He stares outside, looking at the abundance of multi-colored lights adorning trees, houses and the streets. It looks festive, it's charming, but the lights appear cold to him, shining too brightly in their attempt to drown out the darkness surrounding them. Some of these well-lit decorations are massively over the top, as if the one who put them up wanted to make sure that no darkness would ever enter his or her house again.
Silly. Foolish. Darkness is everywhere, and no light would be able to chase it away forever. How could darkness ever be chased away from the heart? He narrows his eyes. He's foolish himself, thinking these thoughts over and over again. He's a patient man, but even he can get impatient every now and then. This day's making him nervous, but he doesn't know why.
"There you are. Admiring the lights, Bakura?" His voice is like gravel, harsh and raspy, yet smooth in the way he pronounces his words. He accompanies his sentences with a low, throaty chuckle, not bothering to hide his disdain.
He doesn't owe him any explanation, not after everything that has happened. It seems like ages ago. "I like to see how efforts are wasted."
A snort. "What are those lights about anyway?"
"It's to celebrate something called 'Christmas'. Didn't your host tell you?"
"Don't be stupid. He doesn't even realize I'm still around."
Bakura's lips curl up into a joyless smirk. "I would love to see the Pharaoh's face when he realizes he has failed."
"Speaking of which... will His Majesty join us for this... festive meeting?"
He shakes his head. "My yadonushi-sama has invited him for tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?"
"That's the actual day of Christmas. This evening is called 'Christmas Eve'."
"'Christmas Eve'," he repeats, incredulous. "Anything to keep oneself distracted, I guess."
"How did your host react?"
A mere shrug. "My shujinkaku-sama was very pleased with the invitation. After Battle City, nothing much has changed. It's not like his life has magically taken a turn for the best. He lacks the willpower to take matters into his own hands."
"He had the willpower to cast you out, Malik."
"Don't get me started." He grins nonetheless. "His 'surrender' was the most pathetic thing he could've ever done."
He doesn't answer. Does the other speak the truth? Was it truly Malik Ishtar's 'most pathetic thing' he could've ever done? He's not so sure. His own host is often silent, it's not like they interact much - but Bakura Ryou has stopped the Darkness more than once, thwarting his plans. An unexpected setback, just as he was about to win; his yadonushi-sama made it clear to not mess with his friends. His 'friends', including the Pharaoh. Bakura stares in front of him, mesmerized by the holiday lights. What does it all mean to his host? He hasn't decorated his own apartment, but he has invited Malik to come over. To think that he would accept said invitation... after all, they barely know each other! ...but he's aware of his yadonushi-sama's happiness that the Egyptian has come over at this time of the year, leaving his siblings behind. What does it mean? Is he overlooking something?
Malik stands too close to him. He doesn't like it when people stand too close to him. He's a loner, he's always been alone. Ever since his family has been killed... his hand goes to his chest, to the Ring. It gives him comfort, as far as he needs anything like 'comfort', to touch it, to make sure it's still there.
"It's magnificent." Malik's voice all but startles him. As if he has forgotten that he was there, and Bakura takes in a deep gust of breath.
"You haven't got yours anymore, do you?"
"No. My shujinkaku-sama surrendered that one as well. As he did with your Ring."
A crooked smile. The Ring always returns to him, without fail. Has the Pharaoh realized yet it has gone missing? Would he admit his second failure? Malik isn't surprised to see it again. A creature of Darkness, the both of them; they're not equal, but not that different from each other either.
"You're..." His sentence is cut short as Malik grabs him with his hands on his waist and pulls him roughly closer, smashing his lips against his. He wants to push him away, but Malik's hands are everywhere; Bakura's smaller wrists are caught in a vice-like grip and his body refuses to obey him, overwhelmed by the other's brute force. He reaches for the shadows in an attempt to summon them, but then it's over already. It's Malik who pushes him away and he almost loses his balance.
"What the hell was that about?" he angrily demands to know.
"Don't get too close," Malik answers. His pupil-less are bland, yet ironically beautifully lit by the Christmas lights outside, shining through the window. "My shujinkaku-sama is mine. I have plans for him."
"Too close?" The absurdity of the moment almost makes him want to laugh.
"Don't you know what Christmas Eve means?"
Bakura purses his lips, and tastes a small droplet of blood. "What's the meaning of Christmas Eve?"
"It's a holiday for couples to spend time together, and exchange gifts. You don't know?" The amusement in his voice is infuriating. Malik tilts his head. "Consider this my gift to you. I'll spare you your life, if you step back."
"You..." It dawns on him, the reason why his host has invited the other hosts over. Not the Pharaoh, he's invited out of politeness to celebrate Christmas, but Malik... to spend the night before Christmas. It's almost funny. Who's more pathetic? Malik or Bakura, who hopes to chase away his loneliness? Is that what you're looking for, yadonushi-sama? Someone to share your grief and pain with? Those lovely, lovely shadows that have surrounded him his entire life, consuming him every day, they have blinded him for the truth; Bakura Ryou is far stronger than he thinks he is. Malik shows disdain for his own host, treats him with indifference, like an object. He'll make the same mistake; he'll underestimate his shujinkaku-sama. He deems him pathetic, deems him weak - only to mask his own weakness, his fear of being banished once more. Does he fear the Pharaoh's arrival tomorrow? Does he think that he was only invited to be banished again?
"Don't ever touch me again," he grumbles. "I'll tear you apart."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you. You'd make your host terribly, terribly upset." The confidence in his voice matches the Pharaoh's, but there's just this little hitch to it, a little tilt, only noticeable if you know where to pay attention to.
"I don't care for my host's emotions," Bakura gives back. "I only need him as a vessel."
Malik remains silent. In any other circumstances, Bakura would describe him as handsome. His flawless tan skin, so fascinatingly contrasted by his platinum blond hair and golden jewelry, those mesmerizing eyes with the dark lashes... but he doesn't care for beauty. There's no room in his plans, his life, for anything aesthetical; he hasn't felt any love for anything since the moment he found himself lost in the shadows. He'd been so young... but Malik had been young too, when the ritual took place that gave birth to the dark side standing just a few steps away from him. Maybe that's what his yadonushi-sama is after. To share. To love.
"I'm leaving," Malik suddenly announces. "It'll be too conspicuous if my dear shujinkaku-sama experiences too many blackouts in a row. I don't want to alert him of my presence. Not yet."
"I know." Bakura looks at him blankly. "Maybe you should ask the Pharaoh for some tips and tricks on how to smoothly interact with your host. It would make life so much easier for you."
"You're an idiot." It's so easy to anger him. "You call yourself the Darkness, but you acquired your powers. I was born from the Darkness, and I doled in the shadows long before anyone could ever know of my existence. You have no right to criticize me, Bakura. I vanquished you before, and I'll vanquish you again."
Words. Sentences. What does it matter? He doesn't need Malik. He doesn't fit in his plans. He's not welcome. Bakura squints his eyes, just a little.
"Are the lights too bright for you?" This time, his voice's just that little bit lighter. Curious, child-like.
"I shouldn't stare into them, but I think they're so pretty." He turns his head to the side. "I'm really glad you could make it, Malik-kun."
A relieved smile. "Yes, I'm glad too. I wasn't really sure at first, returning to this place... but it's a good thing I did."
"A really good thing." He doesn't add anything more. The silence is comfortable, despite the darkened room, bringing out the intense brightness of the lights outside.