Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Shind Oni Kokoro ❯ Where, Oh Where... ( Chapter 5 )

 

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He wasn't quite sure when it happened, but somewhere between the rush of blood to his toes and the pound of pressure in his ears, he managed to blink into a world of dark. The last thing he saw was the brilliant shower of stars sprayed against the overwhelmingly magnificent canvas the night sky provided, so deep and dark and devastating, and with the wash of moonlight streaking the crisp breeze tearing about them in pale brushstrokes.

 

Such a beautiful, wonderful sight to behold…

 

But the hungry laughter ringing in the scarlet eyes of his captor tattered the peacefulness…

 

The heavy, sick beat of leather-ish wings screaming against the sky mangling all serenity…

 

A cryptic, jagged outline of a desolate manor drawing ever closer with gapping windows grinning with broken window-shard teeth, and the curl-swipe-lick of a tongue-like curtain welcoming its Master and prey home…

 

Ryou fainted with an inaudible whimper on his lips.

 

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“Here…?...”

 

“Hai…”

 

“…Here…”

 

“…Hai.”

 

“I can't believe… You made a mistake… Here!?”

 

Bakura growled out an exasperated groan, narrowing his eyes at the other in a frustration. “…If I have to repeat myself one more damn time…” The paler of the two watched as Marik's eyes narrowed and widened, the disbelief and rage livid in the violet slits.

 

“If Malik is here… Then… Then that means…” The crunch of Marik's knuckles sent a pleased shiver down Bakura's spine, tongue flicking out as he glanced at the hybrid's hands in hopes of seeing the skin split from the force the darker of the two clenched his fist with.

 

“Ingenious, isn't it? Implausible? Fucking -hilarious-!” Bakura laughed, forced around his sharp teeth, and laced with more frustration than he truly let on. “It's just like him to do such, damn mind games of his. I bet he even planned it so we'd find out like this too! What a bat-assed fucker.”

 

Of course, the paler vampire's words only provoked the flames further, Marik's low growl spreading across the chill of the night air dangerously as he glared at the all too familiar mansion, and held back a volatile hiss.

 

Mind games.

 

Yes.

 

So very much like Yami to play such.

 

The mansion was no stranger to either of them; actually, it was hardly a stranger to any vampire, especially since Yami had long ago made certain their species had an intimate connection there.

 

The magnificent structure was hard to miss by mortals and demons alike. Not only was the mansion and its property immense and looming upon the crest of a hill, its shadow seasonally draping across Domino and casting a solid shiver upon those who lived with little sunlight to grace their homes because of it, but the dwelling was infamous for a much more notable reason.

 

Violet eyes narrowed until they caught sight of said cause, the polished surface of the gold glinting right back with the peeks of moonlight that managed to strike it. The grand, elegantly molded `K' fastened to the archway just above the door of the mansion was renown far and wide across the globe among businesses and stock markets alike, although only when `C' was laced just behind it.

 

“I hardly find the humor in the situation, Bakura.” Marik growled, tearing his gaze away from the dwelling to glare at the other vampire, who seemed to be amazingly calm and still quite amused at the turn of events.

 

Rolling his eyes with a dismissive wave of his hand, Bakura snorted and crossed his arms as he glanced at the mansion in disinterest. “Look, as fucked up as it is to know that Malik's somehow already connected to at least one other vampire, shouldn't you be glad that at least Yami hasn't killed him?”

 

“Or worse… Claimed him.”

 

“Hai…” the paler sighed heavily, thoughts clinking away as he tried to figure out just how the Egyptian look-alike of his fellow vampire had managed entryway into the mansion without Bakura having known of such an occurrence, he was particularly close to those who frequented, not to mention resided there, so why had they not previously mentioned running across Marik's doppelganger?

 

More importantly, because the pale vampire was more than aware of the glaring loathing the other vampires felt toward him, so they had little obligation to share a breath of knowledge with him; how was it possible for Yami to have kept this sort of information from Bakura? Usually the dark lord was blatantly open about all his secrets and plans with his favorite toy, and Bakura had never slipped up before, keeping his silence without question through the sheer power of adoration and loyalty. So the fact his master would mistrust him after all these years of dutiful `worship' caused a lurch of foreign pain in his chest, the pale demon absentmindedly brushing his hand there and clenching at his jacket and shirt a moment as his white brows knit together in anger and hurt suddenly.

 

Yami didn't trust him?

 

That bastard.

 

Then another flicker in his chest and mind made Bakura wince at his thoughts, instantly making him regret second guessing his lover-savior-master.

 

No, Yami did trust Bakura.

 

How many times had he slept vulnerably in the elder's arms? Held and soothed by Yami when long-thought to be forgotten nightmares from Bakura's time as a human stirred in his skull? Cooed dark promises and spells of love and want and need?...

 

“Yami doesn't know he exists.”

 

Marik glanced at the other vampire skeptically, but took quick note of the paler's determined, almost desperate look as Bakura looked on at an image he could only see behind the jaded, murky gaze across his eyes. “…But, Malik has to know a vampire to have achieved being admitted here. And every vampire knows of me thanks to Yami's skill of showcasing me. One way or another he would have caught on and found out about Malik.”

 

“But I didn't know about Malik's current existence until you fucking fainted on me back there! So Yami doesn't know!” Brown eyes flared brightly with a ring of scarlet in anger, crimson bleeding over the dark iris as Bakura growled, challenging the hybrid to rattle on.

 

Gold brow quirking in interest and confusion, Marik blinked in sudden understanding before glancing back at the mansion, and allowing a faint shrug of a shoulder. “Perhaps… But that doesn't mean Malik is any safer. The others here may try to feed off of him, turn him over to Yami, or keep him for their own… devices.” A grunt laced with diminishing frustration answered him, the noise making the hybrid slip his gaze toward the other since it was much closer to his ear than he remember Bakura being, Marik hardly surprised at seeing that the paler was now at his side.

 

“Whatever…” Red receded into brown depths once more, Bakura's arms still locked across his chest, but fingers easing away their grip until his hands hung by his sides and straightened his jacket. “I said I'd help you find your brat, so let's get our asses in there and fish him out.” Not waiting for a reply, because he knew Marik would follow, Bakura stepped away from the tree limbs they had been under and headed toward one of the tallest windows on the side of the mansion, the light coming from it clearly defining the interior as having some sort of festive event. Not that it mattered either because Bakura knew exactly what they had to do and who they had to speak with were they to retrieve a semblance of answers and the elusive human, hopefully before Yami called for Marik and Bakura's appearances.

 

Indeed, the Egyptian vampire followed along without question, peering in on the seemingly hundreds of people gaily interacting in their tradition of dress ups. Feeling his stomach clench with excitement, Marik also heard Bakura's stomach call out in hunger at the banquet so wonderfully set out for them, so many pulses quickened by their dancing and laughing, it made them dizzy with sudden starvation as they realized how easily it would be to pick off one or two of the humans while they were there. “…Hn…” Marik swallowed, disgusted by the fact his mouth watered and his breath had hitched just a bit in anticipation, and pried his eyes from the scene to glance at the paler vampire, who seemed in worse condition the way Bakura was lapping at his canines. “…How are we going to find him? You won't be able to pick up on Malik's scent with such a crowd.”

 

“Ngh?...” Flicking his tongue across his lips and teeth for the hundredth time, Bakura shuddered with another pang of hunger before locking eyes with the hybrid, a sharp, dangerous grin splitting his face. “Ah… Quite simply, we go speak to our fellow demon, who I've already spotted in there. He'll know how to find your brat among the guests in the mansion; it's his specialty, nose like a fucking bloodhound.”

 

“…Will he help us? Most don't take kindly to you, and all seem particularly fond of trying to kill me as well.” Marik spoke softly, glancing within and trying to spot which of those within the mansion was the vampire Bakura spoke of, the hybrid was acquainted with few of the vampires by choice.

 

Bakura smirked, rolling his shoulders as he jumped down to the ground once more, waiting for the other to follow suit before yanking Marik into the shadows and making them disappear to slip inside undetected, speaking still as they slinked about. “Oh, he'll help me… We fuck on occasion, so he'll talk… Although it'll probably cost me a blowjob knowing that damn, horny bastard.” Chuckling darkly, the paler vampire led them in expertly, especially considering he knew his way around the mansion quite well. “Now, let's make a grand entrance he is sure to notice, eh? Make Kaiba come to us…”

 

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Lost among the throng of noise and illumination, he felt himself deaf and blind against the blaring crash of nonsense conversations that flickered between the swirl and hum of lights.

 

It was his first time to such an occasion, having transferred to Japan only a month ago, and truth be told, he was awestruck and at a loss for words at the amazing sight of his destination. The cloak of night had hardly masked the immense structure of the mansion, but it wasn't until the ridiculously huge doors parted that it suddenly dawned on him just how insignificant he was.

 

A gold wash of light had cracked and split the night, waves of laughter, conversation, and music enveloping him immediately and echoing in the other wise desolate night. Instructed to enter before people looked at him too questioningly should he extend his pause, he had allowed the butler to lead him deep enough so the door could close once more, and the full blast of the festivities could coil free.

 

A great number of witches were about, some green and horrendous while the others kept to pretty and flirtatious concoctions. Ghosts and the usual ghouls milled about as well, but the sight of several dozen Duel Monsters was what peaked his interest most.

 

Wings and swords and tights were aplenty, few of the creatures were replicated more than once, but even so the variety was amazing. Dragons and swordsmen chatted with zombies and harpies, while a few magicians of several levels laughed and teased at angels and fairies. He was so caught up in the trembling room of sights and sounds so foreign and quite remarkable, it wasn't until the fourth or fifth tug of his arm that he realized his name was being shouted above the shriek of Halloween music.

 

“Ma! Lik!”

 

“Hn…?” He believed it to be his first time blinking since his entrance, and a silly grin split across his face as he looked down at the pouting Dark Magician. “Oh, hey, Yuugi!” Malik gave the vertically challenged boy a friendly wave as he chuckled, making an unusual, startled noise as his arm was yanked so his ear could be level with Yuugi's mouth once the taller was stooped to one side properly.

 

“Don't `Hey, Yuugi' me, mister!” Amethyst eyes tried to harden, but the ever-present gleam of forgiveness and adoration made short work of the attempt. “You're late!” At the blink of lavender and shrug of one of the Egyptian's shoulders, and not to mention the supposed bemused grin, Yuugi doubled his pouting power and hitched his voice into a mastered whine of disappointment. “Malik! You said you'd-” Sighing in half-defeat against the always welcomed darker lips that claimed his own, the petit boy once more managed to pout after Malik pulled back with that damn grin still on his face. “…So you're not dressing up?”

 

The tremble in his boyfriend's voice was enough to cause Malik to smile sweetly and kiss what bit of forehead he found between Yuugi's blond bangs, the taller boy tapping the other's nose playfully. “Don't try and pull that on me, Yuugi. I know your tricks…”

 

“Doesn't mean they still don't work, right, even a bit?” Yuugi cast his trademark grin upon the other, poking Malik's ribs with a giggle at hearing him squeak and grumble.

 

“Hn… Hai… But just a bit.” Sticking his tongue out with his own pout, the faux resentment quickly melted away into a neutral mask as Malik glanced around and sighed. “But I can't dress up, Yuugi… I couldn't pick something, or, well…”

 

“Malik!” The Egyptian had winced even before his boyfriend shrieked his name out loud enough so the room of bustling people actually paused and took notice of the pair, Malik feeling his ears tinge a tad pink in embarrassment. “You knew I would have lent you the money! I told you before-” His words were muffled and swallowed by Malik once more, a quiet keen escaping Yuugi when the other flicked his tongue over the shorter boy's lips in a heavy drag, leaving Yuugi half-dazed and wondering what he had just been protesting, if anything.

 

“It's alright, habibi… I came here to spend time with you, not flaunt myself behind a pretty costume.” Malik smiled, chuckling at the futile pout that tried to formulate it self on the other's lips, the Egyptian successfully brushing it away with light strokes of his thumb.

 

“Ignoring your insertion of the word `flaunt'.” The voice held an air of cynical distaste, seeping as though out of no where at the two boys, and startling them both enough to cause the pair to jerk to attention. “Isn't it then pointless for you to be here? A costume party would be rather dull were more of these simpletons, such as yourself, to arrive without what is so clearly an important part of the party…”

 

Yuugi sighed, feeling the Egyptian beside him tense and growl under his breath, the smaller of the two tangling each others' fingers together and giving a slight squeeze at Malik's hand to remind him to behave. “Malik wasn't able to get a costume on time, Kaiba-kun. So we promise he didn't do it to be rude, or anything.” He offered a simpering grin to the teenage CEO, who was elegantly dressed for the occasion in an all black attire, no one had even bothered to question whether Seto would be in a costume, they all had known the answer before the thought cropped up.

 

“I don't have to explain myself to him, Yuugi.” Lavender eyes were slitting more and more the longer the brunet stood before them, the firm grip of his boyfriend's hand all that kept him from verbally or physically launching himself at Kaiba. Then again, Malik knew he would never antagonize Seto; there was something about the CEO that made the Egyptian's skin crawl, it was as though behind those brilliant blue eyes something was coiled and waiting, too dark and long left for dead to even name.

 

“Actually…” Kaiba's belittling tone was laced with a sneer; it took every ounce of self control Malik could muster to keep from walking off right then. “Considering I am the host of the party within my home, I believe you're quite liable for explaining yourself, Ishtar.”

 

He hated it.

 

More than he hated Seto himself.

 

Malik absolutely hated it when the CEO would call him that. It was almost as though the blue of his eyes would darken, the name uncurling like a predatory hiss to coil in the Egyptian's ear and laugh like a screeching warning against his skull. It sent minute shudders along the Egyptian's spine and made Malik wish for a brightly lit corner to run to.

 

Yuugi took note of the tighter grip on his hand and glanced questioningly at his boyfriend, worriedly brushing a palm across the taller's arm to quell the goose bumps prickling Malik's skin. “Kaiba-kun… Please leave him alone…”

 

A smirk and roll of azure eyes were all that notified the petit boy of an agreement, the battle was won and Kaiba was more than glad at having rattled his prey once more.

 

“Oi!”

 

Of course, the victory was cut exceptionally short when the brunet heard himself grunt as he was un-expectantly jumped on from behind, the telltale flutter of blond bangs peaking over his shoulder.

 

“Seto-koi! I asked you to wake me up before everyone got here! Oh, hey, Yuugi, Malik! Seto! Now look at me, I'm rumpled and still half asleep!” Hazel eyes laughed at the CEO as Jounouchi pouted, a quick wink tossed at his friends as he now made certain to torment his boyfriend for having picked on Malik.

 

“…I did wake you up; you then rolled over and fell back asleep, hardly my fault. And get off me, Mutt.” Rolling his shoulders fluidly, a surprised yelp accompanied Jou's short tumble off Seto, the blond lacing an arm around the CEO's waist as he took his place beside him with a grin. Momentarily waving a hand over himself to show off his French Maid costume, Jou then fluttered the mass of his feathered duster at the top of his boyfriend's head, then placing a satin-black top hat on the now grumbling brunet to at least pretend Seto was in a costume.

 

“Aw… You sure weren't complaining about me climbing all over you earlier…” A low purr accompanied the statement, the blonde's lips missing the taller's ear by a fraction of a centimeter as he craned his neck, giving the CEO a flirtatious smile when Kaiba frowned at Jou, a faint tingle of warmth soothing over the brunet's cheeks with the absence of a true blush.

 

“Mutt…”

 

Yuugi giggled and his hand shot up to stifle the noise, the boy biting his lip then at the low grunt Kaiba made in his direction. “Oh, Jou… Leave him alone. Besides, you're gonna need some help out of that costume later, wouldn't you rather Kaiba-kun be willing to-”

 

“That's enough.” A full-fledged flush now spread across Seto's cheeks, a dangerous glare offsetting the amusing situation as he straightened himself exceptionally so in an effort to demean the petit boy still sporting a highly amused grin. “From the both of you.”

 

Jounouchi snickered under his breath, nodding and tempting the flames further a moment by daring to kiss his boyfriend on the cheek in public, but drawing back completely to smile and scratch his mess of hair. “Anyway, I really just came to get Malik!” Said Egyptian blinked in question and dumbly pointed at himself, earning a chuckle from the taller blond. “Hai! You're the only Malik I know.” Hazel eyes wavered a sliver of a second before merriment once more flooded them, Jounouchi taking a hold of the younger boy's wrist. “I have a solution to your costume dilemma!”

 

“…I …How'd you-” Malik stumbled over his words as the blond tugged him along, blinking questioningly between Yuugi, Kaiba, and Jounouchi.

 

“Dogs have an acute sense of hearing…”

 

“Nah!” Completely ignore Seto's dry remark; quite possibly because it was dampened by the noise the Egyptian and blond found themselves increasingly surrounded by, Jou gave the CEO and Yuugi an airy wave as he took Malik further away, mouthing something and pointing up the stairs for emphasis, a returned wave and roll of eyes given as response, the latter only from Seto.

 

Yuugi watched with a soft smile at his best friend's kindness to help Malik, speaking mostly to himself as he shrugged. “Didn't know Jou had a spare costume for Malik to borrow…”

 

“He doesn't.”

 

Amethyst eyes blinked in slight confusion at the flat, hardly expected response from the brunet, Yuugi catching a final sight of pale, lavender eyes, wide with an unreadable expression across the room… a surprising distance from the stairs Malik and Jounouchi should have been near by now. Frowning faintly, Yuugi bit his lip in confusion, losing sight of the pair as they seemingly disappeared among the quivering mass of people. He tipped his head up slightly at an angle to glance at Seto questioningly, the shorter boy having barely locked gazes with the hauntingly dark blue eyes already watching him when Yuugi gasped as everything slipped into silent darkness.

 

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Moonlight sliced through the mahogany bathed room from the curtain drawn windows, illuminating the unconscious figure on the black-silk bed all the more as his ghostly pale flesh was in stark comparison to his surroundings already. Deep, crimson eyes watched the boy, mesmerized by such unmarred innocence, every detail unblemished and awe striking.

 

Caught in the rise and fall of the boy's chest, it was a moment or two before the dark lord heard the distinct chime of one of his vampires hesitantly trying to gain his attention across the makeshift mindlink of sorts he had established with some of his more preferred followers.

 

//This better be important.//

 

The lesser vampire cringed mentally; trying to hide his uneasiness from the festive humans he was surrounded by when he heard the ice cold response from his master.

 

/H-hai, Master./

 

//…Well, get on with it before I make you bleed out your innards.//

 

A grin curled his lips at feeling the other vampire nervously fidget and try to carryon with the humans he was around, answering back in a quivering voice he hoped didn't reflect upon him physically as he followed through with his task at hand.

 

/…Yes, Master. The boy, the one you told me to keep an eye out for, he's arrived./

 

Scarlet eyes darkened several shades until they bordered on nearly black, a violent grin stretching across Yami's pale face so his fangs slipped over his lips and grazed the skin harshly.

 

/…Master?.../

 

A cascade of laughter erupted from the vampire, standing and appearing immediately by the window, the echo of his glee chiming in the lesser demon's mind almost painfully.

 

//Excellent work. Keep an eye on him, keep him close, Bakura and Marik are looking for him… And I don't want them getting their hands on him quite yet, I haven't prepared my room completely.//

 

A pause in his words as Yami lidded his eyes and sent a mental croon at the other, adoringly petting the vampire's mind as though he were an obedient pet.

 

//So well done, dearest… I'll reward you personally, as well as with a gift. Would you like to keep the boy you're watching for me as a pet?//

 

/…H-hai, Master. I would like that very much, he's quite… Beautiful…/

 

Yami laughed once more, nodding physically and mentally with a smirk, he had envisioned Malik to be just as pretty and lovely and everything Marik was missing since the hybrid was just drop-fuckably-dead gorgeous.

 

//Then you shall receive him as a gift after I've pleasured you, only if things go as planned though. Don't disappoint me, dearest…//

 

A shudder ran through the lesser vampire as he nodded mentally and swallowed physically hearing the hiss of the lord's final words, the violent severance of their link still scratching painfully in his skull. Eyeing the Egyptian boy he was to keep watch over, and sniffing the room to try and pick out if Bakura and Marik's scent was any stronger, he slipped his eyes shut a moment to clear his mind before grinning and pacing onward, all the hell he had been going through thus far would be well worth it once he had his very own pet, and such a beautiful one!

 

The demon chuckled in the back of his throat and tossed the Egyptian a flirtatious, possessive smile.

 

Malik gave him an uneasy blink of wide eyes in return.

 

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