechis.
"You won't be at my execution?" Malik's voice was low and Mariku tried to interpret his tone, but he didn't dare to speculate. It was impossible to figure out how Malik really felt. His mood changed like every minute.
"Should I be there?" So, he did listen as he and Bakura talked about him. Mariku didn't know how to react to Malik's unusual behavior.
From what he had heard from Anzu and Ryou, the Notechis were ice-cold warriors, and Malik had given him exactly this impression, but now?
Something was wrong with Malik. He had a secret, Mariku was sure about that. A secret, he couldn't even admit to himself.
"No. In the end they would chop off your head, too."
"Are you worried about me?" Mariku asked with a grin and Malik's eyes widened in surprise.
"No," he hissed and turned away from Mariku.
Mariku smiled.
What was Malik's secret?
It was Bakura, who woke him up a few hours later.
"Breakfast."
Mariku grumbled.
"It's not much, and you two have to share it, but it's something to eat." He stepped closer to the bed. "How do you feel?"
"Like I got hit by a truck," muttered Mariku.
"A what?"
"Forget it. I can't move at all." He tried to get up, but his arms were shaking and he fell back down onto the mattress after only a few centimeters. Mariku was breathing fast. What was wrong with him?
"Oh, that's the medicine I gave you. "
"What?" He stared at Bakura in horror. What did this guy do to him?
"Don't worry. In a few hours you can move again, I promise, and it really helps with the healing. You will feel much better. "
Mariku growled. "Are you crazy?" How could Bakura immobilize him, without telling him before?
"Sometimes, but we're still on the way for a while, so you don't have to move anyway and it really helps ... I hope."
"You hope?"
"I've never given this medicine to a human before."
"What if I die?"
Bakura shrugged. "Haven't thought about that." He avoided looking at it Mariku.
The answer left Mariku speechless. Was he the only one on this ship who wasn't completely insane?
"How am I supposed to eat?"
Bakura looked from Mariku to Malik and smiled. He winked at Mariku and then left the room. Mariku called after him, but Bakura didn't respond and didn't return either.
Malik ate their breakfast while Mariku could only watch. His stomach growled. "How about you give me something?"
"Come and get it on your own."
"I can't move, haven't you been listening?" If Malik planned to annoy him right now, he would... he would... he wouldn't do anything because he couldn't move. Mariku sighed.
Chewing Malik looked at him. He kept a straight face. "The weak have no right to survive."
"Oh, fuck you!" cursed Mariku.
He tried to get up again, but it felt like he would brace himself against gravity. His arms trembled and he fell back onto the mattress.
But Mariku didn't give up.
He had saved the ass of this conceited Notechis three times now, he'd show him who was weak here. Malik watched him in silence.
Sweat ran down his forehead, as he had finally managed to lift at least his torso. Mariku took a deep breath. His arms were still shaking and his whole body was tense. As he tried to sit up, his arms failed him again and he landed face down in the pillow. He let out a frustrated scream that was muffled by the pillow. He would kill Bakura!
"Here. "
Mariku turned his head and looked first at the plate, Malik held out to him and then at Malik.
"I don't want it," he muttered, and turned his head away.
"Then I'm going to eat it."
He pulled back his plate and Mariku's stomach growled.
"Wait!" Malik held the plate down again. Mariku tensed up and focused on his arms. He tried to lift himself again, but his body didn't obey him. "You have to feed me."
Malik only hissed with rage.
"All right, forget it," muttered Mariku. "Eat up."
Malik seemed to hesitate for a moment, but then he sat back down at the table. Mariku closed his eyes. As soon as he could move again, he would beat Bakura up. Perhaps if he managed to fall asleep again he would get rid of the feeling of hunger, at least for a while.
He thought of home. Did they miss him? After all, he had promised to send them a message as soon as he arrived on Ptera. Well, he hasn't broken his promise, and he wasn't on Ptera and if it continued like that, he would never arrive there.
"Hey," a thought came to his mind, "how hot is hot for you? I mean, how hot is it on the planet we are going to land?"
Malik licked his index finger. "600 degrees."
"600?" Mariku repeated horrified. "In which measuring unit?"
"Knar."
Mariku never heard of Knar before.
"Could you say that in a unit I know?"
Malik shrugged.
"Will I survive that?"
He shrugged again.
"Oh, great." He sighed. He saw himself with even more blisters, if not his lungs disintegrated to dust when he tried to breath.
"It would be better if I kill them both," muttered Ryou and drew an invisible pattern on the table with the nail of his index finger. "That bastard deserves it and the human makes nothing but trouble."
"You had the chance to kill them," said Bakura and followed the movements of Ryou's finger with his eyes. "You could do it now though. Mariku can't move and the Notechis is still weak from the cold."
They sat in the kitchen. Bakura had taken care of the scratches on Ryou's arms and his face, which he had from the attack of the giant ice snake. The rest of Ryou's team took care of the control of the ship.
Ryou looked up angrily. "It's your fault," he hissed at Bakura. "You had to take sides with him, hadn't you? We should have let them both die in the snow. It would have been so easy; the Notechis scum would have fallen into his torpor and kicked the bucket shortly after." He ran his hand through his hair. "Same goes for Mariku. He didn't deserve any better for being that stupid." He touched his nose.
Although Ryou had always thought humans were weak, Mariku's strength had surprised him. The fact that he was still alive despite all his injuries surprised Ryou even more. Had he been wrong about humans? Were they stronger than he had always assumed? Mariku certainly had no fear of Malik, whereas only one thought was enough for Ryou to shake with fear. But Mariku hadn't gone through the same as Ryou had. Ryou touched his neck. It was not the first time he had felt the claws of a Notechis. "But then you had to butt in, right?" He looked at Bakura.
"Mariku is a nice guy."
"That's the problem. He is too nice to that scum." He clenched his hand into a fist. "He gets involved in things that don't concern him. Playing the hero for this monster." Ryou banged his fist on the table. "He's the biggest idiot I've ever met in the 243 years of my life."
"You're pretty old." Ryou shot him an angry look and Bakura raised his hands defensively. "But you still look really hot. This 200 year difference doesn't bother me in the slightest, I'd fu…"
Before Bakura could finish the sentence, Ryou grabbed him by the collar and pulled him across the table.
"Watch your mouth, bloodsucker."
"I can suck something different if you want me to, darling."
"I'm not your darling," Ryou hissed.
"It would help you relax."
Ryou pushed Bakura away and slammed his hand on the table. "Fuck off, Bakura!"
"I could fu..."
"No!"
Bakura leaned back. "It wouldn't hurt," he murmured.
"I've got a damn Notechis on board. He lives and runs around freely, I must be just as crazy as that damn human to allow that. Do you really think I have the nerve for that shit?"
"Oh, I like it when you get angry." Bakura licked his lips and leaned to the side as Ryou reached for him again. "Just kidding." He grabbed Ryou's hand and held it firmly. "Lie down and sleep. You look awful. "
Ryou shook off the hand. "Don't touch me!"
"You could be a bit nicer, you know?"
"Bite me!"
"If you insist," Bakura said with a grin.
Ryou gave him an angry look and stood up. "Don't get too cocky just because you've helped me."
"Saved you." Bakura corrected him. As the ice-alien had attacked, he had protected Ryou with his body from the snow. To be honest, it happened by chance, but Ryou didn't have to know that.
"Helped me."
"Saved you and carried you."
Ryou rolled his eyes. The door slid open automatically when Ryou approached it.
"You know where to find me," Bakura called after him.
Ryou didn't let Malik out of sight as he entered Mariku's cabin. Malik's body tensed, but he didn't move from his chair. His eyes followed Ryou's movements. It was difficult for Ryou to avert his gaze from Malik and look at Mariku. He didn't feel comfortable with a Notechis behind him.
"Is it true that you can't move?"
"Tell Bakura, I'm gonna kill him!"
Ryou didn't respond. "You can be happy that you're still alive."
Mariku just snorted as response.
"On Abulu you'll take care of him." Ryou pointed over his shoulder to Malik.
"Of course, because he's always listening to me," Mariku replied sarcastically.
"Either he listens to you," Ryou turned slightly around so he had Malik in sight, "or I'll put him back in chains." Malik hissed. "Your decision, scum."
"You'll regret this," snarled Malik and even if Ryou winced inwardly, he kept a straight face. He wouldn't do Malik the favor and show him his fear again.
"Honda will keep an eye on you too. If you try anything, he will shoot you."
"He doesn't have a weapon for that," objected Mariku. The now gnawing hunger and the pain were causing a bad mood. He didn't have the nerves to be threatened by Ryou.
Mariku screamed as Ryou pressed his hand on his back.
Subconsciously, Malik clenched his fists and tensed his body, but he remained seated. His gaze rested on Ryou's hand.
"He will kill you and not hesitate like I did." Ryou pulled his hand back. "This is your last chance. After Abulu we get out of this damn galaxy." He looked at Malik. "And you finally get what you deserve." Malik's eyes narrowed to slits, but he said nothing. Ryou threw Mariku one last glance, then he left the room.
Mariku was breathing heavily. "That bastard," he grumbled.
"You didn't let me kill him." Malik touched the tips of his claws with his thumb.
At the moment Mariku regretted it that he stopped Malik from killing Ryou, but he would never say that out loud. In the end, it encouraged Malik to do nonsense, which Mariku had to pay for and he had enough injuries already.
Bakura sorted the first-aid-kit as well as his own stuff. He would need it again for sure. As soon as they had landed, Mariku would plunge into disaster and he was the one who had to take care of his wounds afterwards. Bakura sighed. He didn't know anyone who had been in so much trouble in such a short amount of time except Mariku; at least no one who had survived that much trouble.
He hoped the mixture he had given Mariku wouldn't have any side effects. He had played on luck as he let Mariku drink it. Bakura had developed it himself and the only creatures he had tested it on so far were Mapula.
Mapula was a species with which the Nocidea shared their home planet. They were funny, but also reckless little creatures. Injuries were common among them. His mixture has worked without problems... well, almost without problems. Bakura bit his lip. But if it worked well on Mariku, he could present it to the medical community and he could continue his research.
At home they had only laughed at him. Bakura sighed. It was strange enough that he had an interest in medicine. His people weren't like this. Medicine wasn't important in his culture, because wounds healed within a few hours. They didn't get sick. No bacteria survived long enough in a Nocidea body. Medicine was useless to them and yet Bakura had developed an unusual interest in it. Much to the annoyance of his father. He rolled his eyes. He didn't want to think about him.
Bakura was pulled from his thoughts as the door opened and he raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw Ryou. He hadn't except him. It was more likely Malik showing up, slashing his throat. He closed the medicine box.
"This ship definitely needs a higher supply of bandages."
"Then buy some when we're on Abulu." Ryou stepped in and the door closed.
"Of course. I go two steps in the heat there and then watch how my skin peels off my body." Bakura shook his head. "Heat is the same for me, as cold is for the Notechis."
Ryou shrugged. "Whatever you say." He pushed the first-aid box aside and put his hands on Bakura's shoulders.
Bakura looked up at Ryou. "What's going on?" He felt uncomfortable and a part of him mused if Ryou wanted to rip his head off.
"You said that I knew where I could find you."
Bakura opened his mouth.
Oh...
He hadn't expected THAT in the next hundred years.
The down which covered Ryou's body, tickled Bakura's nose as they kissed. Bakura put his hand in Ryou's hair, and sank back on his bed. He had never done it with a Cygni, but he liked the soft lips already. He ran his free hand down Ryou's back until he reached the hem of his shirt and pushed it slightly upwards. Ryou's body was soft like a pillow.
They broke the kiss and Bakura undressed Ryou's shirt. Ryou sat up and Bakura let his eyes wander over the half-naked body. However, because of the down, Ryou wasn't really naked. Bakura touched Ryou's chest. It was pleasant to touch him. He was surprised that Ryou had so much strength, though his body felt like a fluffy pillow. He really was full of surprises.
Bakura sat up to kiss Ryou again. He pulled Ryou closer and couldn't get enough of his lips. Ryou's tongue pushed into his mouth and Bakura rubbed his own against it. He noticed how their actions made Ryou's blood boil. He smelled good and Bakura got thirsty, but this thirst he would satisfy neither with blood nor alcohol.
Ryou pulled off Bakura's shirt and pushed him onto the mattress.
"You don't waste time, do you?" Bakura said with a grin, while Ryou stroked his chest.
"Shut up," muttered Ryou and kissed Bakura hungrily.
Bakura couldn't stop grinning. He had always known Ryou was keen on him. No one could resist him. He stroked Ryou's back, down to his ass and put his hands on it.
Ryou, however, didn't waste too much time with tender loving care. He opened Bakura's pants, broke the kiss and looked down. "Do you always get hard so fast?"
"I told you, you're hot."
"Is everything you do fast?"
The grin on Bakura's lips trailed off. "Never doubt my abilities."
Ryou put his head slightly askew. With his index finger, he stroked the hard bulge in Bakura's shorts. "I hope so." He slid his fingers under the fabric and closed them around Bakura's hard member. "For your sake." He pressed his fingers slightly together and Bakura gasped.
The grin returned to his lips. "You make me so hot." He sat up, kissed Ryou eagerly and turned him around, so it was Ryou who lay beneath him on the bed.
Without interrupting the kiss Bakura shoved his pants as far down as it was possible for him. Ryou didn't want foreplay? Alright with him.
Ryou buried one hand in Bakura's hair and grabbed between Bakura's legs with the other one. Bakura gasped into the kiss. Impatiently he opened Ryou's pants and slid his hand into it, only to pull it out again.
Confused, he looked first at Ryou, then he lifted the cloth that covered his abdomen, staring down. He hadn't found what he had expected.
"Are you a girl?"
Ryou rolled his eyes. "No," he hissed at him.
"Then I need a lesson in Cygni anatomy."
Ryou pushed Bakura off him and pulled down his pants.
Bakura looked at him. The down covered Ryou's entire body, leaving no gap. He couldn't look away from Ryou's body center. It was not more than another down-covered area. He was aware of the fact that different aliens also had different anatomy, but this was disillusioning.
"There's nothing to touch?"
Ryou rolled his eyes and grabbed Bakura roughly by the wrist. He spread his legs. "Here, this spot." He directed Bakura's hand between his legs. "Can you feel it?"
Bakura felt a hard spot, which didn't quite fit with Ryou's soft body. "Here?" He pressed it slightly and Ryou gasped.
"Yes." He looked at Bakura. "It just takes a while."
"It just means I have to put my back into it." Bakura undressed himself completely, bent over Ryou to kiss him and rubbed the hard spot between his legs. So he needed foreplay after all.
"Ah darling," he moaned and then came in Ryou. He used his arms to avoid falling down on Ryou. His arms were shaking; almost not able to bear his weight. Panting, they looked at each other.
"I'm not your darling," Ryou muttered and pushed Bakura aside.
"Oh, come on," Bakura said with a slight grin on his lips. Happiness still rushed through his body. "Don't be like that." He wrapped his arms around Ryou, but he pushed him away again.
"Don't be so smug." Ryou looked for his clothes and began to dress.
"Still in a bad mood? We could do it again."
"Forget it." Ryou buttoned his pants.
"It really turns me on when you act all unapproachable."
Ryou dropped his shirt and grabbed Bakura by the throat instead. "How about you finally shut the fuck up?" He pushed him away, so Bakura slammed into the wall.
Bakura rubbed the back of his head. "I feel used." Ryou pulled his shirt over his head. "Did you just use me?" Without answering it, Ryou left the room. Bakura glared at the door. "He just used me." He smirked. "Sweet."
Mariku lay awake and had preferred being asleep the past half an hour. He had heard things, he never wanted to hear. Admittedly, he had only heard faintly what was going on in Bakura's room, but Malik had a way better hearing than him and almost freaked out.
A feather tickled Mariku's nose and he blew it away. It was not the only feather flying around. Malik had shredded his pillow and Mariku was pretty sure he had imagined killing Bakura and Ryou.
Mariku sighed. He had too many pictures in his head, but at least they were finally done.
Forcefully Malik dropped himself on the mattress.
"Calm down," Mariku murmured gently. He didn't want to provoke Malik any further. Malik just hissed at him and Mariku avoided saying more. He didn't want to listen to Bakura's and Ryou's sex noises either, but Malik's reaction he was too exaggerated. Involuntarily he wondered what position sex had for Malik's people.
"It's disgusting," Malik said, like he had guessed Mariku's question. However, he didn't look at Mariku, but stared with a tense face at the ceiling. Mariku didn't have the feeling he was talking to him. "Disgusting," repeated Malik. "But what do you expect from vermin like them?" He hissed and turned quiet again.
Mariku closed his eyes. It was still hard for him to move, but not impossible anymore. In addition, he didn't feel any more pain. Bakura's mixture really seemed to help.
"Disgusting." Malik's voice didn't sound like his and Mariku opened his eyes in surprise. He pushed himself up and looked at Malik, but he had turned his back on him and curled up. "Disgusting." Malik's voice was low and it was clear that he was talking to himself.
Mariku got a sinking feeling and something in Malik's voice made him want to hug him.
He remembered the scars on Malik's back. Where did he get them? Mariku reached out after Malik, but then changed his mind. Malik would only freak out again. Mariku bit his lower lip. Malik's words were nagging him until he fell asleep.