Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Shind Oni Kokoro ❯ Needing Myself ( Chapter 4 )

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White feathers drifted listlessly across a lavender stretch, silver smoke curls shattering as scarlet streaks taint the air, searing the placid serenity with splitting screams of a child, wavering and sharp like melting ice.

 

Blood pools about a tattered heart, two halves beating in erratic unison, one cradled in the whisper soft folds of feathers, the other sinking into an inky well of sins…

 

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“Marik!...Marik?!”

 

Something called as his body was gently shaken, throaty voice muttering in swears as its futile attempts to rouse only made the other groan and roll away. He didn't get very far though, someone held him tightly and hauled him upright, sharp snapping of fingers trying to gain his attention. Slivers of violet looked about bleary eyed, head swarming with heartache and confusion.

 

“Oi! Marik!”

 

Relief laced the voice as Marik was shifted so he now looked into puzzled brown depths, murky eyes glazed with soft worry as the icy skin melted into a smile.

 

“Marik, you alright?”

 

“Wha-” as soon as he began to speak a wave of dizziness overtook him, the pounding of every night sound suddenly screeching in his ears. “Fuck!” he hissed and clenched his eyes shut, dark hands coming up to shield his scream filled head.

 

“Marik?!” Bakura grew more than worried as the exotic other began to squirm violently in his arms, faint whimpers spilling from the dark throat as the shriek like sound echoed in his head, the only bit of sanity clawing toward Bakura's voice, so quiet and comforting in the swirling mass of pain.

 

He grunted faintly, fingers tangling in disheveled gold hair, body sheen with icy sweat as he began to tremble. It grew in volume, every sound collecting until there was nothing but the deafening thunder of his heart and the nearly painful rasp of his breath, thick and heavy so it reverberated in his ears.

 

“Shit.” Bakura tightened his hold on the other body thrashing about as he tried to rid himself of the demons dancing in his skull. “Marik, listen to me. I don't know what the hell is going on, but just listen to me…” Marik's body relaxed somewhat as the throaty voice spoke, dark fingers curling into the sharp black of Bakura's leather. “Ok…” the pale demon was at a loss, never had this happened before, and never had he ever been so close to Marik. The chilling warmth pressed against him made Bakura want to squirm, but he decided against it, resolving instead to…comfort.

 

White, slender fingers combed through the spiky array of gold, gently coaxing Marik to lean against Bakura, dark face all but buried in the paler's chest, soft breath tickling his flesh.

 

He could do it, just a quick, stolen kiss, and judging by the incoherent mumbling passing Marik's lips, the blond demon wouldn't even notice the gentle violation.

 

He could taste the sweetness of tainted souls, broken wings, and shattered minds.

 

He could melt against the darkest of shadows and make the night air squirm in the lovely heat he'd create…

 

He could…

 

He should…

 

He wouldn't…

 

Not because it was sin, blacker than the starless night he called home, but because it wasn't what he wanted.

 

For the first time in many millennia, Bakura felt something inside of himself. He wasn't sure what it was or if it even had a name, but he liked it, fed on it, and needed more…

 

But not from Marik.

 

No, that was a lie, he did want this thirst quenched by the exotic, but he wanted willingness. Far be it for Bakura not to enjoy a bite or two, the deep wells of scratch marks always did make the sensation of sex all the more…pleasurable didn't even begin to describe it. But then again, sex had no need for explanation, it was merely a hunger, forever his and forever there, drifting in the simple minds of millions, quivering, humming, becoming a demon of beautiful sins.

 

Beautiful…

 

Beautiful.

 

Sins so pretty with their blood smudged ills that they made him want more and more every time.

 

But still, he wouldn't do it, not this time.

 

Bakura allowed his fingers to gently slide out from the other's hair, the silky strands of god spilling like liquid and splaying across the exotic's back. “Marik?” Said demon whimpered quietly, holding his dark, slender fingers against his ears while pressing deeper against Bakura. Slowly and carefully, Bakura held Marik away from himself, watching as the thick gold lashes fluttered open, bleary violet staring uncertainly at the one holding him precariously. “Marik.” This time he said it with affirmation, Bakura gently squeezing the other's shoulders. “You fucking alright now?” there was a slip of worried humor as he tried to keep Marik's eyes locked with his own.

 

And why was he worried?

 

Certainly not because he cared for the other demon's welfare, Bakura knew well enough that were Marik permanently out of the way, then he wouldn't be stuck trailing after him whenever Yami ordered it to be done. The reason was obvious enough for himself. Bakura needed Marik just long enough so he could turn the exotic over to Yami and retrieve Ryou, safe and sound if the odds were on his side…although the pale vampire knew better than to raise his hopes terribly high.

 

The violet gaze slowly cleared, the mist of confusion and fear creeping back and away to the familiar corners of the demon's mind where they had always been kept tucked safely. “…Yes.” Marik gave the other a small frown, pulling out of the hold he was in, and standing silently, the soft crunch of moving leather and his fingertips brushing nothing off the only sound to follow.

 

“Feh…You're welcome, jackass.” Bakura snorted, raising a brow as he too stood and straightened his jacket, placing his hands on his hips as he watched the other vampire carefully. “…So…what the hell happened there? Memories too much for you?” Marik's eyes narrowed distastefully at the paler, his arms crossing as he shook his head minutely, thinking back a moment before his eyes widened slowly, casting his gaze down the very street he had sworn he had spotted- “Oi! You're getting that damn, freaked out look again. Calm your dead ass down!” Bakura was quick to take a hold of him again, this time more out of precaution than because the blond was actually fainting, blinking in confusion as Marik tightly gripped the paler's upper arms and gave Bakura the most pleading look he had ever seen cross the vampire's face since he was a child.

 

“Did you see him?!”

 

“Him?...Him who-”

 

“…Malik…” The vampire's violet eyes glazed with lost thoughts and broken wonders as he darted his gaze back to the streets beyond. “…I saw him…he's been reborn, I need to find him…”

 

“Malik? And who the fuck is this Ma-” Bakura's words died on his tongue as he caught the desperate look he was given once more, watching as the waves of memories and lost, childish dreams were suddenly reawaken and surfacing rapidly in the other's eyes. “…Your wings…” Well, rather the one created from the wings, the smaller reflection of the current Marik that disappeared before their eyes so many millennia past.

 

All he could do was nod now, relieving Bakura of his grip by one hand so he could cover his tearing eyes, taking a shuddering breath as he tried to manage his emotions. So many had rung through him in one night that Marik was beginning to think this was all some sort of cruel joke the fates had intertwined in punishment for his sinful deed so long ago.

 

Bakura watched in curiosity as the blond broke away from him completely once more, blinking as Marik began to take firm steps away from him. “…And where the hell do you think you're going? Yami could be calling for us any-”

 

“I need to find him.” Marik curtly broke in, eyes narrowing as he had to yank his arm free from the paler's grip as he began to protest. “You can go screw Yami like you always do, that should distract him, if anything.”

 

“And what about Ryou?!” he seethed, a growl rattling his throat as the blond continued to walk off without even a glance over his shoulder. “You had an exchange for his safety!”

 

“He's just another mortal. You'll find another to fawn over later.” His eyes took a slow sweep over the area, the blond vampire arching his neck so he could sniff the air in an effort to pick up Malik's scent.

 

“Listen, you little piece of shit.” Bakura all but tackled Marik as he violently grabbed the scruff of the vampire's jacket, fingers curling until the exotic had to grit his teeth to keep from wincing at the pressure applied. “Ryou's the one currently being held up, while your damn fledgling, or whatever the fuck he is…Malik…is safe and sound, living his life and obviously not looking for you in return.” He hissed against the blonde's ear threateningly, shifting his grip to the wild mane of gold hair to tug Marik's head back so their equally enraged gazes would meet and lock. “You can go dogging after your other self later, for now, your only concern is and will be-”

 

“Ryou…” Marik replied calmly, his lips thinning to matching his hardening look. “Who, if my abilities are correct in advising me, is *your* other self.” He watched, not terribly surprised at the blank expression he received from Bakura. “Don't act stupid. Why do you think you're undeniably attracted to him? Even you're not vain enough to like him just because he looks exactly like you.”

 

“Almost exactly.” Bakura frowned; tossing the words the other vampire had spoken around in his mind as he shoved the exotic away from him, making Marik stumble a step or two before solidifying his stance once more. “…But I was human, how the hell can I have another sel-”

 

“You made a contract with Yami just as I did.” He almost chided the paler for not realizing this, a coy smirk curling his lips as he watched Bakura fall deeper into thought. “His powers are vast, and one of them happens to be the ability to tear souls apart. We were lucky enough to only have been ripped in half; he just never counted on us running across ourselves.” Marik gave an airy shrug, this was all simply his theory, and Bakura was well aware of that as he listened to him speak, reading him just as well as if the words were his own thoughts. “My question to you is what makes your other self more important than my own? Especially when you take the time to see it through my eyes.”

 

Bakura really couldn't answer that in all honesty, and while it seemed fair enough in his opinion to simply insist that Ryou was currently in Yami's grasp while Malik was well out of harm's way, he knew Marik would instantly see through his veil of conflicting thoughts. “Che…” He took a surprising move by beginning to walk and roughly shouldering past the blond as he continued. “You'll never sniff him out yourself, you both carry the same stink, it'd be like trying to find an iceberg in Hell.”

 

Marik didn't know quite what to make of that, certainly Bakura had never tormented him nearly as often as his master did, but the pale vampire had never been exceptionally understanding, or kind for that matter, before now. “…Why are you going to help me? I could very well do this on my own.”

 

“Because knowing you and your fucking pansy-assed personality, you'd do the same were roles reversed. That and if Yami does call for us, I'm not risking losing track of you and pissing that royal bat off enough to get him to do something drastic.” Because whether or not he liked to admit it, Bakura knew he could do nothing were Yami to lose it and wish to dispose of Ryou for Marik's defiance.

 

He stood silent for several moments, watching the distance between himself and Bakura grow before receiving a particularly testy glance from the paler vampire.

 

“Coming? Or have you changed your mind?”

 

Marik lidded his eyes slightly, his form of a sincere smile, as he began to follow, falling into step with Bakura and sliding him a grateful glance despite knowing full well they were each pursuing different goals. “Thank you.”

 

“Shut the fuck up.” Bakura snorted, craning his neck and taking deep breaths of the crisp air, trying to focus on pinpointing the elusive Malik even though he didn't know for sure that this other Marik existed. What if the blond vampire had been merely seeing things? Brought on by Bakura's prompting him about his memories? Marik had always been a little off… “Just keep this in mind, Marik.” He took a deadly hold of the exotic's arm, boring into the nearly startled violet with an intent glare. “If we don't find your brat by the time Yami calls for us, we leave it be and join him and Ryou. We can look for Malik after you and Yami finish your deal…other wise, I'll go back alone, and let Yami in on what you're up to. And I highly doubt you wish for that considering we all know how fucking greedy the horny bastard can be.”

 

The blond hardly agreed with this, but considering Bakura's deadpan glare and intensely matched grip on Marik's arm, the exotic really had no choice in the matter. “We? Are you saying you'll help me afterwards as well, considering we don't find Malik now?”

 

“You are the one paying up for Ryou's exchange.” It was a dry remark, but truthful. Bakura didn't want to owe the other vampire anything past what he was willing to provide. That and Marik was still unaware of the fact he'd be romping around with Yami and Bakura soon enough if all cards were played properly, thus the blond would be particularly vengeful and in need of a reminder as to why he shouldn't try and do away with Bakura. And before Marik could interrupt him once more, the paler's eyes lit up after he took another sniff of the air and a particularly edgy grin overtook his features. “I've found him…and he's with a good friend of ours, what luck!”

 

Blinking in confusion, Marik could only follow in the other vampire's example as he too melted away into a pool of shadows and slithered over the streets in pursuit of his other half. Vainly trying to pick up on Malik's scent, he found it impossible to do so just as Bakura had previously stated, and simply wagered all his trust on the giggling vampire in lead.

 

All too soon the duo came to a stop, materializing beneath the looming branches of a tree that framed the yard of an expansive yard. Marik quirked his brow in interest, gently brushing a fistful of leaves from before him to take in the property Bakura had selected as their destination. His violet eyes couldn't have gone wider in disbelief.

 

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