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l1teraryangel · 1 year

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In Another Life (Ch. 8)

Chapter Rating: M+

Chapter Warnings: Mild Sexual Content

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Ryou sat, speechless, unable to do anything other than stare at Bakura as he looked over his Ryou’s body for signs of life or distress. The story of how this Ryou, an innocent child, awakened a vengeful spirit who then possessed him and immediately killed a man left him uneasy. Yet, after hearing the story of Malik’s father and how Kek, who he knew as an individual, started off as an alter ego to cope with trauma and then killed said father…

“I said it before, but I have to say it again: how you people are more sane than the ones in my world… Blows my mind.”

Bakura tucked Ryou in before shrugging and rejoining the other Ryou. “We didn’t start off that way. Well, technically, Touzoku-Ou was perfectly sane prior to his… our?... trauma. Atem never went insane while he was alive, but I think being sealed in the Puzzle did a number on him. He bounced back faster than me, though.” His nose scrunched. “Ugh, don’t tell anyone I gave him a compliment, alright?”

“Alive… Right, I keep forgetting. Him and Touzoku-Ou lived three thousand years ago. How exactly are they here now?”

“Hah! I couldn’t tell you. It happened about three years ago. One day I was wandering the shadows alone, totally lost and shit, and then the next thing I know… BAM! I’m alive. And Touzoku-Ou’s with me. Which is weird when you consider he and I are the same person.”

“Um…”

“I mean, we are and we aren’t? As he eloquently puts it, I’m an amalgamation of him, Ryou, and a demon god. Actually, he says it much crasser.” Bakura glared at the doorway. “Where the fuck is he? It’s been forty minutes. I swear, if he went back to sleep…”

“Is it weird being in a relationship with yourself?”

His companion grunted. “Like I said, we’re not exactly the same. We look different, for starters. And he’s a bit more… Human, I suppose. He remembers things from back then that I can’t, and I have my own memories, like actually being inside the Ring… Meeting Ryou… Possessing Ryou…” A scowl scarred his face. “Hurting Ryou. Manipulating Ryou. Working with him to build our deck, our RPG world, all while lying to him.”

Other Ryou, seeing the shimmer forming over the mahogany irises, inhaled sharply. He’d never seen Bakura, the one from his world, cry before. He doubted he ever would, but seeing this Bakura tear up let his imagination go wild.

Nevertheless, the sight hurt his heart, so he whispered, “Please don’t cry. It’s all in the past, isn’t it?”

“Maybe.” The other shrugged, rubbing his thumb and forefinger over his damp tear ducts. “The scars won’t ever fade, though. Mentally or physically.”

“Oh, puh-leasssse.”

Ryou glared at his own Bakura, who mockingly sniffled and dabbed at invisible tears. The Bakura across from Ryou turned to face his doppelganger, expression an emotionless mask.

“How dare you look like me while being such a pansy?” Other Bakura taunted, shouldering his partner who joined him in chuckling over the display. “Boo-fucking-hoo. Next you're gonna be sobbing about how much you miss your pet.”

“I do miss him.” The three other-realmers, not expecting the sudden confession, fell silent. “I miss the way he always smiles at me, like I’ve never done anything wrong to him. I miss the way he cooks our favorite foods. I miss the way he scolds us for stealing things. I miss the way he laughs when Touzoku-Ou and I fight. And want to know what I miss most about him?”

A smirk snuck onto Bakura’s lips, aimed directly for his and his boyfriend’s lookalikes. “I miss the way he chooses to be with us.”

***

‘I’m a horrible person.’

A fair arm dragged him closer, sweat and heat binding his bare back to Bakura’s exposed chest.

‘They’re going to be mad, aren’t they?’

Dark lips grazed his nose, his lips, his jaw while a pair of steel-colored eyes sank into his soul, amorous and wanting.

‘This is wrong. I shouldn’t have come in here… They’re going to hate me.’

Moisture pooled in his tear ducts, but he blinked it away. He refused to confuse and hurt the Bakura and Touzoku-Ou sandwiching him, devoting nothing but passionate love, blind to the fact he wasn’t even their boyfriend.

Nails scratched tauntingly down his spine, and he arched, mewling at the familiar sensation. The lips behind his head whispered, “You look so beautiful, Ryou. Like a succubus coming to steal our souls away.”

“Steal?” Touzoku-Ou breathed, and the moist heat clung to Ryou’s neck. “He doesn’t need to steal. He can have my soul.”

Bakura’s hand dipped beneath Ryou’s tailbone, causing him to whimper. The nimble fingers pinched and teased his cheeks, and he felt the lips by his ear form a smirk with each gasp, pant, and whine.

“Mine, as well,” The man replied, tongue lazily stroking a stripe from clavicle to ear. “The question is… How does he want to take it? Sweetly? By force? Would you like me to feed it to you?”

His finger slipped upwards and prodded at Ryou’s entrance, pulling a moan from the man’s lips. “B-Bakura…”

Touzoku-Ou answered his wanton moan, cramming his tongue inside Ryou’s mouth, exploring hungrily. They moaned and writhed together while Bakura circled his finger around the sensitive hole. When Ryou broke away, lips swelling and breath heavy, Touzoku-Ou changed his target.

Sliding over their centerpiece, Touzoku-Ou pinned Bakura by the shoulders and crushed their mouths together. The explorative finger abandoned its teasing, which Ryou secretly appreciated. He knew he needed to put a stop to this. He couldn’t commit to this act, no matter how tempting and warm the other Bakura and Touzoku-Ou were.

‘Where’s Kek and his loud mouth when I need him?’

“Beautiful gem,” Touzoku-Ou drawled and gently redirected Ryou’s face towards him and Bakura. “Let me see your eyes, Ryou. Don’t be so shy.”

Ryou tried to look away — dammit, he was trying so hard — but the rocking bodies beside him kept his gaze frozen in place. Touzoku-Ou, stripped of his pants and boxers, straddled Bakura’s hips. Meanwhile, Bakura bucked and frotted right into him, his hands dragging over Ryou’s shoulders while Touzoku-Ou praised the action with moans.

“So… handsome...” Bakura panted, gaze torn between both of the men surrounding him. “Ryou, you’re too far away. Come closer.”

“I…”

Ryou forced his eyes closed, forced the images from the morning the chaos started to the front of the mind. He saw his Bakura, hair fuzzed out beneath his head, and felt his Touzoku-Ou’s lips beneath his own. But they were not with him right now. The Bakura and Touzoku-Ou showering him in love belonged to a different Ryou. It wasn’t right for anyone involved.

“I can’t.”

The words, strained and reluctant, escaped him as a whisper. Bakura heard, or so his puzzled look implied, but Touzoku-Ou reached out for him. Hurt flashed across his eyes when Ryou jerked back, dropping off the bed clumsily.

“I can’t. I’m sorry. I just… I can’t. Not right now.”

He ran from the bed and into the RV bathroom. Locking the door behind him, he thudded his back against it and slid to the floor. Tears, no longer held back, dribbled down his cheeks.

‘Gods forgive me for whatever I did to deserve being locked away from my own world. Please, give me back my boys. I want to sit down and watch a horror movie together. I want to play Monster World and watch them argue as much in-character as out. I want to cuddle together under the blanket. I want…’

He choked on a sob.

“I want to go home…!”

***

Bakura checked the clock for the umpteenth time. “Okay. It’s been an hour and a half since I woke up. I’m officially pissed, and he’s officially in trouble.”

Laughing a bit, Ryou asked, “Want me to go get him?”

Something in the question brought a mad grin to Bakura’s face. “That’s a great idea. And here’s one better: take this!”

Ryou fumbled with the piece of plastic thrown in his direction, confused eyes analyzing it. “The alarm…? Is that really a good idea?”

“For me? No. For you…?” Bakura snickered, canines poking out from his lips. “Oh, it’ll be hilarious. Just keep a meter or so from him, in case he thinks you’re me.”

“Uh…”

“No worries. He wakes up quick. Should realize you’re not me before he tries to strangle you.”

“‘Should’ doesn’t make me feel better…”

“Add an extra meter, then. Seriously, I wouldn’t suggest it if I thought it was dangerous for you. I’ve had Yanushi pull similar pranks.”

For a second or two, Ryou continued to hesitate, but he relented and scampered off, listening to the echoes of Bakura’s cackle with a small smile. When he snuck into the room shared by the two lovers, he followed Bakura’s instructions and hovered his thumb over the alarm, eyeing the snoring man curled under the sheets ignorant to the torment looming over him.

The reaction played out much how he and, certainly, Bakura expected. Touzoku-Ou jumped about a meter in the air, a furious “WHAT THE FUCK?!” bouncing from wall to wall, yet he landed on his feet, ready to fight off the ‘threat’ daring to disturb him. Also how Bakura expected, he did lunge for Ryou, but he stopped short upon seeing the (slightly frightened) big brown eyes.

“Did that bastard put you up to this?”

Ryou gaped like a fish. “By ‘that bastard’, you mean…?”

“Who am I kidding? Of course he did. I’m gonna wreck his pretty face.”

The boy pursued Touzoku-Ou, who spared no time to register he was only in his boxers (if he cared), as he stormed down the hall. Bakura’s lunatic laughter could be heard long before they entered the room where, completely at ease and cross-legged on the floor, he smirked up at them.

“Morning, sunshine. Rough wake-up call?”

Without responding, Touzoku-Ou tackled Bakura and wrestled him into a headlock. “You fucking asshole! Dirty son of a bitch! Fight your own battles!”

Each insult only added layers to Bakura’s laughs. “Oh, please, tell me more about what a vile person I am, oh saintly King of Thieves. Truly, you are far holier than I.”

Their struggles renewed, and Ryou watched their solid bodies roll around, taking in how alluring they were and wondering again how things might have played out if the Bakura and Touzoku-Ou he knew were like them.

He chewed his bottom lip as Bakura, either by cheating or by cashing in a miracle, pinned Touzoku-Ou’s bulkier frame to the floor. “I could hear your scream from all the way back here. It was worth it.”

Growling, Touzoku-Ou tore one wrist from Bakura’s grip and shoved him off. He relaunched himself onto the thinner male, stopped only by Bakura’s foot being shoved into his jaw. “I’ll get you back when you least expect it. And I won’t send in Ryou to do it.”

With a waggle of his eyebrows, Bakura tutted and waved off the threat. “You should know I prefer fighting smarter to harder.”

“Coward.”

“Bitch.”

“You must be feeling better today, if you’re picking fights with one another.”

Ryou glanced over his shoulder. Malik and Kek stood behind him, the latter lost in a fit of giggles while the former shook his head, disbelieving the scene they walked in on.

“Get a grip, thieves. You look like idiots.”

Bakura flashed his teeth in a sneer. “Pot to kettle, Blondie.”

Touzoku-Ou, huffing over the end of both their physical and verbal battle, offered an acknowledging nod towards the Ishtar pair. “It’s our turn to watch the troublemakers, so why are you two here?”

Through his twittering, Kek replied on Malik’s behalf, “We heard the ruckus, wanted to see what the drama was.”

Malik rolled his eyes. “Apparently, Kek, it was just their usual stupidity.” He nudged Ryou with his elbow. “In case you’re curious, yes. They are always like this. How Ryou puts up with it is beyond me.”

“The same way you put up with that.” Bakura gestured to Kek, who had already grown bored and was trying to goad Touzoku-Ou into a morning fistfight. The blonde glanced at him, pausing his aggressive tugs on the thief’s messy hair, and promptly blew a raspberry.

Malik slapped his forehead. “Point taken. Ra help me.”

Kek perked up at the mention of their favorite god. “Hey, Albi, that’s not a bad idea!”

Everyone eyed him, expressions ranging from confused to incredulous. Touzoku-Ou, losing balance due to his shaking limbs, dropped to the floor, rolling as he howled.

“You did not just suggest what I think you did! That’s a fucking riot! The gods, help me? Help Bakura?”

Fueled by his lover’s contagious merriment, Bakura threw his head back and unleashed his signature laugh. “Kek, I know you are insane, but I thought you were smarter than that. If we asked the gods for help, they’d flip us the bird and throw our asses into the damned shadows.”

Kek crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, with that attitude, who can blame them?”

Malik rubbed his darker half’s head. “It’s not a bad idea. But Bakura and Touzoku-Ou are right. The gods are hardly fans of their past antics.”

“But they don’t hate Ryou,” Kek pouted and tugged Malik into his side, ignoring the rebellious squeak the other let out. “They’d help him.”

Silencing their laughter, Bakura and Touzoku-Ou sighed, in sync right down to the way they ran a hand through their hair. The more muscular of the two grumbled, “Sure, they might be willing to help Ryou, but he isn’t here. Who even knows if they’d hear him in whatever realm he’s in.”

Other Ryou frowned, unable to take his eyes off the pining pair. Seeing them so down, especially after having been in high spirits, caused a sadness to churn his stomach. “What about Atem? You said he was a pharaoh in his past life, right? Aren’t they supposed to be close with the gods?”

Now Malik took a turn to laugh. “That’s a clever workaround, but these two would never—”

Touzoku-Ou glomped Other Ryou, his eyes positively glowing as he spun him. “That’s brilliant! You’re so smart, little one!”

Under the approbatory gaze of the shorter, scantily-clad man and firmly held against his naked chest, Ryou’s cheeks blazed hues of red. “O-Oh, er… Thank you?”

Bakura nodded absently beside them. “Mr. King owes us, so he won’t even give us lip. Not that he would dare say no regardless. Yugi would put him in his place faster than you can say ‘whipped.’”

“You two are really going to ask the pharaoh for help?” Malik questioned, a skeptical scowl on his lips. “Like… Willingly? No coercion needed?”

The silver-haired pair studied him, eyes solemn and mouths neutral. Bakura replied after a beat, “I would suck the pharaoh’s cock if it were for Ryou’s sake.”

Likely picturing the scene, Kek sniggered. “Wish we were recording that. Would have made for great blackmail.”

While he and Malik chortled over the mental image, Ryou wiggled in Touzoku-Ou’s grasp. “U-Um, Touzoku-Ou? Would you let me go?”

“Hm?” Touzoku-Ou allowed Ryou to slowly slide out of his arms, smirking at the way Ryou’s face continued to burn red at the physical contact. “My bad. Sorry.”

Brow furrowing, Bakura sighed and shoved his boyfriend’s shoulder. “Go put some clothes on, you exhibitionist. Unless you want the pharaoh to see you half-naked?”

“Disgusting. Haven’t you done enough damage without making me sick on top of everything else?”

“Hey,” Malik interceded. “Even if you get dressed, don’t wake up Atem and Yugi. Let them get some rest. Atem definitely didn’t sleep much yesterday. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was up all night watching the two bastards to make sure they didn’t somehow break out of the circle.”

Kek bumped his forehead on Malik’s. “So thoughtful. I never knew you cared about Mr. King so much.”

His lighter half grunted. “Fuck no. He’s alright, for the most part, but Yugi is the one I worry about. He will be upset if we abuse the pharaoh too much.”

“Fine, whatever,” Touzoku-Ou groaned. “What should we do in the meantime then? Sit around and gossip like whores in a brothel?”

The words left his mouth and barely lingered in the air before Kek clapped his hands for everyone’s attention. “I know what we should do. Go get dressed, tomb-robber, so we can duel.”

Ryou, seeing the knowing grins on the four men’s faces, cocked an eyebrow. “Duel? Like… with swords?”

Bakura snorted, slapping his hand over his mouth before he could burst out laughing. “That might be fun, too, but I believe Kek meant Duel Monsters.”

“Oh.” Ryou nodded, brow furrowing. “...What’s that?”

***

Tucked away in the bathroom, left to cry and mope, Ryou found himself thinking back on his past with Bakura and Touzoku-Ou. The memories equally comforted and depressed him, but at least they were his, unlike the world he was trapped in.

/One last time… Humor me one last time, and if my presence displeases you, I’ll leave forever./

\There is no if, spirit. And as far as you leaving ‘forever’? I thought that last time, too. I was actually happy for a while.\

/…Please, Yad— …Ryou. /

He refused to move, less from stubbornness, more from shock. Yami Bakura never called him by name. Always Yadonushi, Yanushi, landlord, host. Occasionally a mocking “my dearest vessel."

\Fucking hell… Fine. I’ll come out. We’ll talk. But I’m telling Yugi first.\

/That’s isn’t… Okay, you know what? Go ahead. If you could keep the midget away, though…/

\Still pissed he beat you?\

/Yes, now that you mention it. But there is an actual other reason. For his… safety… Keep him out of sight./

Unsure if Bakura was threatening Yugi or not, Ryou huffed and shut out the mind link to the best of his ability. He ascended the stairs with fast, skittish steps, and he knocked lightly before letting himself into his friend’s room. Yugi was, surprisingly, still quite awake.

“Ryou? What’s up? Is everything alright?”

Ryou noticed through a brief glance that Yugi was shuffling through the deck he and Atem built so long ago. He tried not to dwell on the deck he and his own other half had built.

“He’s here, Yugi. Outside.” Yugi’s large violet eyes widened impossibly bigger. “I’m going to step out and talk to him, if only so he’ll leave me alone.”

“Ryou, that’s not a good idea…”

Shrugging, Ryou turned, fiddling with the doorknob. “I don’t think so either. That’s why I’m letting you know. I… Call me crazy, but something feels different. The way he’s talking… It’s not like before. He sounds genuinely tired… and sad.”

“Ry…”

“I know it’s probably a lie. I’m not gonna blindly throw myself at him. I’m just hearing him out so that maybe he’ll leave me alone.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

Ryou shook his head. “No, he specifically requested you not. It was weird. It didn’t seem like he was trying to keep you away out of anger or anything… Almost like he was concerned what would happen if you came out?”

Yugi frowned. “That’s… not comforting.”

“You’re telling me. Anyways… I’m not planning to stay out there too long. Maybe ten minutes. If I’m not back in at least twenty, though…”

“Oh, I’ll kick his ass if he tries anything.”

They shared a half-hearted chuckle, and Ryou escaped down the hall and stairs without further to do. His heart jumped into his throat when he reached for the front door’s knob, but he braced himself and proceeded.

\Where are you? I’m out front.\

/Around the corner./

\I’m not going to venture too far. I’m definitely not going into an alley. Just come to the front of the game shop.\

/…Okay./

Yet another bout of shock rocked Ryou’s core. He never, never expected the spirit to give in, much less without a fight.

/Before I… Before you get confused or nervous… There’s someone else with me… I’m not sure how to explain./

\Someone else? Yami Malik?\

/What? No… Why would he…? Is he back?/

\Who’s with you, then?\

/You’ll recognize him, but… Let me just…/

His words were making Ryou regret his decision more and more. He expected a one-on-one meeting, which was bad enough, but now it seemed like he walked into an ambush. He inhaled, exhaled, inhaled repeatedly to steady his shaking body, reminding himself he was only half a meter from the game shop.

“Yan— …Ryou.”

There it was, only a couple of meters away, coming from his left. His heart skipped and pattered at the voice, similar to his but slightly deeper, louder, bolder.

“...Spirit.”

It took a moment, but he managed to turn his body and fix his gaze on the creature wearing his face. Only it wasn’t his face anymore. The eyes, ruddy brown and narrow, the angular features, the extra volume in his wild hair… Yami Bakura still resembled him, of course, but the differences were more distinct than ever.

While he tried to keep a watchful eye on his untrustworthy doppelganger, Ryou’s gaze deviated, drawn by a shorter yet brawny figure idling behind. His brown eyes flashed over the smoky white, shaggy hair, the deep brown skin, the double-T scar. Finally, as the bombshell dropped, Ryou met the purple-blue eyes tucked beneath dense silver lashes.

“...That… He’s… How…?”

Yami Bakura shrugged and motioned for his company to come closer, whispering something in what Ryou presumed to be their shared ancient dialect. The King of Thieves walked a couple of extra steps, appraising Ryou cautiously, though a flicker of something more twinkled in his eyes.

“Your guess,” Yami Bakura responded, returning his attention to his former host, “is as good as mine. I’m not sure how either of us is here, and I definitely don’t know why we’re both here. Doesn’t seem possible, since we’re… Well, you know.”

“So is he the reason it was so important for us to talk?”

Another shrug. “I mean, he’s part of it. I… I don’t know. I wanted to see you. To talk to you, face-to-face. To talk about… everything.”

“I don’t want to talk about the past. Not tonight. Not with you.”

His doppelganger scowled. “I owe you an apology, don’t I?”

“Why would I want an empty apology, Spirit? What would that possibly do for me? I only came out here because you were insisting. And because you promised to leave me alone after.”

Scuffing the toe of his shoe, Yami Bakura visibly deflated. “...I will. That’s my final promise to you. I won’t bother you anymore.”

“That almost sounded sincere.”

“It is sincere. I still want to apologize, though. Maybe not for… everything… I can’t say I regret everything that happened.” He ignored Ryou’s scoff. “But for dragging you along, hurting you, making your life so hellish and betraying your trust time and time again.”

Ryou shook his head. “You expect me to believe two years of banishment is all it took for you to realize what an asshole you were?”

“Has it really only been two years? Time gets away from you in the shadows,” Bakura sighed, wistful and soft. “I don’t think it was just the banishment, though. Part of me… The part belonging to… It died along with Him, I think? I feel like I can breathe, like I can step back and see things clearly.”

Ryou noticed the former spirit swallowing a lump, saw the tiny tremors running down his gangly limbs. He waited, and sure enough, the other continued, “I understand now, at least partly, what I did to you. So… I want to apologize for that part of everything.”

The thief mumbled something to Yami Bakura, apparently losing interest in the dramatic scene unfolding. The man glared at him and muttered back a scalding reply.

Meanwhile, Ryou shakily cupped his face in his hands, absorbing the words his parasite threw at him. “...Does he not speak Japanese?”

Yami Bakura glanced back at him. “Why would he?”

Ryou dragged his hands down so he could glare at the doppelganger. “Watch the sarcasm. There’s nothing logical about any of this, so what’s the harm in fact-checking?”

Bakura looked away, almost appearing ashamed. “...Sorry. Not trying to be bitchy. I’m… I’m tired, okay? It’s been a long day.”

The thief beside him uttered something else, which Bakura rolled his eyes at. “He wants you to know you’re, and I quote, easy on the eyes.”

“...Uh, thank you?”

The thief smirked when Bakura translated the reply and added some more unknown words to the conversation. Bakura grumbled, unhappy to be playing translator. “He’s asking if you’re going to let us stay with you. His words, I promise. I’ll tell him no.”

“Really? Just like that?”

“I assumed the answer was obvious.”

“I assumed you would be asking the same.”

“Please, Yado— Shit, sorry… Ryou. I’m not stupid. I told you I only wanted to talk. I know you want me to leave. Even if you hadn’t made it clear earlier, I can see it on your face.”

Ryou gritted his teeth. “I do want you to leave. I don’t want you back in my life.”

“...Yeah, I know.”

“But…” Ryou continued and fingered his shirt, eyes trailing away from the pair of men in front of him. “...You don’t really have anywhere to go, and he has to be seriously lost, more so if he can’t speak or read Japanese.”

Notably bemused, Yami Bakura stared, furrowing his brows. “...I… guess that’s true.”

Nodding to himself more than the other men, Ryou let out one more sigh for good measure. “For now… If you agree to my rules and don’t cause problems… You can stay with me.”

“You’re… serious?”

“It would be irresponsible for me to leave two potentially dangerous individuals on the street. Besides…” Ryou side-eyed Yami Bakura. “Call me soft, but I don’t like the idea of forcing even you to sleep on the street.”

His doppelganger looked away, and Ryou swore he could see a tint of pink on his pale face. “You don’t have to… Ryou. You played landlord to me long enough.”

“Guess I’m a sucker for punishment.” Ryou ruffled his bangs away from his face, eyes falling to the sidewalk. “We’ll establish some rules in the morning… Let me go tell Yugi what’s happening so he doesn’t freak out too much, and then we can go home.”

Yami Bakura’s eyelids drooped as his expression morphed, dreamy and uncharacteristically vulnerable. “Home… Yeah… Let’s go home.”

***

Two cautious knocks pulled Ryou out of his daydream, away from the past and the men who would become his boyfriends. He sniffed and dabbed his nose with the outside rim of his shirt. The knocker’s identity was semi-obvious since only two people were currently in the RV with him.

“G-Guys, I… I need a few minutes… Please.”

“Sure, no problem, just…” It was Bakura, voice trembling with melancholy, words broken up by hesitation. “When you feel like it… Could we talk? I’m… We’re worried about you, Ry.”

Touzoku-Ou’s voice, carrying the same forlorn tone, said, “Ryou, if we’ve done something, please let us know, alright? Or… Were we being too pushy?” Bakura whispered something, though Ryou couldn’t make out the words. “Right, we’ll… talk when you feel up to it. I’m gonna go check on some things.”

“Me, too. Come find us when you’re ready, okay?”

Knowing a simple nod wouldn’t work, Ryou uttered in a half-whisper, “Okay.”

They lingered outside the door, as if they were reluctant to leave him alone. Ryou held his breath, waiting for some noise to indicate they were no longer there, and after another minute or so, the RV’s only entrance and exit thumped open then closed.

‘They’re so sweet, just like my boys. I must have hurt them a lot by pulling that stunt… I need to apologize. It’s not their fault I stole their boyfriend’s body. It’s not their fault I’m a fucking mess right now.’

It wasn’t his fault, either, a tiny voice insisted. He certainly hadn’t stolen the other Ryou’s body intentionally, nor had he meant to lose control over his emotions. Too many things kept happening, back to back, leaving him not a spare second to breath or process.

Burying his face into his knees, Ryou gulped air into his lungs, desperately fighting the tears once again threatening to slip down his cheeks. He sought comfort in the interrupted memories from earlier, choosing to dwell on the past in place of the present.

That night, when he took Bakura and Touzoku-Ou back to his apartment, after a short-lived argument with Yugi about his safety, Ryou had collapsed on his bed. Bakura watched him from the doorway of his room, Touzoku-Ou peeking around the taller man to take in all the foreign sights.

“You remember where everything is, don’t you? There’s a sleeping bag in the hall closet. I figure one of you can sleep on the couch, and the other can take the fl—”

Once again driven by boredom, Touzoku-Ou shoved past Bakura and leapt onto the bed, landing beside Ryou with a cheeky grin. He said something, which caused Ryou to look to Bakura for assistance. His darker half glared at his Ancient Egyptian counterpart and stormed off without a word, leaving Ryou to fumble with what little of the language he recalled from his years in Egypt.

“Mmkay, guess he doesn’t want to translate anymore… Can you say that again? Slower?”

Touzoku-ou stared, seemingly mesmerized by Ryou’s lips while he spoke, and placed a casual thumb over the point of interest. He traced his thumb over Ryou’s supple flesh, eyes shining like the night sky despite, or perhaps because of, the dark. Wordless, the man caressed his hand backwards from Ryou’s mouth, never letting the contact be broken, until he clasped several wisps of white hair between his fingers. A single word finally drifted among them, and Ryou recognized it.

Family.

Despite his previous vacillation, Ryou felt his heart melt. The King of Thieves, Thief King Bakhura, orphaned by the destruction of Kul Elna and left to survive the harsh world of Ancient Egypt from a young age. He remembered what little the spirit told him while they worked on the RPG diorama, remembered how much sorrow and sympathy and anger had boiled up inside him.

Without thinking, Ryou grabbed Touzoku-Ou and hugged him, repeating the word into the ashen hair, promising and praying for it at the same time. The thief stiffened at the embrace before dubiously returning the affection.

“Be careful, Ya… Ryou,” Bakura’s half-amused, half-annoyed voice called, and Ryou caught a glimpse of him back in the doorway, sleeping bag tucked under his arm. “He’s not an innocent child. He’s still a murderer and a thief. And the thief part of him has eyes on you, from what I’ve heard.”

Mildly irritated, Ryou shook his head and pulled away from the embrace, smiling at the quizzical look Touzoku-Ou gave him. “You’re being a pervert. I don’t speak the language as well as you, but I know he called me family.”

“Mm, yes… Family. Family doesn’t stop at siblings and parents. A husband and, in your case, husband are still family, Ryou.” Bakura chuckled to himself and tossed the sleeping bag on the floor in front of Ryou’s bed. He ignored Ryou’s inquiring gaze, continuing, “But hey, if banging your ancestor from three thousand years ago is your fetish, don’t let me stop you. Go ahead, enjoy your family time.”

“You really can’t resist being a bastard, even when you’re supposedly trying to be better.”

“Blame him,” Bakura smirked, gesturing towards Touzoku-Ou. The thief raised an eyebrow. “What’s left of me is all him, you, and a pitiful fraction of darkness. So either he’s to blame or you are.”

Ryou pondered his words. “Does he know who you are? What you are?”

“I didn’t really dive deep into an explanation. I was trying to find you. He saw my hair, heard me speak the old language, and just sort of… stuck with me.”

“That’s good. Modern Japan would be pretty dangerous. He might get hit by a car or something.”

Bakura shrugged, but his attempt to respond paused when Touzoku-Ou grumbled. Barking a sharp retort at the thief, Bakura flopped down onto the sleeping bag. “He’s giving me a headache. I’m going to sleep.”

“You’re sleeping at the foot of my bed?”

“He’s determined he’s sleeping in your bed. Since you don’t seem particularly inclined to kick him onto the couch, I’m staying here to make sure he doesn’t get handsy with you.” Pause. “Unless you want me to leave. Like I said, to each their own fetish. Wouldn’t want to cockblock you on your wedding night.”

“...I’m going to sleep.”

“Heh, that’s what I thought. Want me to tell your new husband goodnight for you?”

“Go to sleep, you arrogant prick.”

***

When the tears ran dry and with his heart warmed by the recollections, Ryou splashed cool water on his face and exited the RV. The sun told him it was late afternoon, and the area around the RV bustled with activity. Nameless faces ran about, carrying merchandise or material for certain stands. He assumed they were background workers or local volunteers eager to help the circus settle in.

‘I don’t know where to begin looking for them… But for my other self’s sake, I need to make sure they understand they haven’t done anything wrong.’

A hiss drew his ear, and he beamed as the looming figure of Diabound poked over her fence, massive head and slit eyes angled to see him. The reptile seemed to beg for his attention, so he happily ambled over and stroked her down the scales. She began to wrap around his shoulders, her muscles constricting to root her in place and knocking a bit of air out of Ryou’s lungs.

“E-Easy, girl,” He gasped and pushed at her body. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough to hold you by myself.”

Her nose bumped his ear and jawline, tongue tickling his cheek. She didn’t continue to climb the fence and force her weight onto him, thankfully, but she nuzzled insistently into his face. He scratched the groove centered on her skull, giggling as her tongue flickered over his skin more and more.

“That really tickles, Diabound. Hey, since we’re here together, can I tell you a secret?” She exhaled through her glottis. “You might not believe this, but I’m not the Ryou you know. I’m from another world, an alternate universe.”

Diabound inched forward, underbelly scales accordioning over Ryou’s clothing. She curled enough to look him in the eye, like she was trying to figure out what he was talking about. Ryou giggled to himself and rubbed her chin.

“Where I come from, you’re not a snake, at least not entirely. You actually have a masculine body for your upper half, and then you turn into a snake on your lower half? I don’t explain it well, but you look super cool.” Tongue flicks grazed his nose. “You’re also not a creature that just… exists. You’re Touzoku-Ou’s ka, which is like his spirit creature? Kinda hard to explain if you aren’t familiar with Ancient Egyptian culture… Which he is since that’s where he was born and grew up.

“So, you see, Touzoku-Ou was a kid whose village was slaughtered by the pharaoh… Or at least that’s what he thought. It was actually the pharaoh’s brother. But because of that, Touzoku-Ou grew up hating the pharaoh and… Well, it’s a long story.

“Bakura in my world is actually a person who was formed by a piece of Touzoku-Ou’s soul and a demon god. There’s another whole story there, and everything is convoluted. Should I make some notes for you?”

The snake gazed at him, no longer tongue flicking or moving. Ryou rubbed her chin some more. “Did you fall asleep? Sorry, I started rambling. You’re very easy to talk to.”

In a doglike fashion, the serpent cocked her head, lengthy tongue flicks absorbing Ryou’s smell. Knowing this snake represented his lover’s ka in this world, Ryou bravely bumped noses with her, secure enough to believe Diabound would never hurt him in any world. True to form, the snake allowed the odd affection, exhaling a sigh-type sound from her glottis.

Eventually, Diabound slithered off his body and back into her pen. Ryou continued to beam at her, admiring her solid body of pure muscle, marveling over the sheen of her scales.

When she settled most of herself back on the ground and only rested her chin on the fence to watch him, he whispered to her, “The point of this was to tell you I’m not the Ryou you’re used to. I mean, this is his body, but I’m a different soul. Weird, right? Promise not to go blabbing, okay? I don’t want anyone else to be as confused and freaked out as I am.”

He chuckled and walked away, not noticing the snake had once again cocked her head to the side, studying him with calculating eyes.

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AO3 Link: In Another Life - Chapter 10 - LiteraryAngel - Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga) [Archive of Our Own]

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