Malik discarded the dirty styrofoam boxes in the trash compactor. He took the pot of coffee and the pot of tea with him; he had the feeling Yuugi and Ryou would want to drink more. It was kind of exciting to be finally able to talk to people his age. After almost seven years of interaction with someone older, more aggressive and not willing to share information, he'd almost forgotten how it was like to talk to his peers. He could be friends with Ryou and Yuugi, even though he had very little experience with making friends in the first place. He hadn't grown up in a stable environment and every chance of a normal childhood was gone the moment Marik came along. He heaved a sigh and was about to walk back to the kitchen area, when Marik's and Atemu's voices reached him. They were speaking in Ancient Egypt, a language that held no secrets to him. His sister had taught him from the moment he could speak. The thought of his sister saddened him. Ishizu… Malik realized he was standing still in the corridor, and he could see from his position that both Marik and Atemu had something to drink; green voran, a bitter, light-alcoholic concoction with a nasty aftertaste, but it was consumed all over the galaxy. He frowned. He had a good idea who had provided the drinks. The idea that Marik, of all people, would show servitude to a man like the Pharaoh, who acted like it was the most normal thing in the world, pissed him off.
"Your tribe owes me their allegiance and their loyalty," Atemu demanded.
"You're not my Pharaoh, Pharaoh," Marik growled in return. "It's been a very long time since we were complete. Do you want to ignore what's going to happen?"
"I do not care for Bakura," Atemu said.
"We need him, and you know that." Marik clipped every word, the frustration and anger obvious in his voice. "We have to find him."
"Fine, find him." Atemu sounded bored. "His Other is already in my care."
"Bakura has always been negligent, but even his plans have plans and he has the patience to wait for the perfect execution," Marik answered. "Malik! Get over here!"
Malik was startled out of his trance and he obeyed. "What is it?"
"Are you getting cozy with your new, little friends?" Marik asked. "Don't think you've found a new family, because it'll all will be destroyed, soon enough."
"You're impossible!" Malik spat at him. The pots of tea and coffee trembled in his hands.
"You knew Other Bakura was on Altana," Atemu said, ignoring the growing anger between them. "How did you figure that out?"
"My bots found a tag for a Bakura," Malik said.
"Your what?"
"Bots," Malik explained. "Software I wrote myself, little spying programs that I send out continuously to check up on… familiar people. Combined with our scanners, I got a hit on the ICDR for a Bakura."
Atemu was surprised. "ICDR is a registration program for criminals," he said.
"That's what most people think," Malik said, almost triumphantly. "But in fact, it's KaibaCorp.'s ultimate spying program, keeping track of all kinds of databases, transactions, other programs and records. You can't say shit without KaibaCorp. knowing all about it."
Atemu sipped the green voran, looking pensive. The silence was uncomfortable.
"Bakura has never been able to find his Other without difficulties. Where is his ship docked?"
"Wremmoor, I believe," Malik answered. "We picked him up there and exited him on Billun."
"And no sign of him, ever since?"
"No."
"Start looking for him," Marik said. "He knows his Other was supposed to be on Altana, as I told him so. He might've gone back to Wremmoor to pick up his ship first."
"All right. I'll go check it out," Malik answered. "Your Highness," he said as a parting shot to Atemu, with the most mocking tone of voice he dared to use. He thought he saw a glint in Marik's eyes but he wasn't really sure, and he walked away as fast as he could.
"Amazing, Malik-kun," Yuugi said. He was very impressed with the huge cockpit of the October, in which the Datura's could easily fit a couple of times. Malik settled himself in his chair and typed several commands. "Do you know how everything works?"
"Sort of. Marik sometimes allows me to fly solo." Malik's fingers all but flew over the keys. Yuugi had followed him into the cockpit after they had shown Ryou to a bedroom so he could lie down after applying some of the ointment to his bruised skin. He was exhausted and upset from everything that had happened. Secretly, Malik had expected Yuugi to be the one to crumble, but perhaps he had underestimated the Pharaoh's Other.
"This is the ICDR database," Malik said.
"The what?"
"Intergalaxy Criminal Database Records," he elaborated.
"Criminal? And you can access it?"
"I can access anything I want," Malik boasted. He didn't call himself a hacker, as he didn't like the word - but he took great pride in his computer skills. "It's exactly what it says on the tin: a database of criminal records. I might be able to find Bakura with this. Let's take a look at Altana."
"Uhm… I don't think this is legal, Malik-kun," Yuugi said as he looked over Malik's shoulder, fascinated nonetheless. Malik didn't bother to answer him. Experienced, he gained access to the database and he entered a search query for Altana. He didn't get many results; Altana's security was as tight as a net. He knew that this was merely the surface of the database. He sneaked into the database with the help of a backdoor program, another little piece of software he had written himself. He had done this multiple times before and didn't care that Yuugi was watching.
"There we are," he said, after a while. "Altana… KaibaCorp. HQ, no less. It's a report on how an unidentified male has been apprehended on the same floor as Seto Kaiba's private office."
"Who would want to break into KaibaCorp.? That's defying all logic," Yuugi said. Malik couldn't help himself, he had to grin.
"Bakura defies all logic," he said. "He's the Thief King and he's not called that for nothing. Apparently, a rescue team has been called."
"A rescue team?" Yuugi repeated, stupefied.
Malik snorted. "It's usually a euphemism for something…much worse," he said. If Bakura had been the one to be apprehended, and Malik had no reason to doubt that, his future would be pretty bleak. Death penalties were officially outlawed, but other rules and regulations applied to Altana, Planet Kaiba. Why had Bakura been so reckless?
"Oh." Yuugi's look of confusion was almost comical. Malik wasn't really sure if he got the message.
"I'm not really sure what's going on," Malik said, "the report is riddled with procedure codes and weird names."
"A burglar would probably be send to prison," Yuugi said.
"Have you ever heard of Ethgar-Lan?"
"Planet Prison." Yuugi shivered violently. "I've heard some stories."
"I can't find the tags for that planet in the report." Malik strained his eyes. "This is an unknown code… wait a minute." His fingers worked fast, entering command after command. "It's not a name… Yllsen Volta V. That's a planet!"
"I've never heard of Yllsen Volta V."
Malik called up a galaxy map and located the planet in question. He whistled. "That's at least eight hours from here. It's classified as a 'research facility', but it doesn't say what kind of research."
"One of KaibaCorp.'s dirty little secrets, I guess." Marik came to stand next to Malik. "Is Bakura on that planet?"
"There's something wrong with the tags," Malik said. "It's not like ICDR to leave someone unidentified."
Marik scanned the report. "It sounds like Bakura. I don't know anyone else who could've gotten this far... it would also explain his synthfuser being offline. They probably took it away when apprehending him, not knowing its purpose."
Atemu came to stand next to Yuugi and put his hand on his upper arm. "Aibou, are you all right?"
"Yes, yes I am." Yuugi's face lit up. He didn't like the talk about criminals and snooping around in databases that were supposedly not for general viewing. "I'm glad to see you. What took you so long?"
"I am sorry. We had quite some things to discuss." Atemu moved his hand up and took him by the elbow, gently yet firmly leading him out of the cockpit. Yuugi didn't protest.
"Did you work it out? I mean… whatever you discussed, of course."
"We managed to reach a compromise," Atemu said, his voice pleasant. "Where is Other Bakura?"
"We thought it was better if he rested," Yuugi answered. "He was upset after Marik-san's attack."
"I understand. You care so much for others, aibou."
Yuugi blushed at the compliment. He felt pleased, also because Atemu was touching him. He couldn't believe Malik's and Ryou's negative words about this strong and kind man! "Thank you," he said.
"Do you wish to lie down as well?" Atemu asked as they walked through the corridor. Yuugi didn't know which direction they were going, but he didn't care.
"No, I'm fine," he said. Atemu halted in front of a door and typed in a code on the keypad. A very faint voice in the back of Yuugi's mind asked him why Atemu would know a code on this ship, but he remained silent. The door slid open, revealing a large, Ancient Egypt-themed room. He was baffled at the luxurious interior decoration, perfectly reflecting those ancient times. The sandy colored carpet was thick and heavy, representing the desert. Yuugi couldn't believe his eyes. The art on the wall was amazing, depicting the various Gods, colorful and lively. All the furniture was made of solid wood with golden-plated backs and armrests, with beautiful patterns and designs on the chests and wardrobes.
"Who built all of this?"
"Incredibly enough, Marik did," Atemu said. "He has built the October from scratch; revising, adding and shaping it in the course of time. This is all his doing. It is amazing, is it not?"
"It is, it is!" Yuugi had been taken aback by Marik's earlier aggression towards Ryou. He had never figured the man was capable of crafting the most ingenious things. "It's beautiful, Atemu-kun."
"Aibou." Atemu came to stand behind Yuugi. He put his hands on his shoulders. "I really wish for you to get some rest. It has been a very intense afternoon."
Yuugi shivered slightly under Atemu's hands, but he didn't shrug them off. He shook his head. "I'm fine, Atemu-kun," he repeated. "You know, I… I should be going home. Jii-chan will be tired from working at the Game Shop and I promised Anzu-chan to talk to her."
Atemu lowered his head a little, his breath tickling Yuugi's neck. "Anzu-'chan' was very angry with you today. Do you really want to return to her?"
Yuugi shivered once more. "I… yes, we have to talk things over. I'm sorry, Atemu-kun. I really have to go home."
"I promised you a space trip," Atemu said, his lips close to Yuugi's ears.
"I'm sorry, it'll have to wait until another time." Yuugi's voice was a little high-pitched. He had to go home, to his grandfather, to Anzu… but why… how…
"Do you really want to leave me?" Atemu's lips brushed his ear and it was such a sudden, intimate gesture that Yuugi's knees buckled. Atemu was quick to react and slipped his arms under Yuugi's to keep him up. His hand was on Yuugi's chest, fingers splayed.
"I.. I don't know," Yuugi said. His breathing was slightly labored. He brought up his own hands, putting them over Atemu's. He couldn't describe what was going on and why he wasn't breaking himself free, why he couldn't break himself free.
"Aibou, stay with me," Atemu said. "Please. Do not leave me."
"I have to go home," Yuugi said. "Anzu-chan…"
"Stay with me," Atemu repeated. He tilted his head a little, his lips nipping at Yuugi's neck. . "Rest a little. You can go back to your Anzu any time you want."
"I…" Yuugi heard the contradiction in Atemu's words and it confused him. Atemu's physical grip on him wasn't very tight, yet he couldn't bring himself to withdraw from the other's touch, to move away from him. It felt like everything was overloading: his body, his mind, his soul. "I have to go back…"
"Of course you do." Atemu steered Yuugi to the bed without loosening his grip on him. "Lie down for a moment, aibou. Allow me to take care of you."
Faintly nodding, Yuugi sat down on the bed. Was he really tired? Why was the idea of resting so appealing to him? Atemu took off Yuugi's sneakers and before he knew it, Yuugi had rolled onto the bed, reveling in the comfort of the bed linens. His head felt heavy and he already closed his eyes, he couldn't help himself. He wanted to ask if Atemu was going to stay with him, but he couldn't find the strength to speak.
"Rest now," Atemu said and Yuugi knew no more.
When he woke up, something felt off. Yuugi had a queasy, unsettling feeling in his stomach and he couldn't identify a noise in the background right away. The thrumming sound of an engine, but that had to be a mistake. Where was Atemu? He certainly would know what was going on. Yuugi was about to get up, when the door went open and Atemu entered, holding a tray with a large cup.
"Fresh water," he said as he closed the distance between himself and Yuugi. "Here, drink."
Yuugi gratefully accepted the tall cup of water and drank greedily, relieving his dry throat.
"What time is it?" he asked when he had enough. "I need to go back to the Game Shop. And what's that sound I hear?"
"What sound?" Atemu asked.
"That 'brrrmmmm' noise," Yuugi said, feeling silly. Atemu showed him a small smile.
"Those are the ship's engines," he answered.
Yuugi arched an eyebrow. "You're kidding, right?"
"I am not, aibou. Are you feeling a little weird? You have not been in outer space before. Your body needs to readjust."
"What are you telling me? The ship's moving?" Yuugi asked, his voice shrill.
Atemu nodded. "We are on our way to Yllsen Volta V. It is a fairly long trip, so I allowed you to rest."
"B-but… I need to go home! My grandfather! Anzu…!"
"I am sorry, but we cannot turn around right now. Do not worry, I have sent your grandfather a message."
"That's not…" Yuugi was so flabbergasted that he could barely form the right words. "We were supposed to go to Altana, together with Ryou-kun! Where's he?"
"He is also on board." Atemu sat down next to him and put his hand on Yuugi's knee. To his utter dismay, Yuugi withdrew with a rather angry look on his face.
"Don't touch me!" Yuugi hissed. "You misled me! We were supposed to go to Altana! Suddenly Marik-san shows up, and we go to this... Yllsen planet I've never heard of before!"
"We will not be staying long," Atemu said. "Do you not wish for your friend to meet his Altern… his Other? Like you have met me?"
"I want to go home," Yuugi said. "You lied to me!"
"What lie did I tell?"
Yuugi gawked at him. Technically, Atemu hadn't lied; he had never mentioned which ship he would take him to outer space with.
"I promised you a space trip, and I always keep my promise."
"But… we would go with the Datura," Yuugi all but pouted. Atemu put his hand on Yuugi's knee again and this time he didn't pull away.
"I am so sorry, aibou. I was afraid to hurt you and lo and behold, I have hurt you the most after all," Atemu said. "I did not want to upset you, really. You must think of me as a terrible, selfish person. All I wanted to do was to stay true to my promise and show you outer space, be it on the Datura or the October."
"What are you going to do on that other planet?" Yuugi asked. He couldn't form a coherent thought.
"We are going to find Bakura," Atemu answered. "He is very important to all of us. Do not worry, aibou. We will return as soon as possible. Feel free to call your grandfather. The October has excellent intergalactic communication lines." He put his other hand against Yuugi's back, as if stabilizing him. Yuugi didn't answer. He wanted to order his thoughts, but he was feeling confused, angry and yet he wanted nothing more but to forgive Atemu. Be very careful with the Pharaoh. He hadn't known Ryou for that long and Malik even less, and still they warned him within hours. What was he overlooking? What was happening to him?
"What are you doing?" Yuugi felt fingers slip under his shirt. Atemu's touch was fairly cold and he shivered again. What was it about Atemu that made it so hard to break away from him? Anzu… he loved Anzu. Did he love Atemu? He wasn't sure. The confusion controlled his mind. There was something between them, something so deep that it was all-encompassing, those feelings of trust and comfort… Yuugi had never been afraid of Atemu, not even when he had approached him in the middle of the night, when he had asked him to read his name on the silver cartouche.
"Aibou," Atemu whispered close to his ear, his hand under Yuugi's shirt, his fingers warming up against his skin.
"Please don't," Yuugi said, but his voice lacked conviction. The second Atemu pressed his lips on the nape of his neck, an intense shudder went through him.
"If you want me to stop," Atemu breathed against his skin, "then tell me, aibou. I will stop."
Yuugi didn't answer. He couldn't answer. Atemu's hand on his back and his other hand on his chest tugged simultaneously at his shirt, moving the fabric up. Without thought, Yuugi lifted up his arms so that Atemu could move the garment over his limbs. He didn't shiver this time as the air rushed over his skin; the temperature in the room was comfortably warm. Atemu discarded the garment and lightly pushed against Yuugi. As a puppet whose strings had been cut, Yuugi allowed himself to be laid down on his back. He couldn't fathom what was going on, he couldn't understand the emotions flowing through him, conflicting and confusing. An image of Anzu popped up in his mind, but another kiss of Atemu, right under his collarbone, made him gasp. What... what was he doing? Atemu's fingers trailed along his abdomen, caressing his skin. Yuugi wanted to laugh. He and Anzu had agreed to wait with physical interaction until their marriage. Kisses, hugs and cuddles were no problem, but anything else was out of the question… and now, his body was responding in such a way that it was scary and exciting at the same time.
"Beautiful, simply beautiful," Atemu whispered and continued to kiss him, all over. Yuugi let it all wash over him. He couldn't find the strength to withstand Atemu, let alone the courage to return the gestures. Anzu… a metallic sound told him that his belt buckle was being removed. Atemu waited for a moment, gauging his reaction. Yuugi parted his lips, opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He couldn't think of anything to say and when Atemu kissed him again, he answered with the same greed and hunger, longing for the other's touch. The last of his rational thoughts went out the window and for the briefest of moments, he lifted up his hands and brushed past Atemu's cheek. The other smiled at him and after another kiss, he removed the rest of Yuugi's clothing. Through lidded eyes, Yuugi watched how Atemu undressed himself; he took his time, keeping eye contact with Yuugi. He gave him the opportunity to say 'stop', Yuugi realized, plenty of opportunity, but 'stop' was the last thing he wanted to think about. He didn't know whether to giggle or to cry, or to do both. He felt vulnerable, embarrassed and nervous. He had never seen a man naked before and as he gazed at Atemu, he felt envious at his confidence and strength. It was so tempting to take refuge, to take shelter in that strength, and he all but welcomed Atemu as he leaned into him again.
The caresses became more intimate and the touches intensified. Yuugi had never known there could be so many sensitive spots on his body, but Atemu managed to find them all. He started to writhe a little, the physical sensations taking over. His breathing became erratic. Reveling in the attention and the passionate kisses, Yuugi surrendered. The last of his resistance, the last thought of Anzu, it all went away as Atemu strengthened his hold over him. Obedient, Yuugi rolled over on his stomach as Atemu's hands guided him, touched him and stroked him, fingers everywhere. Yuugi's heaved a trembling sigh when Atemu covered his body with his own. He didn't mind the weight at all, he felt so safe, so protected that he trusted Atemu with the very core of his soul. Atemu took hold of him, possessed him, dominated him, and Yuugi's pleasure grew, the sensations running forcefully through his entire system, through every nerve, intensifying the moment to a thousand fold. He moaned. This was the other half of his soul, this was the one he belonged to. It was Atemu's name that spilled over his lips as his body prepared itself, and he gasped and moaned louder, his hands grabbing the bed linens and almost tearing the fabric. Atemu kissed him in the crook of his neck and his shoulder quite harshly, almost a vampire-like bite.
"Be mine," Atemu whispered in his ear. "Be mine for always, aibou."
"Yes," Yuugi answered, breathing labored. "Always, always, mou hitori no boku." Pleasure overtook his mind, preparing him for the inevitable climax. He arched his back, both his hands clenching, every muscle tensing until all of his senses were overtaken by his forceful release. Smothering his cry in one of the pillows, he couldn't help himself but to wail Atemu's name. His body shook and trembled forcefully while Atemu raked his hand through his hair, as if petting an animal. Still moaning, riding out the waves, Yuugi basked in Atemu's proximity, the way he was on top of him, skin to skin. A very calm, warm and rosy feeling came over him. Content, he waited until Atemu had finished and withdrawn, mourning the loss of the intimate contact. As soon as he lied down next to him, Yuugi curled himself up in Atemu's arms. The Pharaoh pressed a kiss to his forehead.
"Aibou," he said. "So wonderful."
"Thank you," Yuugi said as in a reflex, his mind bewildered as to why he was thanking him for. It didn't matter much at the moment; he snuggled up to Atemu until there was no more space between them. His hand rested, hesitantly at first, against Atemu's back.
"Please stay with me," he said. "Never leave me."
"I will never leave you," Atemu said, tucking Yuugi's head under his chin. As he was a little smaller, Yuugi couldn't see Atemu's triumphant smirk. You are mine and mine alone now, aibou.
Yuugi had dozed off, but the thrumming sound of the engines prevented him from falling asleep. The euphoria had waned and he felt cold, despite the warm temperature of the room. Yuugi turned over and supported himself on his elbow. Atemu was in front of a large wardrobe closet, picking out a pristine white shirt. With a swift movement, he shrugged himself into the garment and started buttoning up. He noticed that Yuugi was watching him and he walked over to the bed and sat down. Yuugi put his hand on Atemu's leather-clad left leg, not having any difficulties touching him.
"We should get dressed, aibou," Atemu said, his hand on top of Yuugi's, tangling their fingers together. "We arrive at Yllsen Volta V in just an hour."
"All right." Yuugi blushed though, eliciting a chuckle from Atemu.
"Why are you blushing? There is absolutely nothing you could be hiding from me," he teased.
"I didn't bring a change of clothes," Yuugi said. "This all happened so unexpectedly…"
"You can use everything from the wardrobe you like," Atemu said, petting him fondly. "We have about the same size."
Yuugi nodded. As soon as Atemu leaned into him, he parted his lips greedily for a kiss. Atemu caressed his cheek. "Go get dressed," he said.
Obedient, Yuugi got out of bed. Why would there be a wardrobe on board the October? The thought came up and disappeared right away. He selected a pair of black slacks and a dark grey shirt, nothing too outrageous. Atemu had donned himself a black waistcoat with decorative belts on the back, as well as golden bracelets on his arms, over the fabric of his shirt.
"Ready, aibou?"
"Yes," Yuugi said, putting on a pair of shoes. He quickly joined Atemu's side and they left the room. They made their way back to the cockpit and Yuugi greeted Malik and Ryou when he saw them. He also greeted Marik, who didn't bother to say something in return.
"Ryou-kun," Yuugi said, "how are you?"
"I'm feeling much better, thank you." Ryou looked over at Yuugi and noticed the different clothes. He didn't comment, but Yuugi blushed furiously. He sat down next to Ryou as Atemu had taken the front seat next to Marik. Yuugi's blush turned even deeper. He had the feeling that Ryou knew what had happened, even if there was no way he could tell that… well, he couldn't, right? Yuugi didn't dare to talk and Ryou didn't say anything either, so they remained silent, albeit not uncomfortable.
Jounouchi woke up, refreshed and reenergized. He stretched and threw his legs over the edge of the bed. He checked the alarm on his PMA, which informed him that there was at least three hours left before the October should arrive on Yllsen Volta V…. should arrive, if his assumption had been correct. His stomach growled. "Yeah yeah, just a moment," he said. He wondered what breakfast would be like now that the majority of the personnel, including kitchen staff, had been evacuated. Well, he could make toast and some scrambled eggs, so that wasn't a problem. Jounouchi got dressed and was about to get his gun, when someone knocked on the door.
"Come in!"
The door slid open. Curiously, Jounouchi stared at his guest. "Otogi, you're up awfully early."
His teammate grinned. "I've got some exciting news."
"Shoot."
"I used a small power surge to check the system." His grin turned wider. "You assumed correctly, Jounouchi. Your plan is working. The October is no longer docked at Vertregg 12."
Jounouchi returned the grin. "It's on its way?"
"I calculated their trajectory, and their course is set for Yllsen Volta V," Otogi confirmed. "They'll be here in another three hours."
"Good. That leaves us plenty of time to get started. Is Honda awake yet?"
"I think so. Even Kaiba took a nap. It's eerily quiet." He hesitated. "Don't you think the trap's too obvious?"
Jounouchi shook his head. "Even so, Bakura means so much to them that they'll risk it."
"I don't know why he is, or should be, so important." Otogi looked pensive. "I wasn't able to find anything on him. My contacts all assumed he was victim of a kidnapping… after all, he was dragged on board of the October quite forcefully."
"Maybe it's not because of who he is, but of what he knows," Jounouchi said. "Something we don't know."
"Too bad that we can't ask him," Otogi said. "I have to say, something about this guy is totally… wrong, you know? To think that he's important to other people who are also… not giving off a good vibe." He shrugged. "Anyway, do you know what happened to that small rectangular box that was attached to him somehow?"
"Standard procedure. I handed everything to Kaiba," Jounouchi answered. "He's a sucker for technology." He straightened himself. "Let's get some breakfast before Honda eats everything. We've got work to do."
Chapter 18 | Chapter 20 |