Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Closer I am to Fine ❯ Seventh Wonder ( Chapter 6 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: There’s no real point in this...
I don’t own the lyrics to the song ‘Seven Wonders’, done by Nickel Creek.

Notice: The next chapters will be updated VERY quickly to be in time for the Holidays.


Ch.6: Seventh Wonder

Bakura awoke to the smell of food. Wearily, he rolled off the couch and sat on the floor for a moment before fully waking. With a sigh, he pushed himself to his feet, grimacing at all the cramps he now had from sleeping on the couch. Following his nose, he stumbled into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes.

“Well, hello morning glory,” Michi said teasingly. She stood near the stove, frying eggs and bacon at the same time.

“G’morning,” Bakura yawned, plopping down in one of the kitchen chairs. “S’that food?”

Michi chuckled. “You’re cute in the morning, aren’t you?” she joked, reaching over and ruffling his hair. Bakura scowled.

“Not cute,” he grumbled, laying his head on the table and pouting.

“Who’s not cute?” Kenta asked blearily, walking in the kitchen dressed only in a pair of jeans and a robe.

“Me,” Bakura replied, still pouting. (A/N: Who here has seen the Bakura pout? If you haven’t seen it you need to watch the Yu-Gi-Oh! DVD ‘Showdown in the Shadows.’)

“Aww, is Michiyo picking on you, Bakura?” Kenta asked in a mock childish voice. Bakura covered his head with his arms. Michiyo took this to her advantage, creeping over and tickling the thief’s sides. Bakura’s eyes snapped open and his mouth twitched as her tried to keep from laughing. In vain he tried to push Michi away, only to have Kenta join in.

“S-stop!” he commanded, struggling to get away. “T-tickles, stop that, what are you doing? Stop!”

“It’s a tickle attack!” Mich laughed as the struggle continued.

“Oh R-Ra,” Bakura giggled. “Please stop!” Unable to hold it in, he burst out laughing uncontrollably.

“We did it!” Michi exclaimed triumphantly, throwing her hands into the air. “We made the clam laugh!”

“I’m not a clam,” Bakura informed her with amusement. He leaned back in his chair and allowed Kenta rub his shoulders. “That feels good,” he told the man. “Keep doing it.”

“You like that, do you?” Kenta asked with a laugh. Bakura just nodded.

“Breakfast!” Michiyo announced, placing food on the tabled.

When shadows fall, he'll close his eyes to hear the clocks unwind.
Powerless to leash the hands of time.

Kenta had told Michiyo how much Bakura could eat. Somehow she hadn’t believed him. Watching him eat now, Michi realized that the only thing she could compare the boy to was a bottomless pit. She and Kenta both forfeited seconds so Bakura could have thirds and fourths. As she watched him she noticed the sharp canines he used to rip the toast apart. They reminded her of vampire fangs. Bakura noticed her gaze.

“My teeth scare you?” he asked, smiling just enough for her to see one sharp tooth. “They came in very handy back in the day. No dagger, I could always use my teeth.”

Kenta shuddered. “Bakura, finish your breakfast and quit talking like that.”

Bakura blinked in surprise. “Did I say something wrong?”

“I just don’t want you talking about Egypt,” Kenta replied. “It’s best if you forgot it and moved on.”

Bakura stared at him. “Egypt is my home. I was born there and I DIED there! How can you tell me to forget?”

Kenta shook his head stubbornly. “Bakura, if you talk of Egypt anymore then you will be punished, is that understood?”

“Damn you!” Bakura exclaimed, throwing his empty orange juice glass against the wall before abruptly standing and leaving the room.

Kingdoms fall, the earth revolves, the rain will come this spring,
And nothing he could say would change a thing.

“Ken, don’t you think that was a little harsh?” Michiyo asked, stunned. “He can’t forget the place he came from.”

“Michi, there are things about Bakura that you don’t understand,” Kenta said wearily, staring at pieces of glass on the floor.

“Then you should tell me!” Michiyo said angrily. “Damn, Ken, I’ll be living under the same roof with him, I want to know!”

“He’s a murderer, Michi,” Kenta said with a sigh. “There. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“W-what?” Michi stuttered.

“A murderer and a thief,” Kenta continued. “And he’s led a very hard life. I’m not sure but I think he was abused at some point and I know he’s lost a lot people dear to him. Michi, it’s a miracle he’s changed as much as he has, I don’t want him going back to the way he was.”

Michiyo stared at him. “Ken, you can’t force him to forget.”

Seven wonders crowed the man, knowing six are gone.
And how the great illusion lingers on.
Bakura locked himself in the bathroom and curled up behind the hamper, hands gripping his head as he fought to keep himself under control. How stupid he had been to think even for a second that the man had changed! Kenta hated him, everything about him! He was just a replacement for Ryou. He clenched his eyes shut. He wondered, would Kenta have kept him around if he didn’t have long, white hair? What would the man do if Bakura cut his hair off? If Bakura no longer looked so much like Kenta’s son? He shuddered. He couldn’t take this. Forbidden from talking of his beautiful Egypt? What else would keep him sane? Did Kenta really want him to forget all of it? He swore quietly. Of course Kenta wanted him to forget! He wanted Bakura to become sweet and innocent and loving, like Ryou. The perfect replacement. Bakura would not allow it! He was not Ryou, never could be Ryou. And he had no wish to be.

He stood up and went to the sink, taking a small pair of scissors from the cabinet. If he no longer looked like Ryou would Kenta allow him to go back to Domino? Surely he would, there was no reason for Kenta to keep a replacement that was faulty...He took a lock of his long hair and raised the scissors.

He can't involve the sun or moon, the wind within his head,
But count the times he'll shout the great I am.
“Bakura, no!”

Bakura was caught off guard when the door was flung open my Michiyo. The scissors fell from his hands and clattered against the sink. He stared at her, looking ready to cry.

“Oh, sweety, why are you cutting your beautiful hair?” Michiyo asked, confused.

“I...” Bakura was at a loss for words. “I...look like him...”

“Oh, sweety,” Michiyo said sadly. She strode forward and pulled Bakura into an embrace. “Why is that a bad thing?”

“He...he only keeps me around because I look like Ryou,” Bakura explained quietly. “If I don’t look like Ryou any more then maybe he’ll let me go back to Domino...” He didn’t return the embrace but he didn’t pull away either.

“Oh, honey...” Michiyo gently, running her hands through Bakura’s long locks. “Don’t think like that...Come with me to the living room, okay?” She grabbed a hair brush and led Bakura out of the bathroom.

When all the while, the parted smile, railing his disgrace.
And never owning more than second place.

And so they sat, Michiyo on the couch and Bakura on the floor while Michi brushed Bakura’s hair, all the while telling him how beautiful it truly was. Kenta had left for an archaeologist’s convention shortly after breakfast.
“Sweety, tell me about Egypt,” Michiyo said after a while. Bakura looked up at her in surprise.
“I’m not supposed to talk about it,” he protested. “Kenta said-“
“Ken can be an idiot at times,” Michiyo interrupted. “He only wants what’s best for you, Baku, but he’s never been the fatherly type...”
Bakura sighed. “You don’t want to hear about my Egypt, Michi...” he told her. “And I’m not so sure I can trust you...”
“Trust me with what, Baku?” Michi asked gently. Bakura touched the millennium ring.
“The truth.”
Seven wonders crowed the man, knowing six are gone.And how the great illusion lingers on.Finally, Michiyo learned the truth. Bakura didn’t tell her everything. Just a little more then what Kenta knew. But it was enough to make her understand a few things about him. And he felt at ease telling her. The woman seemed to understand completely.

“I suppose you hate me now, as well,” Bakura sighed when he had finished his story.

“No, never,” Michiyo insisted. “But now, I think I understand you a little better. Though this is a little hard to believe.”

“But you do believe me?” Bakura asked anxiously.

“Yes,” Michiyo nodded. “I do.” Bakura grinned and leaned back against Michi’s legs.

“Thanks.” Michi laughed and ruffled his hair.

“You know,” she said. “The Egyptian Pyramids of Giza are one of the Seven Wonders of the world.”

“Seven Wonders?” Bakura asked blankly.

“Yes, you see, a list of the seven most magnificent wonders in the world was made years ago,” Michiyo explained. “But now six of the wonders are gone.”

“But the pyramids still stand,” Bakura said, a hint of pride in his voice.

“Yup,” Michi said, brushing Bakura’s hair again. “You Egyptians are tough little cookies.”

Bakura laughed a little. “I suppose we are...”

Michiyo smiled and leaned down to hug him. “Yes, and now you’re my tough little Egyptian cookie,” she teased. “Can I be your mother, Baku?”

Bakura laughed again. “I suppose, but don’t expect me to call you ‘mama’.”

“Of course not, never crossed my mind,” Michi laughed, kissing the top of Bakura’s head. “Now lets do some holiday shopping, huh?”

“Holiday...shopping?”

Seven wonders crowed the man, knowing six are gone.
And how the great illusion lingers;
Oh, the grand illusion lingers;
While the sad confusion lingers on.

TBC

Constructive Comments, PLEASE! Thanks to dragonlady for being such a faithful reviewer!