Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Baby of Mine ❯ Inadequacy ( Chapter 35 )

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Inadequacy

Bakura and Marik took Ryou upstairs to her bedroom. Ryou took her medication and Bakura tucked her under the covers. Marik and Bakura kissed her cheek and closed the door. Malik was downstairs holding onto the Change of Heart plushie. Seto and Joey were leaning against the closed door with Yami and Yugi gathering up the wrapping paper.

"How is she?"

"The injections and the medication will make her sleep for a while. We have to figure out how to defeat Anubis. If we don't, there will be no hope for Ryou or Malik."

Malik looked up from the plushie. "What about me?"

"You will be killed, too, if we cannot defeat Anubis and Cinetti."

"Cinetti?" Yugi asked pushing down the bag of torn paper and bows. "Where does he enter into this?"

Bakura sighed and rubbed his hands on the cradle with pink ribbons. "Cinetti's souls are inside those kids. My daughter is going to be a murderer."

Marik gripped the Millenium Rod tightly. "We have to go back to the Shadow Realm."

"Not until your injuries heal, Marik," Yami said. "We have to come up with a way to eliminate Cinetti's soul from them."

Bakura turned and gripped Yami's shoulder. "No! You'll kill them if you do that! A body cannot live without a soul."

"But that would save Ryou. You want to save him, don't you?"

"I don't want Ryou to die on me, pharaoh! I also don't want to kill my child."

Marik walked beside Malik and rubbed his hikari's back. "We don't want to kill our child either. You have to find another way."

"Ryou's life is already in danger from this pregnancy, Bakura. She may not survive the birth. Ryou was weak already before the pregnancy. Her body can't handle the stress. You saw her singing to herself in Seto's limo!" Yami protested.

Seto approached the arguing yamis. "Just because she sang to herself, doesn't mean she isn't aware of what is going on. She was trying to make herself feel better. This is all tough as it is on Ryou. Standing here arguing over life and death is pointless."

Joey joined Seto. "We want to save Ryou, too, you three. Seto and I invested a lot in Ryou. We don't want to see Ryou hurt."

Marik raised his eyebrow. "'Invested?'

Seto nudged Joey with a scolding, "Bad puppy! No bone for you!"

Bakura approached Seto. "What did you invest in Ryou?"

Seto glared at Joey. "Thanks, puppy. Bakura, Joey and I paid for Ryou's heart operation."

Bakura, Marik, and Malik shot a glance at Seto. Even Seto almost stepped back from the surprised looks.

"Seto Kaiba? Seto…Kaiba? You paid for Ryou's operation?" Bakura staggered closer to Seto.

"I couldn't let a friend die. I may look cold and like I really don't give a crap about anything or anyone, but I really wanted Ryou to survive."

Bakura hugged Seto tightly. "Seto, thank you."

Seto heard a sniff. "Do NOT tell me you are crying on my new jacket, Bakura."

"Thank you, Seto. You saved my lover's life! You saved Ryou! I owe you a great deal, Seto Kaiba."

"If you owe me, stop crying on my new jacket. This cost me hundreds of dollars."

Bakura pulled back and the phone rang. Marik picked up the phone. "Ishtar residence….hello, sir…." Marik looked at the clock. "Three hours ago?…..My wife had a problem and I needed to take her……double shift? Tonight??? Sir, my wife had a serious problem….Yes, sir……be right there, sir. Sorry, sir."

Marik hung up the phone. "I have to go to work. I was due in three hours ago and they need me for the late shift. I'll be pulling a double shift, so I will not be in until early in the morning." Marik went upstairs to change and kissed Ryou before leaving.

Marik walked to work glaring at every person who passed him. He had to know where Anubis was so he could protect Ryou. His son was his primary concern. He broke into a sweat by the time he reached the place.

"I have to cut down on the sweets," he panted. When he entered, his manager pulled him into the back.

"My. Happy Pickle, I am amazed that you decided to work today!"

"Sir, my pregnant wife needed to go to the hospital."

"Was your kid born?"

Marik shook his head. "No, sir."

"Get to work, Ishtar. Now. Since you are tardy and we are short staffed, you'll have to stay tonight. Tonight, I want the floors swept, the bathroom cleaned, the oil for the fries changed, tables scrubbed, and the grills washed clean enough that there are no traces of grease! You do not leave tonight until you are done."

Marik sighed and went to the counter and gave his usual greeting without emotion. When he did, a woman came to him.

"This burger doesn't have enough cheese."

Marik throws a slice of cheese at her. "There. More cheese. Next."

"This burger is half cooked."

Marik grabbed a charred one. "Here. Take it and go. Next."

"I asked for no onions."

Marik took the bun and wiped it off on the counter and replaced the bun. "There. Problem solved. Next petty complaint, please."

"I asked for unsalted fries."

Marik sighed. "Our fries are already salted for your consuming pleasure if you like it or not. Next."

"You have an attitude, mister!"

Marik rolled his eyes and slammed his palm on the counter. "Look, pal, I may have an attitude, but I also have a pregnant woman at home carrying my baby who may not survive the night and here I have to work at a place that pays me barely enough money to pay for her medication. I have to work a double shift and if she dies tonight, the father of her baby will not be able to be beside her because the burger isn't done or there's not enough cheese or the fries are salted. Ra forbid if we have onions! How do you think that feels?"

The man stood quietly.

"How do you think that feels to know your wife may die and your child and you….cannot……be there? So I am sorry if I am not the most happy cashier you have had. Next in line."

Marik waited on people the rest of the night. His boss left him alone to finish his jobs. He changed the oil for the fries and burnt his hand when some oil splashed.

He went into the bathrooms and cleaned them finding inexplicable things he never wanted to see again. The floors were dirty and sticky. He sweat as he worked to clean the place.

As he cleaned the tables, he was trying to name his baby boy. He thought of holding him and playing with him. He cleaned the grills trying to find a way to defeat Cinetti without killing his son. Marik's back ached as he took the trash out. He sat down at the table and thought about Ryou. This place was not helping him with money. It also hurt his pride asking people about the "silly happy fun fries." Did he really want to be handling complaining customers, dirty trash, cleaning bathrooms of filth, cleaning tables and mopping floors? His son needed to eat, but Ryou needed better income, better money.

Marik threw the towel down and looked at the place. "I quit! I can't provide for Ryou. I can't provide for my son. If I cannot provide for Ryou, what kind of father will I be? I want to love my son…but I can't provide for him. Maybe I should just…give up."

Marik hung his head and dragged his jacket behind him sighing sadly and sniffing holding back his tears.

**********************************

Seto turned to Joey as they walked into the tavern. "I can't believe you told them!"

"I didn't mean too, but it had to happen sometime."

"When I said no bone, I am serious tonight, Joseph."

Joey turned to him. "You never called me that before."

Seto walked to the counter with Joey. "That last place we went to was a dump. This place is better."

The tender came over and they heard a clanging of a heavy metal object on the bar. When they looked over, they saw the Millenium Rod with its owner crying into a bottle of whiskey.

Seto squinted. "Do not tell me that is Marik Ishtar!"

Joey looked at the other boy. "You're right! Marik never drinks. What's up with that?"

Seto and Joey went over to Marik. "Ishtar?? What are you doing here?"

"I'm a terrible father and my son's not even born yet!" Marik cried into the bottle.

Seto and Joey took Marik's shoulders. "You aren't a bad father, Marik. What are you doing in this place? Ryou needs you at home."

"Ryou doesn't need me," Marik wiped away a tear. "He has Bakura. Why does he need two people messing up the lives of those kids?"

"Your son will be alright, Marik. This isn't your fault."

Marik looked away. "I quit my job. I have to look for another one tomorrow. I can't afford Ryou's medicine. I can't afford her doctor bills. I'm going to lose my son. Why shouldn't I feel this is all my fault?"

Joey stepped beside Marik and coughed at the smell of whiskey on him. "Ryou loves you, Marik. Or if not, at lest cares a lot for you. She's putting herself at risk for you."

Seto pulled Marik's arm. "Drinking your life away is not going to help."

"I've got no place else to go but at the bottom of this bottle."

Seto grabbed it. "We are taking you home. Now."

"But I haven't…….drank much….," Marik said, his speech becoming slurred.

Seto and Joey sighed and pulled Marik into the limo.

***********************************************

Malik stood by the window. Bakura had gone to bed with Ryou. Malik gripped the curtain nervously. Marik was late. That was not like him. When he saw Seto's limo pull up, he thought maybe Joey left something at the house. When they pulled Marik out of the limo unable to keep his footing, Malik gasped.

Malik opened the door "Yami!" Malik helped his yami to the couch, the smell of liquor on him.

"Where did you find him?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Malik took the whiskey bottle. "Marik Ishtar? How could you?!"

"I'm a terrible father and my son's not even born yet! I can't afford to take care of Ryou.

I don't bring home enough money. I can't provide for Ryou at all."

"Marik, please, Ryou needs you now more than ever and to do this is kinda selfish of you. Did you go to work today?"

"I quit. I'm not going back. I'll find another job tomorrow."

"Then there was no need for you to get drunk, yami. I know you are going to be a great father. Ryou knows you will, too."

Seto and Joey pat Malik on the back. "Good luck with him."

"Thank you, Seto."

Seto and Joey left and Malik wrapped his arms around Marik. "You scared me, yami. I wasn't sure where you went."

"You…stayed up for me?"

"I couldn't go to sleep knowing you weren't home yet. I love you, yami, and I want nothing to happen to you."

Marik hugged Malik. "I'm sorry, Malik! I'm such a jerk. Don't tell Ryou about this!"

Malik nuzzled his cheek against Marik. "I wouldn't do that, yami."

Marik fell asleep on the couch completely exhausted from the day as a shadowy figure watched from the bushes with a grin on his face.