Burning Sea

Burning Sea

hato-chiisai

Disclaimer: No own. Go away.

YAOI WARNING

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Chapter 22

Arrows and Falls

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Marik groaned lightly and opened his eyes as he felt gentle hands stroking him.

“Marik? How do you feel?”

“Are you okay?”

“Huh? Bakura. Yami….” Marik moaned and slowly sat up. “What happened?”

“Someone tried to kill you.” Bakura said.

“Marik, who was it?!” Yami gasped, gripping Marik’s arm.

“I, I don’t…. remember….” He rubbed a large bruise on his head. “Oh, gods, my head…. How the hell did I live?”

“We went in after you. Tied a rope around you and tied it to the boat until we could cut you loose.” Yami said, and Marik winced, seeing the bruising that the ropes left on his body.

“You weren’t breathing when we got you out.” Bakura said. “Malik revived you. You should go see him. He’s pretty upset.” Marik sighed and rested his head on Bakura’s shoulder, relaxing as Yami stroked his back.

“Who… who wants us dead?” Marik gasped.

“I don’t know.” Yami said.

…………………………………..

Yugi sighed and fit an arrow into his crossbow.

“Yugi… are you sure about this?” Ryou called, in a shaky voice. Yugi glanced up at Ryou who was standing against the main mast, an apple balanced on his head.

“Of course I’m sure.” Yugi called, and took aim. Everyone on deck watched. Yugi smirked as Ryou closed his eyes, tightly. Yugi fired. With a >thunk< and a yelp from Ryou, everyone cheered as the arrow pinned the apple to the mast. Yugi grinned and lowered the crossbow.

“You’re a natural!” Mokuba clapped, and Seto laughed and went to check on Ryou, who had whimpered and slid to the floor, eyes wide.

“Yugi, I think you should find someone else to do this!” Seto called as he hauled Ryou to his feet.

“I volunteer.” A voice said, and everyone turned as Yami strode from his cabin with Marik, leaning on Bakura. Malik let out a joyful whoop and leapt on Marik, who grunted and laughed, and Seto passed off Ryou to Bakura, who snickered at his lover’s face. The crew watched as Yami picked up another apple from the barrel that was on deck, and placed it on his head, then faced Yugi. Yugi nodded and took aim. Bakura and Marik watched, grinning.

“Hey Yami! Want a blindfold and cigarette?!” Keith called, and Yami laughed.

“That’s okay!” He called, and Yugi fired, neatly slicing the apple in two. The crew cheered, as did Yami, making Yugi beam in pride.

“You’ve gotten quite good.” Yami said, and Yugi grinned.

“Thanks.” He chirped, and crunched into the apple slice that Yami handed him. “Marik, how do you feel?”

“A lot better, Yugi. Thank you.” He said, smiling at Malik who was nuzzling his chest.

“Who did it, Marik?!” Ryou gasped.

“I don’t know.” Marik sighed, shoulder sagging. “But right now I don’t care. I just want something to eat.” Bakura and Yami chuckled and the group trooped down to the galley. Mako ran over, throwing his arms around Marik.

“YOU’RE ALIVE!!!” He shrieked, and Marik laughed.

“Yes, yes, I’m alive! And hungry! What’s for lunch!” He called, and Mako let go, grinning.

“Name it!” Mako said, and Ryou and Bakura grinned at each other.

“Come on.” Bakura said, grabbing Ryou’s hand and pulling him up onto the deck. Ryou blinked as Bakura began to climb the mast, heading up to the Crow’s Nest.

“Come on!!” He called. Ryou smiled and followed, climbing high above the deck of the Black Magician. Once up in the Crow’s Nest, Bakura pulled Ryou up.

“Look around.” Bakura said. Ryou did. There was nothgin but water and sky in every direction. “This is our world. Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“It’s magnifiscent….” Ryou said, resting his head on Bakura’s shoulder. “Not as pretty as the island…..” Bakura looked down at Ryou with a grin. “Hey! What’s that?” Ryou asked, pointing over the water. Bakura turned to look, and smiled.

“A whale.”

“A WHALE?!” Ryou gasped, moving over ot the other side of the Crow’s Nest, having never seen a whale before. Bakura smiled. And down on the deck, another person smiled as they raised Yugi’s crossbow, which had been left on the deck. No one was watching…. They lifted it and got Bakura into their sights, and pulled the trigger.

“Have you never seen a whale, Ryou? They’re quite interest-- GYYAAARRH!!!” Ryou whirled at Bakura’s scream. The pirate’s body was arching forwards, his head thrown back. Then, he stumbled forwards.

“BAKURAAAA!!!” Seto screamed, from down on the deck, seeing the arrow protruding from the pirate’s back. Bakura stumbled into Ryou’s arms, and Ryou gasped, seeing the bolt from the crossbow. He grunted when Bakura slumped into his arms.

“Bakura!! Oh, Bakura, please!!” Ryou cried, unable to steady the other pirate. Bakura tried to stand, but this resulted in putting too much weight on Ryou, who slumbled back. Bakura fell to the small Crow’s Nest platform, Ryou’s scream in his ears as the boy flipped over the railing.

“RYOU!!!” Malik screamed. They had heard Seto’s yell and came running out, and now Marik and Yami were climbing the rigging up to the Crow’s Nest. Bakura lay on his belly, one arm haning limply off the edge of the platform, while Ryou dangled dangerously from a pole a few feet below it, screaming in his fright. Yami climbled level with Ryou, and reached out.

“RYOU! Hold on!!” He called, and Ryou let go with one hand, reaching for Yami. Marik scrambled into the Crow’s Nest and checked Bakura.

“A-AHH!” Bakura cried as Marik moved him.

“Hold on, Kura…..” Marik murmured, lifting Bakura to his shoulder, wincing at every pained cry from his friend. Slowly Marik began to climb down, while Yami continued trying to reach Ryou. Unfortunately, he wasn’t having much luck. He looked up and grabbed a rope. Using it for balance, Yami stepped out onto the thin pole that Ryou clung to. The pirates below all watched, holding their breathes. Yami grasped Ryou’s hand, and they all cheered.

“It’s okay, Ryou, I’ve got you….” The Pirate King said, and Ryou sobbed in releif.

“Y-Yami….” He whimpered, and Yami began to haul him up. Until a chilling noise made him freeze. The pole cracked. Ryou gasped. “Yami?”

“Shhhh…. Slowly….” Yami hissed, and pulled again. But then,with a snap, the pole broke. Ryou screamed, and Yami gasped. The Pirates below all gave horrified shouts. The pair fell about two feet before stopping, courtesy of Yami clinging to the rope with one hand, and to Ryou with the other.

“DO SOMETHING!!!” Yami roared, and pirates began running around, shouting. And someone did something… but nothing helpful. Yami and Ryou both shouted when suddenly, the rope was no longer holding them. The crew stared in horror as the pair hurtled to the deck, and with a loud resounding crack, then slammed into it and lay motionless…

“N-NOOOO!!!!” Bakura screamed, then whimpered as even the scream hurt. Marik continued to slowly climb down as Malik and Yugi ran to Ryou and Yami. Yugi lifted Yami’s head into his lap, feeling blood flowing from the back of Yami’s head, and Malik slowly turned Ryou over, wincing at the gash on his forehead. Seto and Jono shoved by the crew and knelt, Seto lifting Yami into his arms and Jono, Ryou. Marik finally reached the deck and followed with Bakura.

“ESPA!!” Tris shouted. “Get in here!” Espa nodded and ran into the captain’s cabin, ordering Rex and Weevil to get some bandages and other supplies. The pair nodded, and went to do so. The table in the middle of the room was cleared off, and Bakura was laid face down on its surface. Ryou was laid in the loveseat, and Yami on the sofa. Marik gently pet Bakura’s face as Tris grasped his shirt and ripped it open. Tris looked at Marik who grabbed the shirt and twisted it, before sticking it in Bakura’s mouth.

“Ready?” Marik asked, and Bakura gave a small nod. Tris placed his hand on Bakura’s back, the shaft of the arrow between his middle and ring finger, grasping it at the base. Then, he began to pull.

“GRRRAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!” Bakura cried into the cloth he was biting, as the arrow slipped from his flesh. Marik grabbed the shirt, pulling it from Bakura’s mouth and pressing it against the wound to stop the bleeding. Bakura turned his head so that he could see Jono tending to Ryou. He was gently dabbing a wet cloth aginst the boy’s head, blotting up the blood, as was Seto, cradling Yami’s head in his arm so he could get to the back of his head.

“R-Ry…….” Bakura whimpered, then made a face as Marik made him drink a bitter medicine.

“They’ll take care of him.” Marik said, petting Bakura’s hair. “Don’t worry.”

“Yeah, looks like it’s just a bump on the head for both of them.” Seto said, looking up from where he was tending to Yami.

“Who wants us DEAD?!?” Marik roared, slamming his fists down on Yami’s desk.

……………………..

Ryou sighed and rolled over, blinking his eyes open. He was in Bakura’s bed…. He blinked up at Malik.

“Hey, Ryou.”

“Malik? Where’s Bakura?”

“He’s in Marik’s bed. Marik is watching over him, and Yugi is watching over Yami.”

“Yami!! Is he okay?”

“Yeah. Just a knock on the head, like you.”

“Who…. Who did it? Who shot Bakura?!”

“We don’t know….” Malik said, petting Ryou’s hair. Ryou blinked and slowly sat up, wincing at the throbbing in his head. He reached up and gently touched the bandages on his head.

“How long was I out?”

“It’s been several hours. Yami woke up not long ago, asked if Bakura was okay, and passed out again.”

“Oh.”

“You hungry?”

“A bit.”

“Okay. Stay here, I’ll get you something.” Malik said with a smile, and left the bed. Ryou climbed out and settled on the sofa, staring quietly at the doors to Yami and Marik’s beds, worrying about the injured men on the other side. Malik came back in with a hearty meal of chicken and rice. Ryou smiled as he began to eat. The door opened, and Seto strode in. Ryou looked up and Seto knelt before him.

“Okay, kid, let’s take a look….” He said, unwinding the bandages on Ryou’s head. Ryou smiled slightly as the bandages fell, and winced as Seto prodded his forehead.

“You’ll be fine, kiddo.” He announced, before bandaging Ryou back up and letting him finish eating. Then, he knocked on Marik’s door.

“What?” Marik called.

“It’s Seto! I wanna take a look at Bakura!” And the door opened. “And let him know that Ryou is awake and is going to be fine.” Bakura lifted his head and turned to look. Ryou smiled and waved. A relieved grin crossed Bakura’s face, and he let his head fall to the pillows. Ryou stood and moved over, peering in as Seto unwound Bakura’s bandages and inspected the wound.

“It’s not bad…. Just deep. But there’s no sign of infection.” Seto said, and Bakura smiled up at Ryou who sat down on the edge of the bed. Bakura took Ryou’s hand and kissed it, making Ryou smile and giggle. Seto smirked as he re-bandaged Bakura, who was staring down at Ryou’s delicate hand, resting in his own hand…. Ryou’s hand looked so tiny in his. Bakura rubbed the soft skin with the pad of his thumb.

“Bakura?” Ryou asked softly, concerned with the look on Bakura’s face.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Bakura said with a gentle smile. Marik cleared his throat and climbed out of his bed, closing the door to give Ryou and Bakura some private time, while HE dragged Malik to Bakura’s bed. Ryou smiled and lay beside Bakura, cuddling into his side. Bakura winced as he placed an arm over Ryou.

“You okay, baby?” Bakura asked, and Ryou smiled.

“I’m fine…. I was so worried about you…..” Ryou whispered, and moved in, gently kissing Bakura.

“I love you, Ryou.”

“I love you too……”

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Semester is over and it may be awhile before I can update.... please have some patience.