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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
- 7
- 8
- 9
Aurora

By Neon Tiger and
Yuki Ryu

Chapter Eight

----

�� All was darkness.
�� "Uhn... nnn...?" Malik opened his eyes slowly, his entire body
feeling as if it were made of stone. Slowly, the boy lifted his head and gazed
around, finding himself standing in the middle of a dark room. "...Where
am I...?"
�� Or at least, he assumed it was a dark
room. Malik couldn't make out anything in the darkness except for himself,
despite how impossible it seemed.
�� The blond blinked slowly and rubbed his
eyes slowly before glancing down at himself, as if trying to find the source of
the weight. He felt his purple hoodie and his black
pants, and then glanced at the gold arm braces on both of his forearms.
However, he could find nothing to explain why he felt so heavy.
�� "I KNOW already."
�� It was in that instant the familiar voice
spoke that the darkness seemed to become tainted, filled with dark shades of
purple and red. Instantly Malik recognized it as the dark space that would
appear every time a Game of Darkness was played.
�� Malik looked up sharply with a gasp,
blinking. His eyes widened as he found himself staring at the shadowed back of
Bakura, the silver-haired boy's arms in his jean pockets as his large black
trench coat shielded him mostly from view. "Bakura-!?"
�� "You don't have to keep screaming it
at me," Bakura said, though he didn't look at Malik, so it was most likely
that he wasn't talking to the other boy, but there was no one else there.
"I can hear you just fine."
�� "Bakura! What's... going on?"
Malik fumbled forward, grimacing as he felt as if he were dragging his limbs
through quicksand.
�� "I'm coming," Bakura sighed, as
if annoyed yet weary at the same time. He then began to walk forwards away from
Malik, as if he was completely unaware of the blond's presence. "I'm
coming."
�� "W-wait!" Malik cried out,
reaching towards the thief as if to grab his coat. "Wait, don't leave
me!"
�� Unfortunately Malik only managed to brush his
bare fingertips against the edge of the trench coat before it was out of his
reach. Suddenly a brilliant though frightening blood red, almost pink, glow
appeared where the blond had touched the black fabric, as if leaving a spark
behind. The strange light slowly grew and started to spread outwards, and after
a moment Malik could see that it was eating away at Bakura's clothing.
�� Bakura, however, was oblivious to
everything but the darkness ahead of him. "No rest for the dead,
right?" he asked the darkness.
�� "Bakura! Can't you hear me!?"
Malik called out desperately as he struggled along, barely able to move his
legs. "Stop!"
�� It was then that Malik heard it. It
sounded like the whispering of countless voices, all speaking at once that they
couldn't be made out even if they weren't so faint. For some reason they
sounded distorted, twisted unnaturally, which caused a chill to run up the
blond's spine to hear them.
�� "You never shut up, do you?"
Bakura asked the darkness as he continued to walk away from Malik, slowly
putting distance between him and the other boy.
�� "...That sound... What's that awful
sound!?" Malik hissed, covering his ears slightly as he flinched at the
noise. He continued onward after Bakura, sluggishly slow. "Bakura! Why
won't you answer me!?"
�� The voices seem to grow steadily louder,
though they remained as incomprehensible as ever.
�� "S-shut up! SHUT UP! I'm talking to
Bakura!" Malik howled, growing increasingly frustrated. "I won't let
you leave me!"
�� "A little late now, isn't it?"
Bakura seemingly asked the dark as he tilted his head slightly. He was
completely unaware that his trench coat had now been mostly eaten away by the
strange bloody light, which had now started on the back of his jeans and
sleeves.
�� "...What... is that?" Malik stared
in horror as he continued after Bakura, gawking, as the light seemed to
dissolve the thief right in front of his eyes. "What is that!?"
�� As Malik watched, the light started to eat
away at Bakura's body, starting with the silver haired boy's backside. He
couldn't help but also notice how Bakura's shadow seemed to darken beyond black
as it grew larger and larger behind the retreating thief.
�� "Shut up!" Bakura apparently
snapped at the strange voices in the dark, as they grew steadily louder. He did
not stop walking or notice how much of his body was now gone. "You're
driving me crazy!"
�� Malik stopped short with a cry, just
barely managing to avoid stepping on Bakura's increasingly sinister shadow,
which seemed to have a life of its own as it writhed across the floor of its
own accord. A pair of slits appeared, spilling a blood red light as they opened
wide, like the eyes of a demon. He stumbled, momentarily flustered, and jerked
his head up to stare after Bakura. "B-Bakura...?"
�� All that remained now of Bakura's body
were his hands, feet, and bust, though those too were being devoured hungrily
by the terrible bloody light. He finally stopped and let out a sigh as he
looked upwards. "You're not going to let me go, are you?" he asked in
a quiet, uncharacteristically sad tone. He received no real answer, much like
the other times he asked the darkness, save that the voices were now all but
deafening, and now a dark sinister laughter seemed to emerge amongst them.
�� "Bakura-!" Malik choked before
he collapsed to his knees, his legs giving out from under him.
"BAKURA-!"
�� Bakura sighed as he slumped his shoulders
before they too were eaten away, leaving him as nothing from the neck down. He
then turned his head to look behind him, as if noticing Malik was there for the
first time. The blond could see surprisingly a faint, sad smile on the thief's
face, before it disappeared in that terrible light, and a lone dark brown eye,
which shifted to a familiar gentle silver color as it focused on Malik.
�� Malik trembled as he stared, eyes wide. He
was speechless, unable to think of what to say or do as he saw the thief
disappear in front of him. He felt numb, his muscles no longer even trying to
move.
�� "I know what you're thinking, but
this wasn't my choice," Bakura said to Malik even though his mouth was no
longer there, his quiet voice somehow heard over the almost deafening gibberish
and laughter. Then that lone eye closed as the bloody light finally devoured
the last of him.
�� Malik's cheek twitched as his pupils
shrank before something inside him snapped. The blond hunched forward and
clutched at his head, letting out a scream from deep within him.
�� Malik sat up
with a cry, his eyes snapping open. He was immediately blinded as light surged
into his eyes, causing him to cry out again. He shielded his face, flinching
until he slowly adjusted to the light and lifted his head to look around. He
was on the cliff side near the cave entrance, curled up on the hard rock.
�� He had fallen
asleep sometime during his crying, his eyes sore from tears and his body aching
due to the uncomfortable rock surface. His muscles screamed their discontent at
such sleeping arrangements, his head throbbing angrily. After a moment of
confusion, Malik glanced across the horizon towards the city.
�� He marveled at
the scenery for a moment before fumbling to his feet, rubbing his sore eyes.
What had he been doing out here? Sleeping out in the open - talk about
dangerous!
�� Then it hit
him all at once.
�� "...Bakura-!"
Malik whispered, hoarsely.
�� The slave's
legs gave out once more as he collapsed to the hard rock. He barely felt the
sharp surge of pain going through his legs at their rough treatment, instead
curling up into a ball as new tears formed in his eyes.
�� "BAKURAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

----

�� Hours had passed
as Malik had cried his heart out on the cliff, passed out, then woke up and
cried some more. Many more hours had passed before the slave could even begin
to think about heading back inside. It wasn't until the sun began to glare on
him with its intense, heated gaze before the boy could gather enough energy to
drag himself back into the cave.
�� Collapsing in
his room, Malik had laid there for many more hours. Before long, night had once
again come and gone, and Bakura still hadn't returned. For the first time in
his life, Malik had found himself alone: completely and utterly alone.
�� At least in
the barn, he had the sounds of the animals around him to drive away the
silence. But in that cave, in that room, he had nothing but the sound of his
own heartbeat.
�� He was
absolutely alone.
�� Malik felt so
confused, guilty, and lonely. It was entirely his fault for acting so brash,
forgetting (even for a second) that he was a slave and Bakura his master. He
had learned too late how he was supposed to act, and he had upset Bakura in the
process.
�� Where had
Bakura gone?
�� When would he
be back?
�� Would he even
come back at all?
�� The slave boy
slept miserably that night; filled with nightmares he was no longer protected
from and waking up to an empty bed. The reality finally started to sink in past
the denial and hope he had clung to so desperately.
�� Bakura wasn't
coming back.
�� Malik slumped
his shoulders as he sat on his bed, hugging his knees while rocking slightly.
His eyes were red, sore from all of the crying he had done. He knew he would
most likely still be crying, but he simply didn't have any more tears at the
moment. He supposed even tears needed time to recover.
�� "I'm a
fool... a fool..." Malik murmured, shifting slightly to bury his face in
his knees. "...I keep screwing up everything... I'm born, so I kill my
mother. My father spares me, so I ruin his life. Bakura saves me, so I chase
him away. I'm a fool... a fool..."
�� Malik let out
a thin noise before he shook himself, grabbing his arms. "Why!? Why, why,
why!? Why can't anything go well!? Why am I cursed to have everything blow up
in my face!?"
�� The slave boy
shivered, grimacing as he could feel his eyes sting, signaling the start of
more tears. "He said he didn't care... He doesn't care about me anymore...
He left me... HE LEFT ME! I... I
screwed up... He was only trying to help me and I... I acted like a BRAT and..."
�� Malik let out
a shuttering sob as he dug his fingers into his arms so hard that it punctured
the skin, causing blood to form on his fingernails. "I don't deserve to be
cared about...!"
�� The distraught
slave choked on his tears, his chest heaving as he found it hard to breathe.
Many more minutes ticked away as Malik suffered in silence, mentally tearing
apart every incident he had ruined with his stupidity. All of the complaining,
the whining, and the stupidity - why Bakura hadn't abandoned him before was a
mystery!
�� After a while,
Malik slowly lifted his head and stared out the door to the hallway. He
listened, obviously in vain for any sound of Bakura's return. It didn't come,
and probably never would.
�� "...Everything...
everything started to go wrong when I looked upon..." Malik hiccupped.
"When I... looked..." At that, the slave paused, his eyes growing
wide with understanding. "...When I looked at the statue..."
�� Malik went
deathly quiet at that, staring out of the door as his mind whirled. It had all
started because of that incident; he had offended the gods and now they were
punishing him. That had to be the answer!
�� "...If
I... apologize... then... then Anu-ah... then the
gods will forgive me and give me back Bakura..." Malik whispered, his
voice harsh. But how would he go about apologizing to the Master of the Dead?
What could the statue possibly demand as payment for his crimes?
�� The answer hit
him like a slap to the face. He remembered how the hallway was stained heavily
in crimson swirls of blood, contributed obviously from countless people.
Clearly Anubis, being the god of the dead, wanted nothing less than his life
blood as payment for his crimes against him and the other gods.
�� "Blood...
I need to give Anubis... blood!" Malik murmured before looking down at his
wrists as he jerked them towards him, palm upwards. "If I give him my
blood... he'll give me back Bakura!"
�� The prospect
of getting back his thief filled Malik with such joy and relief that it
completely smothered any fear or revulsion he might have had towards
surrendering blood to the statue. Eagerly, Malik fumbled to his feet and darted
out of the room. He needed to find something sharp, so he hurried to try and
find the kitchen; after all, kitchens had knives so why would Bakura's be any
different?
�� After much
searching and wandering the maze-like cave, Malik finally managed to find the
kitchen and confiscated one of the knives for his holy endeavor. Doubling back,
he made his way back to his room before following the hallway around, just as
he had before when he first came across the altar.
�� His hands
shaking with anticipation, Malik quickly darted through the curtains to the bloodstained
alcove and found himself once again standing before the golden altar to Anubis.
This time, he took care not to stare at the statue directly and gingerly knelt
onto the bloodstained ground.
�� Malik
brandished the knife and held it out, keeping his head bowed. He wasn't sure if
he was supposed to say something or be quiet when making his offering, as this
was something he didn't ever ask Isis about.
He never thought he'd ever look upon the gods, so why would he need to know how
to appease them?
�� "Um...
um... oh great Master of Souls... and... um... Guide of the Dead to Judgment...
and... ah... please forgive me for being stupid," Malik mumbled, trying to
sound as apologetic and formal as he possibly could while making up things as
he went.
�� The slave waited,
half expecting some sort of sign that the gods were listening. When nothing
came, Malik shifted nervously and tilted his head.
�� "Please
forgive me for being... very stupid?" he ventured, weakly. He still got no
response, prompting him to purse his lips. "Forgive me for being very,
very stupid... and being born."
�� When still no
response came, Malik chewed on his lower lip. "Maybe I'm supposed to make
my offering and then wait for his acceptance or rejection."
�� With that in
mind, Malik brandished the knife before holding his wrist out to the statue,
palm upwards. "I... ah... offer you my blood in exchange for your
forgiveness... so... please give me Bakura back!" Slowly, Malik moved
forward to press the sharp blade to his skin.
�� Suddenly a
stifled screech shattered the silence of the cave.
�� Malik jerked
to attention, his eyes widening as he halted the knife just above his skin.
�� While muffled,
the sound was loud and terrifying. It was unlike anything Malik had ever heard
before, or ever wanted to hear again, as it sent shivers of fear through out
his entire body. It sounded as if whatever making it was right in front of him,
perhaps just beyond the stone wall past the altar.
�� More noises
joined the screech; an unholy chorus of inhuman screams and cries that mingled
together with something scratching and clawing at the rock. It even sounded as
if something was hitting the cave wall hard, trying desperately to break
through the bloodstained cave wall and take Malik.
�� Malik froze as
a wave of sheer terror surged through him, draining his face of all color. What
were those sounds?! They couldn't possibly be human, or even animal. Were they
the servants of Anubis, tortured souls of undead, come to express their
displeasure at his offering?
�� Suddenly, the
alcove was filled with a bright red light, causing Malik to cry out and drop
the knife, which clattered noisily on the ground.
�� The right eye
of the statue, once white, had turned a brilliant shade of blood red, bathing
the area and Malik in its terrifying light. Malik cried out, scrambling
backwards, as the statue seemingly stood up on all fours, the statue's jackal
head jutting forward as its maw snapped open to reveal a gaping hole.
�� Suddenly, a
piercing, shrill howl issued from the statue; the sound was so loud it forced
Malik to cover his ears, screaming. The room seemed to spin as the sound
pierced Malik's brain, like a thousand daggers jabbing into the soft tissue.
�� All of the
torches lining the walls outside of the alcove instantly changed colors,
burning blood red as the howl continued to issue from the depths of the statue.
Malik staggered back, covering his ears as he screamed; at least, he thought he
was screaming - he couldn't even hear the sound of his own voice over the
raging statue.
�� Suddenly, all at
once, the sound ceased and the lights shifted to their normal color: it was as
if nothing had happened.
�� However, the
ringing in Malik's ears reminded him that something had most definitely
happened. He stared blankly at the alcove, shaking violently as he gasped for
breath. Everything felt so surreal, so deafeningly quiet; at first, he was
afraid he had gone deaf. After a few seconds of stunned silence, Malik promptly
slumped over. He was still alive!
�� Suddenly a
pair of strong arms snatched the slave before he hit the floor and held him
close.
�� "Malik?
Are you alright?" came the sound of a familiar concerned voice.
�� Malik tensed
instinctively, his eyes widening. At the sound of the voice, he felt as if all
of his breath had been torn from his body. Slowly, the slave lifted his head to
stare in disbelief.
�� None other
than Bakura stood behind him, holding him protectively. The thief's clothes
were stained with blood; though Malik didn't notice it so much as he paid
attention to the fact that his master was back. Bakura looked him over for
injuries, the silver haired man's gaze settling critically on the cuts on his
arms, before looking back up into his eyes. "What happened?" the
silver-eyed boy asked, obviously worried about the damage to his slave's body.
�� Malik stared
at Bakura, gawking as if he were staring at a ghost. There was absolutely no
way that the thief could be there, right then, holding him so protectively.
There was absolutely no way... "...Bakura...?"
�� "Are you
okay?" Bakura repeated as his gaze drifted down to the scratches on the
tanned boy's arms once again. He then paused to glance at the statue and the
blood stained hallway before looking back at the blond.
�� Malik
continued to stare at Bakura in complete disbelief before his eyes started to
water. Bakura was really there! Bakura had come back for him! With a sob, Malik
lunged up at the thief, wrapping his arms around Bakura's neck in a vice grip.
"BAKURA!"
�� Bakura let out
a yelp of surprise, blinking repeatedly, before he stared at Malik in
confusion. After their argument before, he didn't expect his slave to react in
such a manner towards him ever again. However, as his gaze drifted towards the
altar again, it might have made more sense than he initially thought.
�� "It's
okay, Malik," Bakura said soothingly as he held Malik close. "I'm
here."
�� "You came
back, you came back, you came back!"
Malik babbled, clinging to Bakura desperately. "You were gone and gone and
gone but you came back!"
�� "Of
course I came back," Bakura said as he began to run his fingers through
the blond's hair. "I just left to do something important." He also
had left to vent his anger and frustration until he was calm enough to realize
that he had been too harsh on Malik and wanted to apologize. "I'm sorry
that I scared you..." he whispered, forcing out the words, as he wasn't
used to apologizing, but felt that his companion needed to hear it.
�� Malik buried
his face in Bakura's neck, sobbing hysterically as he clung to the other boy.
He silently swore that he would never let go again!
�� Bakura was
about to try and say something else to soothe the sobbing boy in his arms when
he suddenly noticed something out of the corner of his eye. His gaze shifted
from the blond to the knife that lay discarded on the floor nearby. A chill suddenly
gripped him as he realized that Malik had to have brought it there for some
purpose.
�� Malik didn't
notice Bakura's shift in attention, clinging to the thief and sobbing until he
started to choke on his tears once more. Bakura had really come back to him.
Did this mean that Anubis had forgiven him? But what had been those screams and
the howling? What did it matter? Bakura was back!
�� "Why were
you here at the altar?" Bakura asked quietly, trying to approach the subject
gently because of how obviously distraught the other boy was.
�� Malik
hiccupped and swallowed hard, struggling to get control over his tears before
he blinked. "H-Haaah...?"
�� Bakura looked
into the blond's tearstained face and decided that now was not the time to talk
about it. "Never mind," he said as he shook his head. "Just
don't come near this altar again, okay? It's dangerous."
�� Malik sniffed
and nodded, tightening his grip around the bandit's neck. He'd never disobey
Bakura ever again!
�� Bakura sighed
softly as he gently pat the crying boy's back. "Come on, Malik; let's get
bandages on your arms." He tried to gently nudge Malik into standing so
they could go back to their room.
�� Malik
tightened his grip, pressing his entire body against Bakura as he whimpered. He
made no other move.
�� Bakura blinked
then sighed.
�� "Not this
again..."

----

�� "How long
are you going to keep this up?"
�� "Mrrrf," Malik grunted as he tightened his grip,
keeping his face firmly planted in Bakura's chest.
�� Bakura sighed
as he looked down at his slave. It had been hours since he had returned and
Malik had clung to him no matter what he said or did. While part of him liked
the fact that the blond was happy to see him and bore no grudge over their
argument earlier, this was far overshadowed by the frustration towards how
desperately clingy the other boy was now. The blond hadn't even said two words
since burying his face in his master's chest, instead making incomprehensible
noises whenever addressed.
�� "I should
have just gone outside and vented at the gods," Bakura thought to himself
irritably. He couldn't help but think of what he should have done differently.
He shouldn't have tried to tie Malik up, he should have been more
understanding, he should have tried to distract the tanned boy from being tied
up, or one of the countless other second thoughts that had come to the thief's
mind over the past few hours.
�� Bakura let out
a frustrated huff as he dropped his head back onto the pillow. There wasn't
much more he could do right now than lie in bed with Malik until his companion
calmed down enough to at least look him in the face again. He might not have
liked the idea of having to lie there with nothing to do but try and comfort
and reason with Malik, but he was at a loss as to how to snap the blond out of
it. Last time dunking his slave in the bath did it, but after the emotional
stress he put Malik through, he just
didn't have the heart to do it again.
�� Malik suddenly
interrupted Bakura's thoughts by hooking a leg around the thief's hip, pulling
them closer together.
�� Bakura
blinked, startled at the action, and then eyed the blond. "Malik?" he
asked, wondering if the action meant that the other boy was becoming more
responsive.
�� "Mrf," came Malik's response, though he peeked up slightly
to peer at Bakura through his bangs.
�� "Well, at
least he's looking at me now," Bakura thought as he saw the other boy's
lavender eyes. "Look... I'm sorry I lost my temper with you, and I'm sorry
I left without telling you anything," he said aloud, swallowing his pride.
He really disliked apologizing to anyone, but he understood that Malik needed
to hear it right now, and that was more important than his pride. He reached
out to brush the stray strands of golden hair dangling over his slave's eyes.
�� Malik made a
face, though most of it was covered, before he murmured against Bakura's chest.
"My fault..."
�� "No it's
not," Bakura grunted. Couldn't he even be allowed to apologize right?
"I overreacted. I shouldn't have yelled at you or left."
�� "My
fault," Malik repeated, a bit more firmly. "Shouldn't have
argued."
�� Bakura quirked
an eyebrow upwards as he noticed the irony. "Like you're doing now?"
he pointed out.
�� Malik blinked
at that, and then furrowed his eyebrows. "..."
�� Bakura reached
out to run his fingers through the blond's hair. "I want you to get
better... even if that means we're going to fight." His voice quieted
slightly. "It's better than having you stay broken."
�� Malik blinked
again before his expression softened. "But... I... made you... leave
me..."
�� "No, I
left because I didn't want to see what I was doing to you anymore," Bakura
said softly as he looked away. "You were getting better... enough that you
acted like a normal person... and I undid all of that because I lost my
temper..."
�� Malik
tightened his grip, drawing closer to Bakura. He didn't know what to say to
that; part of it was true but he couldn't help but feel it was also his fault.
�� After a few
minutes of silence had passed Bakura spoke again, still quiet, as his gaze was
focused one of the torches on the wall. "Why were you at Anubis' altar
with that knife?"
�� Malik paused
at that before burying his face in Bakura's chest again. "...I was going
to make him an offering."
�� A notable
amount of tension filled the thief's body. "What kind of offering?"
�� "...Enough
of an offering for him to give you back to me." Malik didn't look at
Bakura.
�� "Don't
you ever even think about trying something that stupid again," Bakura hissed
through his teeth.
�� Malik didn't
respond, tightening his grip slightly even as a faint tremor ran up his spine.
He had made Bakura angry again...
�� The
silver-eyed boy noticed the blond shiver and reached out to pull the other boy
in a fierce hug. "Offerings to the gods are worthless," he explained,
trying to keep the harshness out of his voice. "They don't listen. I told
you that already. They wouldn't care if you let yourself be raped and killed in
their name. If they did then that just shows how sick they truly are."
�� "But you
came back..." Malik murmured weakly. "The statue rejected my offering
but you came back..."
�� Bakura made a
face at that and decided it was time to tell Malik something he had been
holding back until his companion was ready to hear it. "It didn't reject
your 'offering' or bring me back. It's a guardian, not a real altar."
�� "Hah?"
Malik blinked and looked up at Bakura, brushing his chin against the thief's
chest.
�� "You've
seen the altars to Osiris, Obelisk, and Ra near the entrance, right?"
Bakura asked, seemingly changing the subject.
�� Malik nodded,
making a face. He avoided looking at the altars whenever he passed them to
leave the cave, so he never got as good a look at them as he did to Anubis'
altar, but he did catch enough of a glimpse to be aware of what they were after
being informed about Anubis' altar.
�� "Those
statues to the gods were made as guardians for this place to keep invaders out
and protect those who lived here," Bakura explained, noting the other
boy's expression. "Anubis used to be there at the entrance too, but I
moved it to where it is now around when I first came to this place."
�� "You
did...? Why...?" Malik quirked an eyebrow upwards. That did explain the
awful noise but it still begged a few questions.
�� "You
noticed all the old bloodstains around this place, especially around Anubis'
altar, right?" Bakura asked, having an unusual look in his eyes.
�� "...That's...
where I got the idea of what he'd like for an offering."
�� "The
reason Anubis' altar is there is to prevent
more bloodshed," Bakura said as he gave the other boy a level stare, still
unhappy about the fact that Malik was willing to bleed for him. Though
privately a part of him couldn't help but appreciate that amount of devotion to
him.
�� "Prevent...?
So it screamed at me to stop me from slitting my wrist?" Malik stared at
Bakura, then squeaked and covered his mouth. He hadn't meant to remind the
thief of his plan.
�� Bakura gave
the blond a particularly intense gaze
for what the other boy blurted out. "Yes, that. And to scare away what you might have attracted if you did do
that."
�� Malik
fidgeted, feeling rather self-conscious. "Oh..." He paused, and then
tilted his head. "Attract...?"
�� "There is
another exit behind that altar, but it leads into a different cave..."
Bakura trailed off as he made a face and debated about how much to tell his
companion.
�� Malik's eyes
widened. "Was that... where those sounds... came from before the statue...
started screaming...?"
�� Bakura looked
up sharply at that. "You heard them?"
�� "I
heard... something," Malik shivered at the memory. "It couldn't have
been an animal... it was so... so...!"
�� "Unnatural?"
Bakura supplied helpfully as he pulled the blond a little closer to his body.
His expression grew hard, deadly serious, as his voice dropped to a hushed
whisper. "I've seen them. Whatever they are... they're not natural.
They're not animals... and definitely not humans... They're not even Ka!
They're something else entirely... The only thing they can really be accurately
called is monsters."
�� "...And
they... they made that blood?" Malik asked; his voice hushed. He had no
idea something so dangerous was living in that alcove.
�� Bakura nodded
sharply, his gaze distant and his jaw set. "Most likely they managed to
get in past the door somehow without destroying it... and killed everyone who
used to live here." His eyes narrowed. "There were no remains when I
first came here... just trails of blood... so their bodies were obviously
dragged back into that cave with them."
�� Malik started
to tremble against Bakura, his breathing ragged. "Then they... they can...
can just... come out and...!?"
�� Bakura's
attention immediately returned to the blond and he moved to brush his cheek
against his companion's in a comforting manner as he held the frightened boy
close. "Don't worry, I think that the only reason that they could was that
they managed to prop open the door temporarily," he said soothingly. He
decided not to mention that he suspected what had been used to prop the stone
passageway open was likely a corpse of one of the sorcerers that used to live
there. "Don't worry. They haven't managed to open that doorway the entire
time I've lived here. I merely moved Anubis' altar there as added protection
just in case."
�� "B-but
they could at any time...!" Malik whimpered, his shaking increasing.
"A-at any moment, they could... they could-!"
�� "Only
sorcerers' magic can open the door," Bakura said in a firm voice.
"The only way they could open it is if they had a locket like yours and
had enough intelligence to use it, which they do not."
�� "But how
did they... get by in the first place, then!?" Malik clung to Bakura,
shaking rather badly. "How...?"
�� "There
are a lot of magic crystals inside that cave," Bakura explained as he
started to rub the tanned boy's back in an assuring manner. "Most likely
there were people who went exploring or digging for crystals while someone kept
the door open... Then those things attacked and escaped..."
�� "...Crystals?" Malik
blinked at that, though he allowed himself to be reassured by Bakura's comforting
hands. "...So they can't... can't get us?"
�� Bakura smiled
a little, pleased to note how the other boy's tension was starting to ease.
"No, and even if somehow the door was opened the guardian statue would
sound an alarm and fight them off long enough to seal them back inside or for
us to escape."
�� "Fight
them off?" Malik's eyes widened. "It can move? It doesn't just stand
and howl?"
�� Bakura
couldn't help but cock an eyebrow. "You thought it couldn't move even
though you saw it stand up?"
�� "...Well,
um... it just stood up. I thought maybe that's all it could do, as it didn't
get off of the altar." Malik felt horribly embarrassed.
�� Bakura
couldn't help but chuckle softly as he reached out to ruffle the blond's hair.
"It can't go far from the altar, but it can definitely prevent any
invaders from passing it and fight well. My father demonstrated it to me one
time using Ra's altar."
�� Malik squeaked
at the ruffle, and then blinked. "Really? So it's a guard dog? Er, figuratively?" He hesitated, and then made a face.
"What happened?"
�� "You mean
with Ra's altar?" Bakura asked as he brushed the bangs away from the other
boy's eyes.
�� Malik nodded
slightly, messing up his bangs once more. The slave paused, and then giggled as
he realized he just undid what Bakura had done.
�� Bakura blinked
at that action then snickered, but made no comment about it. "My father
caught a thief trying to steal some of the treasures the Pharaoh gave us to use
as parts of traps for the tomb the people of my village were building. My father
gave the thief a choice: he could confess his crime to the Pharaoh and give
back what he stole... or he could try to get past Ra's altar to take a cart
full of treasure. If he made it he would be allowed to go free a very rich
man."
�� "What did
the thief do...?" Malik stared at Bakura.
�� "Mostly
scream when the Ra guardian burned him to ashes," Bakura said with a
crooked grin. "He didn't realize that there was a reason why the Pharaohs had my people build their tombs."
�� Malik stared
at Bakura. "Wow... so... so the guardian statues would protect us? Even
that Anubis one?"
�� Bakura grinned
even more. "Yes, even though I sometimes curse the gods those statues
represent, they can and do protect us."
�� Malik let out
an audible sigh of relief. It made him feel better knowing that the creatures
couldn't suddenly lash out at them from the darkness.
�� However, the
blond did not expect an attack from right in front of him, as Bakura managed to
successfully steal a kiss from his lips.
�� Malik jumped
in surprise and blinked, leaning back to stare up at Bakura in confusion. After
all that happened, how could Bakura still want to steal his lips?
�� The thief
grinned back at him smugly. "You know, it's fun watching you react
whenever I surprise you with a kiss," he teased mischievously. To accent
his point he suddenly moved to kiss the other boy once again.
�� Malik squeaked
in surprise before his cheeks tinted bright red. He stared at Bakura, feeling
rather embarrassed and confused. It was as if the bandit didn't even remember what
had happened the past few days. Uncertain, the slave lowered his gaze and
pressed his fingertips together. "...Bakura..."
�� Bakura noticed
the change in Malik's demeanor, but acted as if he didn't as he kissed the
tanned boy's cheek. "Hmm?"
�� "...Aren't
you... mad at me...?" Malik asked weakly, his voice breaking slightly. His
cheeks tinted at Bakura's kiss, turning a darker shade of red.
�� "Not any
more," Bakura muttered against the other boy's skin before kissing there
once more. He paused for a moment before he spoke quietly, though he tried to
sound casual. "Are you upset at me?"
�� Malik shook
his head as he moved to wrap his arms around Bakura once more. "You came
back... I'm so happy..."
�� Once again
Bakura felt a pang of guilt about how he hurt the other boy when he lost his
temper. "Malik..." He wasn't sure what to say, so he softly kissed
Malik once again.
�� Malik squeaked
slightly as he was kissed again. He paused and peered uncertainly up at the thief,
before moving to return the kiss. He wasn't sure why he did it, or what
compelled him to do it; he supposed it had to do with the fact that Bakura kept
doing it to him, so why shouldn't he? He had to admit that he rather liked the
way it felt.
�� Bakura
blinked, startled by the fact that Malik was actually returning the kiss for
the first time. Every other time that he had kissed the blond, the other boy
would usually get flustered and cover his lips or just allow the thief to kiss
him. The fact that Malik was responding to affection filled Bakura with an
incredible and wonderful warm feeling that he couldn't describe, but wanted to
keep experiencing just the same.
�� Malik blushed
brightly as he leaned back to look at Bakura, his heart racing. He could see
that the thief was startled by the action, a feeling the slave himself felt. He
had to admit, he rather liked it. He could see why his master kept stealing
more and more kisses from him.
�� Bakura noticed
the look that the tanned boy was giving him and felt self-conscious for a
reason he couldn't identify. "What?"
�� Malik tilted
his head slightly, and then cracked a small smile. "Nothing." With
that, he moved to bury his face in his master's chest once more. He cuddled up
against the thief, listening to the other boy's heartbeat and assuring himself
that his master had indeed come home.
�� Bakura wasn't
sure what to think about that but decided not to pursue the topic. Malik looked
just too precious to bother by being defensive right now. He finally felt relaxed,
as it seemed as if everything was all right again between them. All he wanted
to do now was enjoy the moment with his companion.
�� After a moment
the thief noticed that his slave had gone very quiet. "Malik?" he
asked softly, not wanting to spoil the moment, but he was curious about why the
blond was being silent.
�� It was then
that Bakura realized that Malik had fallen asleep, finally at peace now that he
had been assured that Bakura wasn't angry with him. He looked so relaxed, his
muscles finally easing up as the stress melted away.
�� The silver
haired boy blinked in surprise at how quickly the other boy had fallen asleep.
He then realized that Malik must have slept very poorly, if at all, while he
was gone. Again he felt a pang of guilt. Likely his slave didn't eat anything
either and such thoughts only made him feel worse.
�� Bakura made a
face. He never liked feeling guilty. Obviously he had to do a better job of
taking care of Malik to stop feeling that way. He decided then to try and be
more careful where the other boy was concerned. He may not have been used to
being around people a lot, but for Malik he'd try his best to make the other
boy feel safe and happy.
�� Malik,
oblivious to Bakura's thoughts, sighed as he cuddled against his master.
Everything was fine; Bakura was with him once more. He was safe and content.
�� As Bakura
watched Malik sleep, the silver-eyed boy wondered if the blond would be able to
be coaxed into being more independent again like he was before their argument,
or if his slave would now be permanently too timid to make a move on his own
thanks to the thief's actions.
�� Bakura let out
a sigh as he dropped his head back down onto the pillow. It was too hard for
him to know, and he was sick of beating himself over it, plus it was getting
harder to think that clearly at all due to how tired he was. He decided not to
reflect on it anymore for now and get some rest.
�� Malik wasn't
the only one who didn't get any sleep while they had been apart.
- 7
- 8
- 9
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Yu-Gi-Oh!: Aurora