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Yu-Gi-Oh!: Aurora	By : NeonTiger Category: Yu-Gi-Oh > Yaoi - Male/Male Views: 12172 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own YuGiOh!, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Aurora

By Neon Tiger and
Yuki Ryu

Chapter Two

----

�� Malik blinked
blurrily as his eyes fluttered open, sore and a bit crusted with sand. His
vision was clouded with spots of darkness. After a few moments of blinking, his
eyesight slowly returned.
�� He was in a
small barn, made of clay. Patches of dry grass covered the floor and corners,
the sounds of animals echoing in his ears from the pasture.
�� The young man
was tied in the center of the building, his arms bound and fastened to a rafter
along the ceiling so that he was half dangling and half standing. His arms
ached, having supported his weight fully while he was asleep.
�� Malik was
thankful he hadn't popped his arms out of socket.
�� The young boy
peered about, trying to see if the thief was around. His entire body ached from
the horse ride, his veil proving some protection from the harsh desert, but not
much. It was simply too fragile to do much more than hide his face.
�� Surprisingly
enough the bandit was not too far away from him, apparently sleeping
comfortably curled up on a pile of dry grass that was used for feed, ominous
even while unconscious due to the shadows within the barn.
�� Malik blinked
slowly, and then gasped as he saw his chance. He peered up at the ropes before
grinning dryly. His father had tied him up many times before; after having to
spend days tied in a closet, the blond had been forced to learn how to escape
them or else suffer in silence. His father was never the wiser, and Malik never
had to suffer for too long.
�� Now, the boy
was delighted that such a naughty skill might actually prove useful in saving
himself from the thief.
�� With a few
quick twists and some squirming, Malik managed to slip his arms free of the
rope without breaking them. He rubbed his sore wrists and arms, eying the
bandit nervously, before he started to creep towards the barn door.
�� "Nice
try, but you're going to have to do better than that."
�� Malik jerked
up straight and whirled to stare at the source of the voice, his heart leaping
into his throat.
�� The thief was
wide-awake, sitting up with an almost casual look on his face as he smirked at
his captive. "I didn't say you could leave yet," he admonished.
�� Panic crossed
Malik's face, the young boy stepping back as he rubbed his wrists nervously.
His eyes darted to the door before returning to his captor, wondering if he
could make it if he ran.
�� "No, you
won't make it," the bandit pointed out, as if he could read the blond's
thoughts.
�� Malik
swallowed hard, his throat sore and painful. He trembled as he backed away even
more, his mind desperately scrambling for any sort of escape route that sounded
at least slightly feasible. His eyes darted around, searching for a window or
perhaps a second exit, but didn't dare stray too far from the thief.
�� "You
might as well give up now and save yourself the time and energy," the
bandit casually pointed out before stretching his arms with a yawn.
�� Malik frowned
at that, then shivered and leaned against the wall. "...Please let me
go," he said quietly, his voice hoarse.
�� "No,"
the thief simply replied, uncaring of the lavender-eyed boy's plight.
�� Malik closed
his eyes, pretty much expecting such a response, before he opened them again.
Sensing no other alternative, he lunged for the door. Unfortunately the bandit's
reflexes served to be faster, as his captor snatched his arm and once again
reclaimed him.
�� "I told
you so," the thief smirked cheekily.
�� Malik cried
out in surprise, then flinched and instinctively used his free arm to shield
his head from any blows the thief might think to bestow upon him for resisting.
�� After a few
moments the blond was shocked as the thief released his wrist before yawning
again. "Are you done?" he asked. "Because I'd like to get
something to eat and drink at least before we ride again."
�� Malik
swallowed hard, shying away from the thief. He scuffled into a corner and
curled up, sitting on the grass. He didn't respond to the obvious rhetorical
question, keeping his shoulders hunched and his head bowed in an obvious
defensive but submissive gesture. He wanted to go home. He didn't even care if
his father screamed at him.
�� After a moment
of sulking, Malik raised his head to look at the thief.
�� The bandit
seemed to be distracted as he ate some dried meat wrapped in a piece of cloth
that he set on his lap and holding what looked to be a full water skin in his
opposite hand. Malik tensed slightly and stared, the sight of food and water
causing his body to remind him how desperate it was for such things. His throat
continued to ache, parched and desperate for liquid, while his stomach growled
to voice its own complaint. He couldn't help but think how cruel the thief was
being, eating in front of him like that.
�� His captor
didn't seem to care as he eagerly ate his food and took deep gulps from the
water skin.
�� Malik watched,
unable to help himself. His stomach grumbled louder and louder as the poor boy
licked his lips to wet them. He looked at the water skin longingly; he was used
to hunger but at the very least, he'd like some water. After a moment of inner
turmoil, Malik made up his mind.
�� "...M-may...
I have some water?" he managed to choke out, his voice still very rough.
The tender insides of his throat ached, agitated even by speaking.
�� The bandit
hummed thoughtfully after wiping his mouth, seemingly debating about granting
the blond his request, or merely pretending to so as to dangle false hope in
front of his captive.
�� Malik lowered
his head, not daring to hope. He gripped his arms tightly in a hug, trying to
still his shaking. He supposed it was foolish to ask, as the thief most likely
intended to kill him. Why waste water on a dead man?
�� "Catch,"
came the bandit's voice suddenly, interrupting his pessimistic thoughts.
�� Malik looked
up sharply, blinking in confusion. "Ah?"
�� Just as his
eyes rose, he saw something come at him. With a yelp he quickly caught the
object before it hit him, thinking that the thief was planning on punishing him
for his request, but was shocked to find the thrown object to be the water
skin. Malik blinked repeatedly, staring at the water skin in shock, before he
looked up to stare at the thief in disbelief. Was the water for him?
�� The bandit
arched an eyebrow as he observed the blond blandly. "I thought you were
thirsty."
�� Malik blinked,
then gasped and fumbled to open the water skin. He could hear the water inside,
so he knew that it wasn't a joke, and proceeded to gulp the contents down in a
frenzied manner. It felt so good against his throat!
�� "Slow
down or you'll throw up," the thief pointed out before he resumed eating.
�� Malik stopped
to pant a moment, and then swallowed hard. His throat was mildly sated, pleased
with its offering of water. However, his stomach felt neglected. It rumbled
noisily, causing the captive boy to flush with embarrassment. He knew it'd be
too much to ask for some of the dried meat, so he looked around and spied the
feed box for the animals. He moved closer, peering inside. He wasn't picky
about food, having learned to live off moldy leftovers. Hence, when he spied
the leftover grains of animal feed, Malik felt his stomach jump for joy. He
reached in to scoop up a handful, not really caring what it was.
�� "What are
you doing?" the thief asked as he gave the blond an odd look.
�� "...G-getting
something to eat," Malik replied, his voice soft and quiet. Was he not
supposed to eat? The captive held the fodder tightly but made no move to eat it
until he was sure that his captor wouldn't object, else risk angering the
thief.
�� The thief made
a sound between a snort and a grunt. "Put that stuff down," he
ordered.
�� Malik did as
he was told, feeling a bit ill. He was to starve...?
�� "If you
wanted something to eat all you had to do was ask," the bandit pointed out
as he held up the cloth that contained the strips of meat he was eating.
�� Malik stared at
the thief, not believing his ears. His eyes darted between the meat and the
bandit, debating whether or not he should believe it. However, his stomach
pointed out it did look good. Timidly and uncertainly, he reached out to take a
strip of meat, tensing as he half expected a punishing blow.
�� His captor did
nothing save for drop the meat into his hands, the bandit looking at him what
seemed to be curiosity.
�� Malik eagerly
took the food, unable to believe his good fortune, and proceeded to eat the meat.
He had never eaten meat before; it was a privilege denied someone such as him.
For the thief to offer him such a treat seemed like a dream. It seemed almost
contradictory, given the treatment he was receiving.
�� The bandit
didn't say anything as he merely settled back to watch the blond eat.
�� Malik licked
at his fingers as he ate, making sure to catch every piece and taste of the
food. The thought of it being his last meal briefly crossed his mind, but he
had to admit it would be fitting. It was the best meal he had ever eaten!
�� "Satisfied?"
the thief smirked in amusement.
�� Malik nodded
as he finished up the last strip of meat, and then gulped down the rest of the
water from his water skin. He wiped at his mouth, lifting his veil slightly,
before returning it to its proper place.
�� An odd look
passed over the thief's features for a moment before it was gone, only
lingering long enough for Malik to spot it for the briefest of moments, and
make him wonder if he had really seen it at all.
�� Malik blinked
slowly and looked at the thief, wondering what the look was for.
�� Suddenly the
thief stood. "Alright then. Time to go," he announced.
�� "Huh?"
Malik looked up sharply, holding the water skin tightly in his hands.
"W-what?"
�� The bandit
eyed his captive. "We're leaving. Are you going to cooperate or do I have
to tie you up again?"
�� Malik stared
at the thief, reality suddenly sinking in once more. "L-leaving...? T-to
where!?"
�� The thief
smirked viciously.
�� "You'll
see."

----

�� The sun blazed
brilliantly in the noon sky, scorching down on the desert sands. The heat that
was created by the merciless sun was terrible that day, making traveling
through the desert that much more difficult. It was too easy to die of thirst
while traversing through the hot deserts of Egypt on such a day, which made
finding an oasis as much of a treasure as the Pharaoh's gold.
�� The thief
couldn't help but stop to admire the sparkling crystal clear pool of water that
made a small patch of land that would otherwise be just sand into a small lush
paradise full of grass, trees, and other plants. It was an ideal spot to rest
until the sun was lower in the sky and the heat had gone down; the fact that
such a place contained much needed water to keep them from dying of thirst went
without saying.
�� The sight was
lost on Malik, who had finally fallen asleep after the long ride. It was
uncomfortable, but the lack of bonds made it a lot easier to pass out from
exhaustion.
�� The bandit
glanced at his captive before gently nudging him. "Oi,
wake up," he said lowly.
�� "Nnnf...?" Malik jumped slightly, blinking blurrily.
�� The thief slid
off of his horse's back then reached up to pull Malik down carefully even as
the blond was still trying to wake up. "We're going to rest here for a
while," the criminal explained.
�� As its riders
were removed, the dark horse eagerly went to the water and began to drink,
heedless of waiting for any permission to do as such.
�� Malik blinked
again, rubbing his eyes, and then gasped at the feeling of hot sand against his
feet. "Ah!"
�� The thief eyed
Malik before moving him onto the slightly cooler dirt and grass that surrounded
the oasis. "Drink as much as you can, but don't do it too fast or you'll
just throw it back up again," he ordered before moving to kneel down by
the pool.
�� Malik nodded
weakly, keeping his head bowed, before he moved towards the water. He knelt
down and moved forward to scoop up water, sipping at it eagerly despite the
difficulties with his veil, but forcing himself to go as slow as possible. He
delighted in the feeling of the cold water dripping down his sore, bruised
wrists. It felt so soothing...
�� A sudden
splash from beside him caught the captive's attention just a moment before
droplets of water splattered onto his face.
�� Malik yelped
in surprise as he fumbled back, losing his balance and landing roughly on the
sand.
�� As the
surprised blond recovered, he noticed that it was the thief who had splashed
him, although apparently not on purpose, as the other man had seemingly dunked his
head into the water to cool down.
�� Malik blinked
repeatedly at the thief before he leaned forward to resume his drink, wishing
he could take off his hood and do the same. However, he knew it was just not
possible. He had to remain fully covered; even when Isis
wasn't around, he had to stay inside. No one must ever see him. The simple fact
that he was outside was bad enough; to allow the gods to see him unclothed
would be unthinkable!
�� "Hah!"
the thief gasped as he straightened to emerge his head from the water,
obviously pleased at how it cooled him down. He glanced over at his captive for
a moment before tilting his head. "You might want to take a bath to cool
down," he suggested. "Wearing all those robes is probably baking
you."
�� "I, I
can't do that," Malik replied meekly as he kept his gaze on his lap.
"It's alright... I'm fine."
�� "Don't be
stupid," the thief chided. "Get in there and cool yourself off before
you die from the heat." With that he suddenly snatched off the shy boy's
hood.
�� Malik yelped and
ducked, covering his head quickly with his hands to try and hide his shame. His
hair flew out, glistening in the sun all silky and smooth like spun gold. Even
as a slave hidden under a hood, he always brushed his hair with a stiff horse
brush. Not that his father knew; it was simply easier to keep his hair brushed.
�� There was
silence for a moment, as Malik awaited some terrible fate for his head to be
exposed while outside, before he felt the thief's hand reach out to touch his
golden locks. "Spun gold?" came his captor's quietly perplexed yet
awed voice.
�� "A-ah?"
Malik peeked through his fingers at the thief, confused. What gold? He gave a
start when his eyes fell on the thief, now getting a very good view that he had
been denied before under the shadows and night.
�� The thief, who
had seemed so massive, so large, dark, and horrible in the dark, seemed to look
almost like a normal person in the light, and yet there were certainly things
about him that made him extraordinary.
�� The first
thing to catch Malik's eye was the bandit's hair; it was long and wild, but
made from pure silver, which looked quite complementary to Malik's own gold
hair. While may have just been white and the fact that the thief's hair was wet
and the sunlight was playing off it just right that made it seem silver, it was
certainly what Malik had mistaken for silver jewelry the previous night when he
first caught a glimpse of his captor.
�� The rest of
the thief's features, while not as striking as the hair, were very pleasing in
their own right. His eyes were bright silver, virtually perfect in matching his
hair. His tanned body seemed to be perfectly sculpted with well-defined muscles
that obviously came from a lot of work.
�� Malik stared,
eyes widening as he continued to peek through his fingers, distorting his
"hideous" face from the thief's (and the gods') scrutiny.
�� The bandit
gave Malik an odd look as he tilted his head, the wet silver hair clinging to
his face in a manner that seemed almost casually sensual. "Why are you
hiding behind your hands?" he asked curiously before suddenly snatching
away the veil the other boy wore, despite the blond's attempts to keep it close
to his hidden face.
�� "Eeek-!" Malik ducked his head, trying to hide himself
by shielding his face with his arms. "You mustn't do that-!"
�� The thief
blinked, surprised at that. "Why not?" he asked, curious, before
leaning in close. "I caught sight of your face before and I know it's not
deformed."
�� "It's an
abomination!" Malik squeaked as he shielded his face with one arm while
fumbling for his hood with another. "My presence alone is offending the
gods... To bare my face would be the highest insult!"
�� The thief was
silent at that before snatched up Malik's wrists and suddenly pulled them
close, leaving the blond's face bare for all to see. "I doubt that,"
he said lowly, his voice firm, as he gazed into the other boy's lavender eyes.
�� Malik's eyes
widened drastically as he paled, tensing. His mind locked up, unable to
comprehend what to do or say. He half expected the gods' wrath to rain down
upon him in a fit of rage, killing him horribly for such an insult.
�� They remained
that way for a few moments, gazing into one another's eyes; lavender filled
with fear, and silver filled with defiance. Finally, the thief leaned back with
a smirk. "See?" he said smugly.
�� "T-that...
that doesn't mean anything..." Malik whispered, weakly. "Perhaps they
are merciful today..."
�� "Then for
today you can bathe in peace," the thief retorted, still quite smug.
�� "Bathe?
In the water?!" Malik's eyes couldn't get any bigger. "And
contaminate it!?"
�� The bandit
eyed Malik before he quite unexpectedly shoved the blond into the pool of
water.
�� Malik cried
out as he fell backwards into the water, then coughed and sputtered as he
flailed about desperately.
�� The thief
blinked before he quickly slipped off the rest of his clothes except for his
sarong and jumped into the water to grab Malik and stop the other boy's
flailing.
�� Malik gagged
and choked, hacking up water as he trembled. His clothes clung to him, weighing
him down drastically. Combined with the fact that he could swim like a rock, he
had no chance of retaining any dignity.
�� The thief
pulled Malik close before returning to the edge of the water and pulling the
both of them out. "I suppose I should've guessed you couldn't swim from
what you had said," he commented as he sat with the blond in his lap.
�� Malik simply
sputtered in response, trying to wipe his hair out of his eyes as his robes
felt like a dead weight.
�� "Are you
okay?" the bandit asked, as he looked the other boy over. After a moment
he reached out to remove the soaked robes, perhaps to ease the lavender eyed
boy's restricted breathing.
�� Malik squeaked
and curled up instinctively, shivering. "I'm fine... I'm fine..." he
coughed, weakly.
�� The thief
nodded and patted Malik's back. "Good." However, that didn't seem to
deter him from removing the soaked cloaks.
�� Malik
flinched, too weak to protest, as the thief removed his robes. His body felt
immediate relief, both from the weight and from the heat, but the poor boy
couldn't help but tremble. He was completely exposed; his father would have
killed him if he knew.
�� The silver
haired man paused to admire his captive's nude form as he set the soaked
clothing aside. However a frown formed on his face as his eyes traveled over
the numerous terrible wounds that covered the other boy's lithe and otherwise
perfect body. "Those wounds need treatment," he commented. "You
should get in the shallow part of the water and clean them when you
recover."
�� "T-treatment?"
Malik repeated, feeling rather dizzy. Was the thief teasing him?
�� "Don't
you know what medicine is?" the bandit asked after a slight pause of
disbelief.
�� "Y-yes,
of course," Malik assured the thief. "But to suggest that it'd be
used on ME? ...Is... Is that a joke?"
�� The criminal
gave his captive an odd look. "Does it look like I'm joking?"
�� "Well,
no, but..." Malik fidgeted. "But surely...?"
�� The thief gave
a frustrated and irritated sigh before he leaned in close to gaze hard into the
other boy's lavender eyes. "I don't care what sort of insane rules you
used to follow, but you can just forget everything you've been taught. None of
that matters now."
�� Malik tensed
as he stared back at the thief. Surely he didn't mean that... "N-none of
it?"
�� The bandit
nodded then leaned back with a grunt. "All that matters now is what I tell
you."
�� "...You...
you're not going to let me go?" Malik asked, weakly. He had hopped that
maybe the thief would drop him off at a village; but then, he supposed such
thinking was foolish.
�� "Maybe,"
the silver haired man casually responded as he stretched his arms over his
head, which caused the muscles in his exposed chest to ripple. "I haven't
decided yet."
�� "But if
you let me go... then my father..." Malik looked down. "He would be
very angry at me if he knew..."
�� The bandit
eyed his captive for a moment before answering. "You don't have to worry
about that."
�� "Wh-what do you mean?" Malik looked up slightly, in
spite of himself.
�� "Because
regardless of what I decide..." A decidedly sinister smile appeared on the
thief's face. "You're never going to see your home ever again."
�� "E-eeeh?" Malik stared at the thief, dumbfounded. What
did he mean-!?
�� "Ready to
clean yourself now?" the thief asked as he tilted his head slightly, changing
the subject altogether.
�� Malik started
at the change of subject and just stared at the thief.
�� The bandit
arched an eyebrow at that look. "What? Don't you know how to clean
yourself either?"
�� "Er, father just... dumped a bucket on me." Malik
replied, sheepishly.
�� The thief
blinked then shook his head, slightly dumbfounded. "Sounds like a nice
father."
�� "Yes, I
know." Malik nodded, missing the sarcasm completely. "He said I
needed to be clean once and a while. Sometimes he would even use lukewarm
water!"
�� The silver
haired man just stared at the blond as if he were insane.
�� "And if I
was really good, he'd let me use some of the leftover soap from cleaning the
house!" Malik continued eagerly, wanting to let the thief know how kind
his father was to him in spite of the punishments.
�� The thief just
stared at his captive.
�� Malik blinked,
finally noticing the thief's rather unimpressed response. He tilted his head,
as he looked chastised; he must have messed up. "Did I... do something
wrong?"
�� After a moment
then bandit shook his head. "I'm just... amazed... at how beaten down you
are to think someone like that is great," he said slowly, his expression
one of disgust.
�� "I...
don't understand," Malik was completely confused. Why was the thief
disgusted with him? Did he disapprove of his father's mercy?
�� "I guess
you wouldn't," the bandit sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair to
move the damp strands away from his eyes. "You're even worse than the rest
of the sheep that blindly follow the Pharaoh."
�� "Sheep?"
Malik furrowed his eyebrows before his eyes widened. "I know what sheep
are. Father used to have some. They kept the barn very warm because of their
wool."
�� The thief
blinked and stared blankly at the blond before he made a frustrated grunt as he
scratched his head. "That's not what I meant."
�� "I would
use them as a pillow sometimes," Malik continued, musing. "They were
much softer than the dry grass... and they didn't roll over on me like the cow
did." The blond paused, and then beamed brightly. "We have a cow, you
know. It was a gift to my father from one of his rich merchant friends. It came
from a far away country!"
�� "You
slept in a barn?" the bandit asked after a moment, incredulous.
�� "Yes,"
Malik nodded. "I couldn't very well sleep in the HOUSE!"
�� The thief gave
the blond an odd look. "Why not?"
�� Now it was
Malik's turn to give the thief an odd look. "Abominations can't sleep in
the house. Even I know that." The only reason he could when Isis came to visit was because she was a priestess in
training; thus, her divinity purified and counteracted him.
�� The thief
blinked at that. "Abominations?" He then made a face. "What do
you mean?"
�� "I'm an
abomination," Malik responded, matter-of-factly. "I told you that
already."
�� "Just
what about you makes you an abomination?" the thief pressed, obviously
disbelieving.
�� "...Everything?"
Malik blinked repeatedly. What was the thief driving at? "My very
existence alone..."
�� "Just HOW
are you an abomination?" the bandit pressed as he leaned in closer, not
satisfied with his captive's answer.
�� "I was
born!" Malik squeaked, eyes widening slightly.
�� "Why
would that make you an abomination?" the thief asked, eying the blond
suspiciously.
�� "I...
Because my father said so..." Malik muttered.
�� The
silver-eyed man blinked then grunted, irritated. "Your father is a
moron."
�� "N-no, my
father is a very respected man," Malik whimpered. "He should know
what's garbage."
�� The thief
obviously didn't believe that for one moment. "I don't care if your
father's the Pharaoh, he's still a moron." He paused for a moment then
smirked. "Actually, if your father was the Pharaoh I'd think even less of
him."
�� Malik looked
rather confused and dumbfounded, uncertain of what to say as he shifted
nervously in the thief's lap. He didn't know what he had done wrong but the
conversation was going rather badly.
�� "Now, if
you're done repeating nonsense, go clean your wounds," the bandit said as
he pointed at the water.
�� "N-nonsense?
What... nonsense?" Malik asked, hesitantly.
�� "You're
so brainwashed you wouldn't believe me even if I told you," the thief
explained before nudging the boy in his lap slightly. "Now get yourself
cleaned while I get us something to eat."
�� "I'm...
sorry?" Malik knew one basic rule: when in doubt, apologize.
�� The thief
blinked, surprised, then looked at the blond oddly. "Why are you
apologizing?"
�� "I...
made you upset." Malik replied.
�� "If you
want to keep me from being upset, clean your wounds and stop spouting
nonsense," the silver-eyed man retorted.
�� Malik stared at
the thief, very confused, but managed to nod weakly before heading towards the
oasis waters.
�� The bandit
nodded before he stood and stretched out the stiffness from his joints.
�� Malik slipped
into the water, gasping at the coldness of it. The oasis must have been fed by
a spring; that was the only explanation for how frigid it felt to his body.
�� The water felt
so good against his skin, washing away the sand and grime. The blond shivered
as he kneeled into the water, content to just soak for the moment, before he
splashed water in his face. The boy then dunked his entire head in the water
before flicking it back with a gasp, hair whipping about as droplets splattered
everywhere.
�� Out of the
corner of his eye, he spotted the thief watching him appreciatively, but he
feigned not to notice. The bandit was most likely making sure Malik didn't
bolt.
�� The blond
shook his head as he ran his fingers through his silk hair, making sure there
were no tangles, before he scooped it all up in his hand and hefted it up to
expose his neck. He rubbed the back of his neck, sighing. It felt so good to
relax for a moment...
�� His muscles
were aching and he was so tired, but the frigid water made sure to keep him
awake even if his fear was currently at low levels. Maybe he was wrong about
the thief; he was being very nice, despite being a criminal and most likely a
murderer.
�� Malik hummed
to himself as he rubbed the sand out of his skin and hair, enjoying his
momentary taste of freedom. He might have to resume wearing his robes again,
but they'd at least be slightly clean due to the dunking.
�� "What did
he mean?" Malik thought as he cleaned himself in the water. "What did
he mean by... not letting me go home ever?"
�� After a
moment, Malik paused and glanced about. The thief was being very quiet...
�� The reason for
that was quickly realized as the silver haired man was nowhere in sight. While
there were few places one could go, there were a number of bushes and trees in
the oasis that could conceal a person; perhaps the bandit had wandered off to
do something beyond them.
�� Malik blinked,
and then moved towards the edge of the water. He grabbed his loincloth from the
folds of the soaking robe, which he quickly put on, before walking towards the
edge of the oasis. Did the thief abandon him?
�� It seemed
unlikely, however, as the thief's horse was nearby, idly munching on some of
the grass near the water. While the bandit might abandon him, it was unlikely
that something as valuable as a trained horse would be left behind.
�� After a
moment, Malik stopped and itched his cheek. Maybe he shouldn't look for the
thief and instead escape? It seemed like as good a chance as any...
�� The blond
craned his head about, chewing on his lower lip. But which way had they come?
Which way would lead home...?
�� At that
moment, Malik started. He saw a moving shadow on the dunes, heading towards the
oasis. The blond blinked repeatedly. What could that be? People? Perhaps a
traveler heading to the oasis?
�� Malik's heart
nearly leapt at that as he moved towards the shadows, planning on intercepting
them. Maybe they could help him! As he drew closer and closer to the shadows,
they became more and more defined...
�� And most
definitely not human.
�� Malik stopped
short as his eyes widened, finding himself staring in the hungry eyes of a
black jackal.
�� The jackal
flicked its ears before its hackles raised, lips curling up to display numerous
teeth.
�� Malik's heart
leapt into his throat as he fumbled back, shaking. He had never seen a jackal
before, but growling and pointed teeth could only mean one thing: danger.
�� A second
growl, followed by a third, issued as two more jackals appeared at the first's
flanks. Malik started to tremble as he stepped back, eyes very wide. Much to
the blond's dismay, more and more of the growling dark creatures were appearing
as they rounded a large sand dune.
�� And they all
looked hungry.
�� Malik
whimpered as he fumbled back. Even if he ran back to the oasis, they'd catch
him... and if they didn't, he wouldn't have any protection there to begin with!
�� The jackals
slowly loomed towards the blond, apparently sensing his fear, as they started
to circle in for the kill.
�� Malik glanced
about at the jackals, his shaking increasing. He didn't have anything to
protect himself with... Not even a rock!
�� Much to horror
and dismay he was quickly cut off from returning to the oasis as the pack of
jackals moved to surround him on all sides.
�� "A-aaah..." Malik's breathing increased as he looked
about wildly, for any way of escape. All he found were rows of teeth and glaring
jackals.
�� One of the
jackals lunged forward to snap at Malik's ankle. The boy jerked back just in
time, letting out a scream of fear as he fell on his rear. The other jackals
seemed enticed by Malik's reactions, their growling and slobbering increasing.
�� Malik fumbled
to his feet, gasping, then kicked some of the sand at the jackals to try and
discourage them. A jackal sputtered as it was hit with sand and sneezed, then
snarled and lunged again. The poor boy screamed as he fell backwards, kicking the
jackal back as he fell to the ground once more. Sensing the boy's plight, all
of the jackals snarled and lunged towards the hapless blond.
�� Just as Malik
was about to be torn apart by the vicious jackals he was suddenly snatched by
one of his flailing arms and yanked upwards.
�� Malik let out
a startled scream, unable to do much else.
�� Surprisingly
he was pulled onto a warm surface as a shout was heard beside him. "Back
off, mutts!"
�� A loud bark
suddenly cut off by a high whimper was heard before it sounded as if the
jackals began to retreat.
�� "E-eh?"
Malik recognized that voice!
�� Jackals yipped
and howled as they darted across the sand, tails between their legs. All save
one, which was completely immobile with a dagger lodged through its skull,
staining the sand red.
�� Malik stared
at the jackal corpse, and then gaped as he realized he was sprawled out upon
the back of the thief's trained horse. That could only mean one thing...
�� "Are you
okay?" the thief asked as he helped Malik sit up and face him. He then
glanced over his captive's almost naked body, apparently to see if there were
any new injuries upon it.
�� "You were
gone! You disappeared and I thought you left me and so I went to look and I saw
shadows and I thought they were people and it wasn't people and THEY WANTED TO
EAT ME WHAT WERE THOSE?!" Malik
gushed, his heart still racing. He gasped for breath as he shook; his body
stressed all over again. How many near death experiences was he going to have?!
�� The thief
blinked blankly at the blond for a moment as he absorbed what he was told.
"Calm down!" he ordered after a moment as he put his hands on Malik's
shoulders. "I was just looking for food." He paused for a moment then
gave the frightened boy an odd look. "You don't know what jackals
are?"
�� Malik shook
his head vigorously as he held his hands over his chest, as if he were afraid
his heart would leap out and escape.
�� "Did you
at least recognize them from drawings of Anubis?" the thief asked, still
eying the other boy oddly.
�� "I'm
n-not allowed to l-look upon the gods..." Malik swallowed hard, gulping
for air as he tried to calm down.
�� Again the
bandit looked at the blond oddly, but decided not to say anything else.
Suddenly he slipped off of the horse's back and retrieved his knife before
grabbing the fallen jackal.
�� "T-they're
gone...?" Malik whimpered, shaking badly.
�� "They're
smart enough to leave when one of their pack gets killed," the thief
commented off-handedly before he took a hold of the reigns and started to lead
his horse back towards the oasis.
�� Malik sighed
with relief, though it was very shaky.
�� "Have you
EVER been outside by yourself?" the thief asked as he gave the shaken
blond a sideways gaze.
�� "N-no,"
Malik shook his head. "Never..."
�� "Were you
just locked up in some tiny room all your life like a prisoner?" the thief
asked curiously, a look of disgust on his face.
�� "No, I
just... stayed inside the house or the barn," Malik muttered, slowly
relaxing. "I just wasn't allowed to go anywhere else. This... this is the
first time I've ever left the house... ever..."
�� The thief eyed
Malik oddly. "Is that right?"
�� Malik nodded,
weakly. "And the... first time I've been without my robes, too..."
�� The thief
paused as they returned to the oasis then looked Malik over. He didn't say
anything for a few moments before an enigmatic expression appeared on his face.
"You know, this is the first time I've ever been convinced that the person
I've kidnapped actually was better off being taken away," he muttered.
�� "...I
don't understand...?" Malik stared at the thief. How was any of this
better than him being at home?
�� The thief
dropped the jackal's lifeless carcass before reaching out to help Malik off his
horse's back. "Get back in the water and get that sand out of your
wounds," he ordered then gazed sharply at his captive. "I don't want
you to even THINK about wandering off again."
�� Malik squeaked
and flinched under the gaze, then quickly scuffled to the water or else risk
the thief's wrath.
�� The bandit
nodded, pleased, before he kneeled down beside the jackal.
�� Malik slinked
back into the water again, shaking slightly. He was very frazzled, though that
was to be expected. After being threatened by the thief and then jackals, the
boy idly wondered if the spring itself would open up into a gaping maw and try
to devour him. He wouldn't be surprised.
�� The blond
sighed; he didn't know what to do or think. He wanted to go home, as he at
least knew how to act there. The thief was treating him strangely and the poor
boy had no idea how to respond.
�� It was a short
while later when Malik had become slightly relaxed again when the scent of
smoke reached him. Malik looked up, sniffing slightly, and peered over towards
the thief.
�� It seemed as
if the silver haired man had started a fire and was cooking slabs of meat, presumably
from the jackal, on sticks. He glanced up, as he seemed to notice that he was
being observed and looked towards the blond.
�� Malik looked
away quickly, feeling rather embarrassed. He doubted any of that meat was for
him.
�� "You
don't like looking at raw meat?" the thief asked curiously.
�� "N-no,
I... I just shouldn't stare at your food." Malik replied, weakly.
�� "You
don't want any?" the bandit asked, his tone incredulous. "I thought
you were hungry."
�� "...That
doesn't matter," Malik mumbled. "It's not for me so I shouldn't
stare..."
�� "What was
that?" the thief asked.
�� "I... I
said that it doesn't matter if I'm hungry or if I want it," Malik
repeated, a little louder. "It's not for me so I shouldn't stare."
�� "What do
you mean?" The thief sounded slightly agitated. "The reason why I'm
cooking it is because I thought you would be squeamish about eating meat
raw."
�� "B-but
isn't it YOUR food?" Malik glanced at the thief, his shoulders hunched and
his head bowed. He looked like ever the obedient servant, not daring to appear
willful or demanding.
�� "It's OUR
food," the thief retorted. "I barely bother cooking unless I have
to."
�� "I... I
don't understand," Malik turned to face the thief, looking very confused.
He found that the thief was doing that to him a lot. "I could imagine some
of the scraps, if you were feeling generous... but-!"
�� "There's
too much for me to eat in one sitting and I don't feel like drying it to take
with us," the bandit explained as he crossed his arms. "So why
shouldn't we share?"
�� "I... is
that a trick question?" Malik looked bewildered.
�� The thief
blinked before letting out an agitated huff. "Look, if you don't want to
eat it, just say so."
�� "I... I
don't understand," Malik whimpered; he was upsetting the thief.
"Y-you're acting like I have a SAY in ANYTHING!"
�� "Because
you do!" the bandit snapped. "If you want to eat, then eat! I'm not
going to shove it down your throat for you."
�� Malik stared
at the bandit, completely baffled, and then bowed his head. "I'm
sorry..."
�� "Do you
want to eat it or not?" the thief asked, ignoring the blond's apology.
�� "I,
well..." Malik paused, and then bowed his head again. "I'll... I'll
take whatever you don't want...!"
�� The silver
haired man eyed Malik, although his hair looked whiter now that it was dry, then
grunted. "Get over here and eat," he ordered.
�� Malik did as
he was told, hurrying over to the thief's side before sitting down on a patch
of grass.
�� His captor
grabbed one of the sticks that held a large chunk of the jackal meat and shoved
it in front of Malik's face. "Here. Eat."
�� Malik yelped,
and then took the stick quickly. He glanced at the thief, getting the distinct
impression he upset his captor again, and then mumbled an apology before
proceeding to eat.
�� The thief eyed
the blond for a moment before he snatched another piece of meat and tore into
it like a ravenous beast, splattering blood about.
�� Malik jumped
and blinked repeatedly, eyes widening as he stared at the thief's ravenous and
uncivilized manner of eating. He could almost swear the thief had fangs!
�� The bandit
didn't seem to care about his manners, or rather his lack thereof, as he ripped
the meat apart with his sharp teeth and devoured it like a wild animal.
�� Malik swallowed
hard, and then continued eating his own food while keeping his eyes on his lap.
�� "Something
wrong?" the thief asked through a mouthful of meat.
�� Malik shook
his head vigorously.
�� The bandit
blinked, eying the blond for a moment, before he shrugged and resumed eating.
�� Malik finished
off the meat on his stick, not the least bit disturbed by the fact that he was
eating jackal meat, and then licked his fingers to get every last taste.
�� "Good?"
the thief asked after cleaning the blood off himself and licking his lips.
�� Malik nodded
as he sucked on one of his fingers.
�� "Are you
hungry or thirsty at all?" the silver haired man asked curiously as he
watched his captive intently.
�� "Mmmmf?" Malik looked up, the finger still in his
mouth.
�� The thief
paused as he looked at Malik silently for a few moments, his expression hard to
decipher. Finally he shook his head slightly, as if to clear it. "Are you
finished eating and getting water?"
�� Malik nodded
slowly, sucking on his finger slightly; he could still taste the juices of the
meat.
�� The thief
continued to stare at the blond, apparently distracted for some reason.
"Good..."
�� Malik finally
took his finger out of his mouth, licking his lips. Still the thief continued
to gaze at the other boy, watching his every action with particular interest.
�� "Hm?" Malik tilted his head, lowering his hand. Why was
the thief watching him so intently?
�� The
silver-eyed man blinked then shook his head slightly. "Nothing," he
muttered as he looked away.
�� Malik blinked,
and then stared. The thief was blushing.
�� The bandit
coughed then leaned against the back of his hand as he looked away, apparently
trying to discreetly hide the slight hue in his cheeks. "Do you want to
rest a while before we continue?"
�� "Continue?
To where?" Malik asked.
�� "I have
someplace I want to show you..." the thief muttered cryptically as he
glanced over at the other boy.
�� Malik had a
bad feeling.
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Yu-Gi-Oh!: Aurora