A/N: *falls over twitching* Do you realize that I finished this chapter literally about twenty minutes ago? I won NaNo on November 16 and oh my god, you have no idea how close you came to not having a chapter at all this week. 50,000 words original words plus eight chapters of fanfiction in two weeks... I never want to write another word in my life. My fingers are ready to fall off! It may not be up to my original quality, but enjoy the chapter...
Malik stared down at his phone with a stunned expression, listening to the dial tone that was coming out of it. After Yuugi had left, Jou had coaxed him into playing a popular racing game that had only just been released in stores. He had agreed, if only to keep a solid barrier between himself and Mariku. When his phone had rung and he'd seen Ryou's name flashing across the screen, he'd given the controller to Mokuba and slipped out of the room without a second thought. His friend had gone off with Bakura that morning, and even though they hadn't spoken about it, he knew that Ryou was nervous about spending time with his yami, particularly when they were alone. Just what he had been expecting when he answered, he wasn't sure, but it wasn't the slurred, distant missive that he got.
"Shit, Ryou, what the hell have you gotten into now?" he muttered, shoving his phone into his pocket. Ryou and Yuugi were his dearest friends, and he loved them as much as he did his older sister. The thought that something might have happened to one of them... Malik shivered and turned, intending to rush out the door and make a run for Ryou's house. He froze when he saw that Mariku had followed him out of the game room and was standing less than a foot away from him. "Don't you people have any concept of privacy? Stop listening to my phone calls!"
"What's wrong?" Mariku asked, ignoring him completely. There was an intense look in his eyes that was oddly calming. Against his will, Malik felt himself responding to it. The urge to panic subsided, and he was able to answer without losing it.
"Ryou called me and said that I need to come to his house quickly," he said. "I think there's something wrong."
Mariku nodded, almost like he had been expecting that answer, and turned. He walked away without a single word, leaving Malik to stare after him in befuddlement. Was he supposed to follow? Why hadn't Mariku said as much? Frowning, he ventured forward, cautiously following the older boy through the halls of the house. It occurred to him, somewhat belatedly, that Mariku might have been leading him into some kind of trap with no one else around to help, but all of those thoughts flew out of his mind when he saw where they were. The garage... and Mariku was slinging a toned leg over that beautiful motorcycle that Malik had been so envious of before.
"Are you coming?" he inquired, looking deeply amused when Malik stopped in the doorway and stared with an open mouth. "I thought your friend said you had to hurry?"
"We're going... on that?" His voice came out a high-pitched squeak, and he had to swallow hard to keep from outright drooling. The motorcycle was of an expensive make and design, and had been painted a dark violet color that would absolutely shine in the sun. It was exactly the kind of machine that he had always longed to drive and had never even dreamed of owning.
"Does that make you nervous?" Mariku inquired, smirking.
"Fuck no," Malik breathed. It had slipped out before it occurred to him that letting Mariku know that he had a slight obsession with motorcycles probably wasn't a good idea. Judging by the smug grin on the older boy's face, that cat was definitely out of the bag, and he cursed himself silently as he moved through the garage and stood beside him. Mariku handed him a black helmet, which he gratefully slipped on, if only so that it would cover his burning cheeks.
"Get on. Let's go," said Mariku, flipping his visor down. Both of his feet were on the floor, holding the motorcycle in place so that Malik could climb on with no problem... in theory. In reality, there was one very big problem, which was that riding on the motorcycle behind Mariku would bring their bodies into full contact.
Mouthing a string of curses that would've made Isis freak if she'd heard, Malik gingerly threw a leg over the side of the motorcycle and straddled it, much like Mariku was doing. The ideal way to hold on was to wrap his arms around the older boy's stomach, but the thought of doing that was enough to make him wince. It was bad enough that his crotch was already snugly pressed against Mariku's backside. Cringing, he placed his hands on Mariku's shoulders and tightened his grip as he pulled his feet up from the floor and rested them against the motorcycle. He was pretty sure he felt a chuckle reverberate through Mariku's body and scowled, but before he had the chance to say anything, Mariku turned the machine on.
"Oh Ra." Malik closed his eyes, feeling like he'd died and gone to heaven at the heady sound of that thrumming purr. He was only vaguely aware of Mariku lifting his own feet and of the motorcycle finally moving forward. They coasted down Seto's driveway to the end, where a guard opened the gate to let them through.
It was frustrating, not being able to go as fast as he would have liked on the city streets. They were restricted to the laws of the road, and although Mariku didn't seem to have much respect for speed limits, he did obey stop signs and red lights, perhaps with more attention than normal because of the precious cargo he had with him. But it was still nothing short of sheer bliss, to feel the wind rushing against his helmet and body, to feel the vibrations of the powerful machine between his legs, and even to feel the heat of Mariku's body against his chest and cheek. Malik didn't even try to watch where they were going; he simply closed his eyes and relished the feeling of his first motorcycle ride ever: a moment in time that felt absolute perfect. No amount of time could have been long enough for it to last, and for that reason, it ended all too soon.
"We're here, my pretty hikari. As much as I enjoy the feel of your sexy body against mine, I think our friends are in need of some help."
"Huh?" Slowly, he opened his eyes, realizing that the motorcycle had indeed come to a stop. They were parked in front of Ryou's house. That busybody neighbour who was always scolding Ryou for being too loud was glaring out the window at them. He was... leaning against Mariku with his arms firmly wrapped around the older boy's waist. "GAH!"
Malik jerked backwards and tried to jump off of the motorcycle at the same time. He ended up losing his balance, and would've gone down face first had Mariku not casually swung an arm back and around his waist and stopped his descent. With a grace that made Malik fume, Mariku swung his left leg over the motorcycle and stood up, gently lowering his hikari to the ground. Embarrassed beyond belief, Malik stood up instantly and pulled his helmet off, refusing to look Mariku in the eye. Instead, he placed the helmet on the motorcycle and turned, heading up towards the front door as he smoothed his hair back with a hand that shook. Something was happening to him that he refused to examine too closely, something that he just wasn't ready for.
"Do you have a key?" Mariku had followed him to the door and was looking up at the house. A dark look crossed his face when he spotted the shattered front window, and his hand shot out, gripping Mariku's wrist before the younger boy could bound up the steps. "Don't. Magic has been used here, and recently. Give me the Rod and stay quiet."
"Magic?" Fear flickered into Malik's violet eyes, and he swallowed hard. Silently, he handed the Millennium Rod to Mariku and watched as the older boy removed the end, turning it into a sharp knife. He pulled Malik around to the back, where they found the door unlocked, and refused to relinquish his hold as the two of them entered the silent house. For once, Malik didn't protest being so close to his yami. Not when Ryou's life might be at stake.
Mariku stopped a few feet inside the kitchen and listened hard at the same time that he felt for anyone who would be lying in wait. When he heard and felt nothing that would indicate danger, he stepped forward, Rod at the ready, and peeked into the living room. "Fuck, Bakura," he hissed, seeing the yami and hikari passed out on the floor.
"Ryou!" Malik gave an alarmed cry when he saw the two of them and shot forward, breaking free of Mariku's grip. He knelt on the floor beside them and became even more panicked when he saw the small pool of blood that had formed. It was impossible to tell just who was wounded. "What happened? Ryou?"
"Don't wake them up," Mariku ordered in a whisper, bending down next to his frightened hikari. He rested a calming hand on the back of Malik's neck as he examined their friends, running a finger across Bakura's forehead before touching the Millennium Ring. Malik watched him closely and found himself unprepared for the look of mingled worry and relief that flashed across Mariku's face. "Bakura has a mild concussion and a cut on his temple from a piece of glass, but he'll probably be fine. He has a hard head. Both of them are just sleeping. I sense that Bakura summoned a duel monster. It would have taken a lot of energy at this point, especially because the bond between he and Ryou isn't fully formed. But they'll be okay."
Sweeter words had never spoken. Malik slumped with relief, feeling all of his breath leave in a resounding whoosh. He couldn't ever remember feeling as scared as he had been, when he'd seen Ryou on the floor. Even though he was highly conscious of Mariku's gaze, he found himself reaching out and gently stroking his friend's hair, wondering what it meant to summon a duel monster (wasn't that some kind of card game?) and why Bakura had been forced to do so. From the sound of it, something had attacked. Who? The woman they were coming to speak to? Or someone else?
Vaguely, he was aware of Mariku speaking into his cell phone, and he caught enough words to know that the older boy had called Seto and Jou for help, which meant reinforcements wouldn't be long in arriving. That was a relief; he would be glad to get out of the house and away from the strange, heavy feeling that still lingered in the air. As they waited patiently for their friends to arrive, Mariku's hand, which was still on the back of his neck, began to gently rub a series of small, soothing circles onto his skin. It felt oddly reassuring, to the point where he didn't even want to knock the hand away, even though a small voice inside of him said that he should.
GMA
A knock on the door and his grandfather's voice calling his name woke Yuugi the next morning. He sat up and blinked, looking around in confusion when he realized that he was in his bed, wearing the same t-shirt and pants that he'd been wearing the day before. His shoes had been neatly placed at the foot of the bed, and the Millennium Puzzle was next to him, within each reach. Yuugi picked it up and frowned, realizing that he had no memory of his grandfather coming home or of going to bed the night before. The last thing he remembered was, well... after Tenno had helped him to close the shop, he'd felt so badly about being rude that they had ended up ordering pizza for dinner and had watched a movie while eating.
"Jii-chan must have put me to bed," he muttered, refusing to think of the alternative. There was just enough time for him to take a quick shower before he got dressed in a fresh uniform, brushed his hair, and tied the Puzzle back around his neck. Sugoroku was waiting for him in the kitchen with a plate of eggs and toast, but he couldn't help noticing that the man wasn't eating anything himself.
"I'm not hungry," said Sugoroku, having apparently caught the look. "But that doesn't mean I can't sit down and enjoy a breakfast with my grandson. Would you like some milk?"
There was an underlying harshness to his grandfather's voice that warned him not to say anything. Yuugi frowned and sat down at his spot, looking at the meal in front of him. "Yes, please. How was your night, Jii-chan?"
"Wonderful," his grandfather replied, eyes lighting up. He set a glass of milk down beside Yuugi's plate and took a seat with a cup of coffee. "Some of the things that they've been finding in Egypt lately are truly fascinating, Yuugi. Makes me wish I was a younger man so that I could go on some expeditions of my own."
"You're still young, Jii-chan," Yuugi told him, lifting a forkful of eggs to his mouth. He forced himself to be casual when he said, "So what time did you get in last night?"
"Around midnight. I was glad to see that you hadn't waited up for me since you have school today," came the answer.
That meant he had already been in bed when his grandfather came home. Yuugi stared intently at his plate, feeling the tips of his ears beginning to burn with mortification. If Sugoroku hadn't carried him up, that meant Tenno had, and the very idea was humiliating. He hated being treated like a child, so why did he keep putting himself into situations that allowed Tenno Yami to do just that? In the short time since the two of them had known each other, the older boy had put him into bed twice. Twice! Not to mention, he'd also fallen asleep on the man's lap two nights ago and spent the whole night like that. What was it about Tenno that made it so very easy to fall asleep around him, and why the hell did Yuugi keep giving into it?
"Yuugi? Are you alright? You're very red. Do you feel sick?" Sugoroku asked, eyeing his grandson with some concern. He started to each out, intending to feel Yuugi's forehead, and was thwarted when Yuugi pulled back sharply with a shake of his head.
"I'm fine, Jii-chan. Just not very hungry," he mumbled, poking at his meal, which in the wake of his embarrassing realization suddenly looked a lot less appetizing. Fortunately, he had the perfect excuse, in that if he didn't leave soon, he was going to be late. He dumped most of his food into the garbage and set his plate in the sink before giving his grandfather a quick kiss on the cheek. Grabbing his backpack from the front hall where he'd left it, he headed out the door at a run.
Surprisingly, he didn't meet up with either of his friends on the way to school as was their normal routine, even though neither of them had left him a text message saying otherwise. Yuugi wasn't too disappointed, though. He was glad to have the time to himself so that he could think about Tenno. How was he supposed to react towards the older boy? Last week, he had studiously ignored him and pretended that Tenno didn't exist. After this weekend, though, that would be practically impossible. Would Tenno want to ignore him? If the older boy cared anything for his reputation, the answer would be a resounding 'yes'. His lack of popularity could drag anyone down, even the most popular guy in the school. So what should he do? Ignore Tenno and wait to see what Ryou and Malik were doing? Say hi? Walk over to him and thank him for the help he'd done last night? What?
Groaning, Yuugi rubbed his forehead. "I have got to stop thinking about this," he whispered, feeling foolish. He was acting no better than a lovesick teenager and it was humiliating. "I do not like Tenno. I don't even want to be around him. So why would I care? I just have to remember that. I do not like Tenno. I do not like Tenno. I do not like Tenno, damn it."
Scowling, he gave an assured nod and strode onto the school grounds, searching for Ryou and Malik. He didn't see either of them, and only then did he really begin to worry. Ryou was a stickler for being on time. It was unusual for him to be late. Concerned, he pulled out his phone and checked for messages, only to discover that it was dead. Damn. He'd been so preoccupied with Tenno the night before that he'd forgotten to plug it in. No wonder he hadn't heard from them. Yuugi glanced up and looked around, very aware of the fact that more than a few people were staring at him. It took some effort to keep a small smile on his face as he began striding towards the building, hoping that there would be a pay phone. He was completely unprepared for the hand that fell on his shoulder.
GMA
Tenno Yami had been having an unusual week and he was completely unprepared for how to deal with it. His whole world had been turned upside down by the appearance of three little lights, and by one boy in particular. Spending time with Yuugi was a lot more enjoyable than he had ever anticipated. He'd always thought that being with his other half would be something he had to do, not something he wanted to do. But it had actually been fun, helping Yuugi out in the shop and then having pizza and watching a movie. The younger boy treated him like a regular, if somewhat annoying, person, which was something Yami wasn't used to. Even his own friends could sometimes treat him a little differently when they remembered who he was, but Yuugi? He liked that.
What he wasn't so sure about was the way he felt towards Yuugi. Yes, he'd known that the younger boy was his other half, but he hadn't expected to feel so strongly towards him so soon. Just seeing Yuugi was enough to set off a protective instinct that he hadn't even realized he possessed. He didn't want anyone touching the boy, and god help the first person who actually hurt him, because Yami wasn't sure he would be able to hold back. It was a chilling realization. Somehow, Yuugi had become extremely important to him in just a short amount of time. How had that happened? Why wasn't he more willing to put a stop to it?
"Fuck," he muttered, running a hand through his hair and garnering a few curious looks from his friends. It wasn't like he could ask for some time apart to get his thoughts together, either. Yuugi was only just beginning to come around to the idea of the two of them actually being partners. If Yami didn't keep up with that, the younger boy would undoubtedly slip away from him. And to be honest, he just didn't want to. If Pegasus came sniffing around, Yami wanted to be there to kick the man's ass.
Soft whispers distracted him from his thoughts, and he glanced up to see Yuugi walking across the grounds towards the school. Apparently his little hikari hadn't noticed the seven of them sitting in the shade of a tree. Bakura was seated against the trunk, a weary look on his face. His arms were loosely wrapped around Ryou, who was curled up in a small ball, slumbering deeply. Really, the two of them should have been at home, but there was safety in numbers. Mariku and Malik were sitting side by side, and there was a concerned look on Malik's face. He was so preoccupied that he didn't even noticed Mariku edging closer. Seto was typing on his laptop, and Jou had his head in his boyfriend's lap. None of them seemed to notice that Yuugi had arrived, which meant it was up to him to attract his hikari's attention. Well, if you insist.
Gracefully, Yami rose and walked after the shorter boy, catching up to him easily. He laid a hand on Yuugi's shoulder and sucked in a sharp breath at the soothing feeling that radiated up his arm. Now there was a feeling that a man could easily become addicted to. Yuugi swung around, eyes wide, and looked up at him with a faint blush. Yami smiled down at him and dropped his hand from Yuugi's shoulder, leaving it held open before him. Wanting Yuugi to agree to the fact that Yami had a claim on him in front of everyone. For a moment, he thought Yuugi would protest or walk away. The boy was hesitating, and his beautiful violet eyes were anxious when he glanced up at Yami. But then slowly, his hand slipped into Yami's, and all was right with their world.
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