Disclaimer: I don’t own Yu-Gi-Oh!
Bakura scowled as he stared out the window. Even in Japan, it can get bitterly cold. Most people assume that Egypt is always hot, but they are wrong. Yes, it’s hot during the day, but when night falls, the temperature can drop to dangerous levels.
I had no problem with this era’s cold temperatures at first as I could retreat into the Ring to get away from it. But now I have my own body so I can’t escape it so easily. He heard his door open but didn’t turn as he could see Ryou’s reflection in the glass.
“Bakura?”
“What?” he snapped.
“I was wondering if you would like to sleep with me tonight. I mean, it’s really cold out there.”
Bakura scoffed, “This isn’t cold. Nighttime in Egypt is really cold. That’s why people stayed indoors at night.” Bakura then involuntarily shivered.
“Are you cold, Bakura?”
“Perhaps a little,” he admitted. “I’ll just put on some warm pajamas.” He turned from the window and headed for the dresser as Ryou left.
Ryou shook his head as he headed back to his room. Bakura was probably colder than he would admit. The tomb robber had been barefoot and wearing jeans and a short-sleeve shirt. When he shivered, goose bumps erupted all over his arms in a big way. He’d probably would be better off if he slept with me. I know I would. Ryou felt heat rise into his neck and face. Despite the fact that Bakura looked like him, Ryou was in love with him. There was a darkness in Bakura and in his face that he found attractive and often pictured himself confessing love to his dark half. But I can’t, he thought. He would most likely laugh or sneer at me. I envy Yugi; he told Atem of his love for him and the pharaoh reciprocated. I wish I had the nerve to tell Bakura without worrying about his reaction. Ryou then went to his closet to get out the softest and warmest blankets and comforters he had.
&&&&
Bakura shivered again as he dug through the dresser. The temperature from the news today flashed through his mind and had elicited the shiver. Despite what he said to Ryou, he was really cold. He hated cold. He dug deeper into the drawer and finally unearthed a pair of fleece pajamas. He smiled at the feel of the soft material as he pulled off his clothes and pulled on the fleece. Surely, he would be warmer now. The last thing he wanted to do was join Ryou in his bed because he was afraid he would blurt out a secret he had been keeping: He was in love with Ryou.
When he had first been released and took up residence in Ryou’s mind and body, he had been angry at getting such a soft host. The boy had no backbone! But then, he reconsidered the situation and realized that this could be a good thing. Ryou, being a kind boy, would be able to get access to places a criminal would not. No one would suspect that a wolf was hiding within the sheep’s body, biding his time.
He had underestimated Ryou’s hidden strength of will. There were times when Ryou would fight back, forcing Bakura to push harder. Many was the time when he would simply dwell in his Soul Room and watch Ryou hang out with his friends. He would watch Ryou with his kind, innocent face and it filled him with temporary content. When he got his own body, he found that that contentment had grown into a different feeling: Love.
Bakura climbed into bed and wrapped the covers around him and curled up on himself. Despite the heater being on, wearing fleece pajamas, under several covers, and his curled up position, he was still cold and he felt an empty feeling within that chilled him on the inside. He moaned at why he felt this way before getting up, wrapping his biggest and warmest blanket around him, padded out of his room, and up the hall to Ryou’s room.
The light was still on, telling him Ryou was still awake. “Ryou?” he called as he entered. The white-haired boy had been laying fluffy covers on the bed when Bakura called.
“Bakura?” Ryou asked as he turned around and tilted his head at his dark half.
“I reconsidered your offer.”
Ryou’s face lit up with a bright smile. “Great. Just give me a few minutes.” He pulled out a couple more blankets before turning on a bedside lamp, closing his door, and shutting off the overhead light. He wrapped a blanket around himself before getting into bed, sliding over to give Bakura room. The thief pulled the second blanket under his first one before joining Ryou. Both pulled the numerous covers up over their bodies and moved close together. The warmth of Ryou’s body as well as its closeness warmed Bakura inside and out and he smiled from it.
“Mm, this is nice,” Ryou said softly.
“Very nice,” Bakura agreed. “I finally feel warm.”
“You really were cold, weren’t you?”
“Yes. I couldn’t get warm and stay there.” He paused to gather his thoughts before saying, “Ryou-,”
“I love you, Bakura,” Ryou blurted out.
“What?”
“I love you. I find the darkness inside you and your face attractive. I think I’m attracted to it as I lack it myself. I know you’re probably going to laugh at me, but I couldn’t hold in in anymore.”
Bakura pulled Ryou closer, foreheads touching. “Baka, I wouldn’t laugh. I love you, too. Your kindness and innocence attract me to you and fill me with a contentment that became love. A love that warms me on the inside.”
Ryou perked up at this. “So, you felt cold on the inside too?”
“”I did. I needed to tell you how I felt and hoped to ease the cold in my heart and soul.”
“I’m glad you told me and accepted my offer to sleep together.”
“Me too.” Bakura brought his lips onto Ryou’s and kissed deeply. Ryou’s eyes widened at the gesture. It almost felt like Bakura was stealing his breath from him. That’s actually fine with me as he’s already stolen my heart.
Bakura pulled back and smiled as Ryou regained his breath. “That was a great kiss,” he commented. “I look forward to-,”
Bakura was cut off when Ryou seized him and brought their lips together again. Ryou gave a series of hungry kisses that stole Bakura’s breath and when Ryou stopped, he worked to regain it before saying, “Ryou, you could have been a thief with that kind of passion.”
“No,” Ryou yawned. “I’ll leave that to you.”
“I disagree,” Bakura yawned also. “You are a thief. You stole my heart just as I stole yours." Bakura drifted off to sleep, warm and comfortable in Ryou’s embrace.
