Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Winter Solstace ❯ Mariku on a Rampage! ( Chapter 6 )

A/N: Winter solstice is the longest night of the year, in December, Hayashiba-chan thinks. For the northern hemisphere, anyway.

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"Winter Solstice"

06/20

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- Third Person POV -

"So, basically some random guy who's older yet shorter than you walks up and screams `damn you Mariku-chan' and then after a moment of silence his kid runs up and he tells you it was all a MISUNDERSTANDING?"

"…Yeah. Yeah, that's `bout what happened." Mariku affirmed, and Yami fell out of his chair, giggling insanely.

"Well, your experience of the night is, kitto, more weird than mine was." Bakura said with a casual shrug.

Yami sat from his place on the floor and looked up at the light-haired teen. "Which was?" he inquired elegantly.

"Some chick was leaning on the stage drooling at me," Bakura began, and both his friends laughed.

"That's NORMAL, Baku-chan," Mariku smirked.

"I wasn't finished." Bakura said hotly.

"Do tell." Yami cut in before the two taller teens could engage in verbal battle.

"Right. Well, she was drunk, I assume, and started to slide of the stage… and then one breast stayed on and the other… didn't."

Again, the other two laughed. Currently, all three were sitting in detention, the day after the night before. They didn't work on Saturdays, or Sundays, and they were the only ones in detention (as the teacher was God knows where). Basically, they weren't worried about being overheard.

"I think she was a freak of nature." Bakura finished, and cocked an eyebrow at his still laughing friends. "Honestly."

"Maybe she was a he?" Mariku suggested. Bakura shrugged.

"Plausible. What about you, Yam-chan? What was YOUR weird experience of the night?"

"Nothing… nothing completely out of the ordinary. You know. I do the whole private room thing." Yami shrugged slightly, quietly climbing back into his desk. Both Mariku and Bakura frowned.

"Yami…"

"No. Honestly, you two, stop looking at me like that!" Yami insisted suddenly, afraid for some unknown reason. "I'm fine, okay? I can walk without grimacing thanks to Advil the Great and I'm not stupid enough to engage my heart into that sort of things, so-! So-! So stop looking at me like that!"

Mariku slid from his seat and walked around half the classroom calmly, to stand in front of Yami's desk. He leaned forward, hands resting silkily against the polished wood, and he bent his elbows just enough so that he could comfortably situate his face mere centimeters from Yami's. Bakura, too, got up but cut through desks instead of walking around the classroom, and placed his hands on the back of Yami's seat, becoming an impending shadow above and behind the other boy.

Yami stood up abruptly, knocking his chair a small ways away against Bakura, and stepped away from his now-dominated desk. Bakura took his place on the chair.

"Yami, dearest, Bakura and I were actually talking about your… other job… the other night," Mariku said evenly, hefting himself weightlessly onto Yami's desk and letting one of his legs spill off the edge, maybe a foot from Bakura's knees.

"Yes," Bakura agreed emotionlessly, "and we agreed that, if we feel the need to, we'll play the jealous ex-boyfriends and go around killing."

Bakura had once had a relationship with Yami, and Mariku had once had a relationship with Yami, and, in fact, Mariku and Bakura had just recently broken up. Right after Mariku had arrived back from Egypt, in fact.

"You guys… really…" Yami murmured, closing his eyes tiredly. Bakura made a sudden movement, startling Yami, and pulled the shorter boy onto his lap. Mariku slid forward and, with his back against the desk, splayed his legs around Yami'' (and Bakura's) waists. Bakura held Yami's hands behind his back, against his stomach, and Mariku grabbed Yami's neck belt, pulling him nose-to-nose.

"Yami. We know you need the money. We do, too. We're all in the same situation, okay? We've all three over-stepped our boundaries, broken the barrier between comfort and fear, lost our souls to ourselves… we've all dropped, right, we're all low, pathetic excuses for men. But what you're caught up in, it's… it's lower than low, Yami, and you need to stop." Mariku paused. "Stop it. Now."

Yami, whose eyes had widened considerably, abruptly jerked his wrists free of Bakura's grip and placed them against Mariku's chest, pushing firmly away. although, there was little space between them as Bakura had somehow pushed the chair closer to the desk, making the intimacy between them unavoidable.

"Oh, so I need to stop… stop doing THINGS, just like you and Bakura?" he asked, voice quivering. "You two are working double time with the stage, and while that works fine for your guys' schedule, *I'm* still attempting to pay the rent! I don't make as much just, just by dancing, and by telling me to quit my, my other job, you- you're telling me to just, just give up! Just…! Or something…!" Yami hadn't even noticed when Bakura grasped his wrists behind his back again, but he did give a startled squeak when the two other teens both attacked his neck.

"Like he said," Mariku murmured, pulling back slightly and then nuzzling his friend's ear, "before, about jealous ex's. you belong to us, uke-chan, both of us."

"Move in with me," Bakura purred against Yami's cheek. "Mariku is, too. One more year until school is out forever, alright? We'll combine our efforts until then."

"…Y-you guys…" Yami fought against the tears building behind his eyes. Abruptly, the door to the classroom slammed open, and all three teens fell down in a tangled heap of chair, waving arms, and flailing legs when a booming voice that belonged to the principal announced, "And THIS shall be your classroom! As you can see, it-" he took notice of the tangled limbs.

"Boys! What do you three think you're doing?" he cried, pissed off. Bakura and Mariku somehow managed to untangle themselves and the three quickly stood up.

"Doing?" Bakura asked, attempting to sound innocent.

"Us?" Yami asked, also attempting to look innocent. They both failed miserably. Mariku, forever the blunt one, snapped right out, "Why, we're all sitting quietly in detention like good little boys, duh. Last I checked that was a perfectly legal thing to do in this school?"

The principal fumed.

"Well, then the three of you won't mind spending another hour in detention, right here, kiddy corner!" he looked to his left and added, "misbehavior will NOT be tolerated at this school. If you are found with a job or are dating somebody then we won't hesitate to expel you, Is. That. Clear, young man? By being accepted in this school, you are partaking in a serious and valuably learned education, and jeopardizing that chance to learn for others will end in punishment!"

Since the principal and the "new student" were standing outside the door, the trio couldn't see the new kid. But they could hear him.

Mariku felt his knees go momentarily weak.

"I would never, NEVER attempt to break a rule, principal-sama! Nor would my little brother, ne, Yuri-kun?"

"Nope! Never, Malito-kun! You and I, we'll be good students here!" answered another voice, pointing to the fact that there were TWO new students.

"Good boys," the principal told them approvingly. He then turned to the original trio and snapped out, "This one, here, Nokanu Malito, will be in your class starting Monday. I SUGGEST that you three take an example from him." And the principal left. A short boy, shorter than Yami by a few heads, followed. He was wearing a hat and a sweater that was slightly too big, so any other details besides long golden bangs and wide, amethyst eyes, were inaccessible. And following behind him…

Mariku took a step backwards and fell over Yami's chair. It had only been for a moment; one moment as the boy walked by the open door. Not even half a second as he threw a slight glance into the room, not even half a NANO second when their eyes connected, and then he was gone, down the hall, following the principal's tirade of rule-breaking and just how it was punished.

Half a moment… what would… his name was…Malik. Yes, the sweet Egyptian boy he had met, that Malito looked just like him except for the obviously colored hair (bright red) and eyes (light blue). They seemed mysteriously, almost exactly alike, and the way he had looked from the corner of his eye, that slight tilting of the head…

…but why would Malik dress himself up and come all the way to Japan, to enter one of the lowest high schools in the country under a different name? It didn't make sense. But it was Malik. It was oh so definitely Malik. Only Malik could give Mariku that odd desperate feeling in the back of his head. Only Malik.

Had- did Mariku dare imply- Malik had come for… for him? Maybe, perhaps… Malik wasn't his real name; he might have been untrustworthy of Mariku back in Cairo, so given the name `Malik' instead. Malik- Malito?- yes, Malito, it must be. Malito seemed like the type who would wear colored contacts, for the heck of it. and everybody colored their hair nowadays.

Hn… Malito… Malito… Malito…

Mariku gave the ceiling a goofy grin. This was perfect! Now he and Malik-er, Malito could… could, again!

A better chance! The best uke Mariku had had since Yami! Malito was funner than, than-he was the best, okay! More bedroom time, yes? Yes!

"Yosh!" Mariku cried. "We'll do it again!"

"…what? Do what, Mariku? Mariku? Hello? Anybody home? Mariku? MARIKU! WAKE UP, DAMMIT!" a smack to the face and Mariku was on his feet in an instant, sober once more.

"S-so sorry," he managed. Yami was kneeling beside the spot Mariku had been laying a moment beforehand, and Bakura was leaning against the desk, staring at him. "I think I'll, um, I'll… I'll go pack, now! meet you at your, um, our place in an hour, then?" He gave Bakura a false smile (the other two young men knew it was false, as no sane human could stretch his lips like that) and Mariku then took off through the classroom and tore down the hall.

Yami and Bakura stared at his rapidly retreating form blankly.

-

"The one with spiky blond hair. Was that the guy you were talking about before?" Yuugi asked later as he and Malik walked out of the high school building. "Was that Mariku?"

Malik found his shoes unbearably interesting. "Yeah… yeah, that was Mariku…"

"Uwaa~!! I can see why you like him! He's one hundred percent bishounen!"

Malik flushed. "K-kind of, isn't he…?" pause. "I DON'T LIKE HIM, DAMMIT!"

Yuugi glanced at his almost-brother. He looked up thoughtfully, and then stopped where he was, before they had even fully left school grounds. The two stood by the fence separating the free world and the high school for a moment, before Malik asked, "Yuugi? What's wrong?"

"Say, Malik-kun?"

"Hn?"

"I think I left my… puzzle… back in the principal's office…"

Malik suddenly noticed the absence of the chain around Yuugi's neck.

"Oh- oh, I'll go get it. go on to the apartment, Yuugi… heh, check on your boyfriend, ne? I'll get it and meet you up."

"Ah, Ahh, Arigatou-Gozaimasu Malik-kun!" Yuugi cried happily, and flung his arms momentarily around Malik's waist before happily skipping away. Malik smiled slightly, and then jogged back toward the school, and was halfway through the front doors when somebody slightly taller than him came flying out, and the two swore when they smacked into each other, falling gracelessly down the steps and landing in a painful heap in the grass.

Malik groaned softly, and then sat up quickly, shoving the other kid off him.

"WHAT was that?" he asked, somewhat pissed.

"Last time I checked it was-" the other, older kid began, but stopped when he caught sight of Malik. "YOSH! UKE-CHAN HAS COME BACK FOR ANOTHER NIGHT WITH ME!"

"…huh?" Malik asked intelligently, moments before Mariku tackled him again and started a game of tonsil hockey. He smirked stupidly at the sky when Mariku began to move down, but then somehow got a hold of his senses and sat up quickly, attempting to push Mariku off. Mariku, however, did NOT want to let go of his uke-chan, and held on tightly.

The result had Malik on top and Mariku on bottom.

"Wait, we can't, Mari-" reality finally bitch-slapped Malik in the face. He jumped to his feet in pretend anger. "Just a minute! I don't even know who you are, and you, you - you think you can just go around tackling perfectly *straight* guys and stealing their first kiss?!" the Japanese were big on First Kisses, you know. "Well, well I've got news for you mister I'm-so-tight-and-ho-"

Mariku stood up quickly, looped an arm around Malik's waist, and silenced him with a firm, probing kiss. Malik, however, had a (somewhat) firmer hold on his emotions now, and twisted his head slightly. Eventually, Mariku got the picture and pulled back from Malik slowly, frowning slightly.

"…Malito, isn't it?" he asked slowly. "Or perhaps I was right in the beginning, and it truly is Malik. Or maybe, something else?"

"…Wha…?" Malik asked softly, voice barely cracking a sound.

"You name." Mariku said firmly. "What's your real name?" it was a command, not a question. This was the attitude that had somehow gotten Malik to be the uke.

"I - I don't know what you're talki-"

"…Why are you pretending, Mali-chan?"

"Pretending?"

"I know you're my cute Egyptian uke from before. You've colored your hair, and you're wearing colored eye contacts, but I know you're him. Malik. Malito…" Mariku brought his lips next to Malik's right ear, and continued softly, "you know, you give me an almost anxious feeling in the back of my mind, as if I ought to be afraid of you. yet, you play uke better than Yami, and that's really saying something… you're all I've thought about, what I've been lusting for, ever since that day you popped out of nowhere and kissed me…"

Malik gulped. So. The Shadows were aware of him and trying to get away, were they? Why else would Mariku be anxious? Malik made a mental note about Shadows being aware of Hunters, and slowly brought his hands up against Mariku's chest. He did not push away, though.

"Mariku… Mariku… so you've been lusting for me, have you?"

Lust. Just lust. Lust didn't tangle the heart, so Mariku was safe in that respect… not that Malik wasn't, of course, but still…

…it hurt… Gods, why did it *hurt*?

…no. No, pain is just a trick of the mind, smoke and mirrors…Mariku was Malik's prey. The sooner he could have him alone, the sooner he could kill him.

*KILL* *HIM*.

… lust…

"You know, I came here for you… I've never had a seme before Mariku, and I've come to the conclusion that it was a rather… enjoyable experience. But. I will only be here for a few weeks. Long enough for my father to complete his business. Then, it's back to Egypt." Malik leaned up and caught Mariku's earlobe between his teeth lightly before continuing huskily, "let's make the best out of it. just not public. I want this to stay secret, seeing as it's not a relationship, after all. not even your best of the best may know… savvy?"

"A few weeks, eh… fine. A secret it is." And he caught Malik's lips in another kiss before pulling reluctantly away when catcalls were heard from a third story window in the school building looming above them.

"Hey, Ma-chan!" Yami called, form barely visible as he leaned out the window, "there's no way you're going to cut detention just for some red-headed chick, got it?! get back up here! NOW! before I send Baku-chan off to tell the principal on you!" it was an empty, childish threat.

Mariku saluted the teen with his middle finger anyway, and called back up, "Hah! Admit it, Yam-boy, you're just jealous!"

"Am not!" Yami shot back down, and disappeared inside the window. Sighing lightly, Mariku turned back to the place Malik was.

Or, where he was SUPPOSED to be.

Mariku looked around wildly. "Oi, where'd he go?"