Hey! Look! A new fic! This one is going to be humorous and fluffy! Not like my other angst-laden fics... Hehehe. I'm selling out. Jokes.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"I hate the rain…"
Ryou smiled, and raised his chocolate-coloured orbs heavenward. His hair, grey and heavy with water was splayed over his shoulders and down his back. The pale teenager shook his head like a dog, scattering drops of rainwater. Malik made a face as the extra moisture was flicked into his eyes, and groaned.
"I like the rain." Ryou announced, outstretching his arms and twirling in a circle. His slender feet inside worn trainers quickly moved, and it looked as though he were dancing in the shallow puddles. "Dunno why. Always have."
"It's because you're weird." Malik remarked dryly, pulling up the collar of his shirt. "If I knew it was going to rain, I would have bought a coat…" Ryou smiled, and paused in his twirling, falling into step beside the Egyptian.
"Spring rains." Ryou tilted his head back. "You can't predict them. Not even if you're a meteorologist." Malik rolled his eyes.
"You are the most random and odd person I've ever met, Ryou." He sighed. The pair of teenagers continued to walk down the crowded street. "I'm sure you have a few screws loose up there." Ryou giggled, and wrapped his arms around himself, shrugging. Malik smiled sadly as he watched Ryou, who stared at the ground as he walked, his mind a million miles away. "Ryou… You okay?" Malik stopped walking, and turned to stare at Ryou, who pulled up short in his own walk, blinking in confusion. "You're… Scarier than usual." Ryou sighed, and opened his mouth to speak. Before he could utter a word, however, the whitenette was distracted.
"What…" He looked over Malik's shoulder, and into the alley they had paused at the mouth of. "Hey!" The Egyptian gasped as he was pushed aside as Ryou ran into the alley. Malik spun around, and saw a group of nine-year-old boys in a huddle. "What do you think you're doing?" Ryou gasped.
"Go away…" Bakura backed further inside the cardboard box. He hissed, narrowing his crimson eyes and arching his back. The teasing and taunts of the boys only grew as Bakura tried to defend himself. He backed up until he hit the back of the box, and then swallowed. A pale, chubby hand reached into the box. Bakura swiped at the hand, and smirked in satisfaction as the little brat ripped his hand out with a yelp.
"Stupid kitten!" Bakura's eyes widened as a kid crouched in front of the box. He caught a glimpse of a freckled face, crowned in a wild halo of red hair. The kitten meowed weakly, and curled into the furthest corner. The other boys laughed, and Bakura yelped as he was roughly dragged out of the box. He dug his claws into the cardboard, but it was hopeless. The redhead boy held the kitten by the back legs, swinging him slightly in the air.
"Let go!" Bakura wailed, but it came out as a squeaky meow. The boys only laughed, and the kitten was shaken roughly. "Stop!" He groaned, feeling as though his brain was banging against the inside of his skull. The kid only laughed, and tightened his hold on Bakura's back legs.
"Hey!" Bakura gasped as the hold on his legs was suddenly gone. He managed to land on his feet, and then shot like a bullet back into the box, where he curled up in the corner, shaking.
"What on earth do you think you're doing?" Ryou's hands were on hips as he glared at the gang of boys. "How dare you attack a poor defenseless kitten like that!"
"Hey! It wasn't so defenseless!" One of the boys held up his arm, where a scratch ran along his wrist. "It scratched me!"
"You probably deserved it." Malik sighed, placing a hand on Ryou's shoulder. He looked far more intimidating than Ryou, who was now staring into the box with concern. "Now piss off all of you." He stared after the kids as they ran, and Ryou scampered towards the cardboard box.
"Here kitty kitty…" He whispered, lying in his stomach and looking in the box. The kitten was still curled in the corner. Ryou froze when he saw the cats eyes were a striking blood red. That's just plain freaky. "I'm not going to hurt you kitty…" Ryou whispered soothingly. "I know you're really shaken up…" Bakura mewed slightly, and turned his head away.
"Go away." He muttered. Ryou froze, and his mouth fell open. What... Did that cat... No. It must have been Malik...
"Did…" Ryou's eyes were the size of saucers as he stared at the kitten. "Did you… Talk?" Bakura's head snapped up, and he backed even further into the corner of the box.
"No…" He muttered, looking down. He was just as shocked himself. How the fuck did that kid hear me talk... He couldn't see more than an outline, shadowed by the box.
"Oh… Oh goodness!" Ryou gasped. He couldn't believe it. "You did talk!" A grin spread across his face. "Wow! A talking kitten!" Gently, Ryou stretched one hand into the box. Bakura arched his back and hissed.
"I'm not talking!" He protested. "It's uh… In your imagination! Now leave me alone…" Bakura shivered, his coat heavy with rainwater. Ryou sighed softly, and stretched his hand further. Bakura growled in his throat.
"Hey, kitty, I'm not going to hurt you, I- OW!" Ryou gasped as the kitten swiped at his hand, and withdrew it quickly. Bakura snarled weakly, and turned around.
"Piss off." He muttered, exhausted. Ryou was still trying to get his head around the fact that he was talking to a cat, but he managed to put his hand back in the box again.
"Come on, kitty." Ryou coaxed. "Please? I just want to check you over, to make sure nothing's broken… I'm not going to hurt you." Bakura narrowed his eyes, but lifted his head and took a tentative sniff.
"Promise?" Bakura muttered, narrowing his eyes. Ryou nodded, and gently placed his other hand in the box. Bakura's breath hitched in his throat as Ryou gently cupped his hands underneath his bony frame, and shuffled back, carefully hefting Bakura out of the box.
The kitten blinked. He looked down at the hands that he was cradled in, and frowned slightly. They were so pale… Deathly pale. Like I... No. Bakura swallowed, and looked up into the face of his rescuer. Bakura froze, and his little kitty mouth fell open in shock. No way. Bakura's eyes lingered on Ryou's long hair, tinted slight lavender in the rain, and his eyes… Oh shit.
"What a funny looking cat." Malik remarked, standing opposite Ryou. Bakura growled, and whipped his head around, opening his mouth to speak. His voice died in his throat, and his heart stopped.
Marik!
Bakura squealed, and started thrashing about in Ryou's hands. The whitenette gasped, but was unable to stop the kitten as he jumped out of Ryou's soft cradle, and scampered over to Malik. Instantly, Bakura rubbed himself against Malik's jeans, purring.
"I found you!" Ryou could only look on, wide-eyed as Bakura reared up on his hind legs, digging his claws in Malik's pant leg to keep his balance. "I knew it! I fucking knew it!" Malik's eyes were wide as he looked down, and he shook his leg, slightly.
"Ryou..." He muttered, looking down in contempt. "Get the damn cat off…" Bakura dropped down on his front paws, his tail drooping.
"Marik…" Bakura whispered. Ryou sighed, and scooped up the kitty, clutching Bakura to his chest. The kitten only stared at Malik. "But… It's been so long…" Ryou looked down at Bakura, and bit his lip.
"You… You can't hear it, can you?" Ryou tilted his head to one side. Bakura was limp in his arms, looking down at the concrete. NO! This is Marik! He looks a little different, but it's still Marik! It is! I love him! It has to be!
"Hear him yowling?" Malik looked down at the kitten in contempt. "Of course I can… Come on Ryou, put him down, you know I can't stand cats." Bakura mewed softly, distressed.
"Malik…" Ryou begged. "Hold him, please? He really wants you too-"
"It's a cat!" Malik snorted. "It's not like he can talk… Come on Ryou, I have to be home by five." Ryou opened his mouth to say something, and looked down at the bundle in his arms. But...
"Marik." Bakura propped up his head, looking pleadingly. Ryou felt like crying in sympathy for the kitten. Who did he think Malik was? This was so weird. A talking kitten that only he could hear… I'm probably hallucinating after running into those stoners behind the gym.
"Malik…" Ryou ran up to walk beside the Egyptian. "I know you don't like cats, but-"
"No Ryou." Malik sighed. "Are you taking that flea bag home? You know you're not allowed animals in your apartment… You'd get kicked out."
"Maybe that's a good thing." Ryou whispered as he looked away, and Bakura noticed how Ryou's grasp on him was tight and… Fearful.
"Huh?" Malik blinked, and turned to look over at Ryou. The whitenette shook his head, and relaxed his grip on Bakura a little. "And put it down!"
"No!" Ryou protested, lifting up Bakura, and nuzzling his dirty white fur. "He's too cute."
"Hey!" Bakura hissed. "Don't nuzzle me, kid." Ryou 'eep'ed, and placed Bakura back into the soft cradle of his arms. Malik only rolled his eyes.
"Here's my building, anyways." Malik sighed a few silent moments later. "I'll see you tomorrow… And dump the cat before you get kicked out." He clapped Ryou on the back, and then waved goodbye, before disappearing into the lobby of his building. Ryou sighed, and hugged the kitten, nuzzling his fluffy white head.
"Hey." Bakura muttered. "Quit it. I'm only going with you because you can understand me, and you know… Him." Ryou sighed, before looking down at the feline.
"Wait… So… Other people can't hear me? Or am I just insane… Malik thinks I'm insane, but he really needs to look at himself because he can be dead neurotic at times and I-"
"Shut it." Bakura groaned. Ryou winced, and licked his lips. His shoulders slumped in a long sigh.
"Sorry." He whispered. Bakura chuckled. This is cool. I'm finally bossing around a human. Heh. Stupid mortal.
"You're not rich are you?"
Those were the first words to come out of Bakura mouth as he leaped from Ryou's arms and onto the carpet. He sniffed the air, and then sat on his hind legs, staring around at Ryou's apartment. Ryou sighed as he set down his school bag. It was true- His apartment consisted of three rooms, a dining/kitchen/living area less than ten feet wide, a bedroom that barely fitted a single bed, and a minute bathroom- But he hated people reminding him.
"It's all I can afford." Ryou murmured, walking over to the kitchenette in the corner. "I don't live with anyone else… You want some milk?"
"No." Bakura snorted, sniffing at the carpet. "I may be a kitten, but I don't drink milk." Ryou shrugged slightly, and poured himself a glass. "Why don't you live with anyone else? Don't you have family?" Ryou shook his head as he closed the refrigerator door.
"There was an accident." Ryou sighed as he took a sip of milk. "I don't like to talk about it." Bakura snorted, and padded silently towards Ryou.
"Tell me." The kitten demanded, looking up at the whitenette. Ryou shook his head, taking another sip of milk he leaned against the counter. Bakura growled, and clawed at Ryou's trouser pants.
"Ow!" Ryou yelped, and jerked his leg away from Bakura. "What on earth was that for?" He looked down at the kitten, who only blinked, trying to look as innocent as he could.
"Tell me." Bakura repeated. Ryou gasped as he sank his claws in once more, and, gritting his teeth, sighed.
"Fine." Ryou sighed, setting down his empty glass. "There was a house fire when I was twelve that killed my mother and sister, and my father killed himself two years ago. Happy?" Ryou shook his leg free, and then turned away from Bakura. The kitten was silent, staring down at the floor.
"Is that all?" Bakura turned around, and trotted across the room, where the worn couch protruded across the room as a meek divider. Ryou was curled up on the faded cotton upholstery, hugging a couch pillow.
"What do you mean?" Ryou looked over at the approaching kitten. "I lost my entire family… How could it be any worse?" Bakura snorted, and hopped up onto the couch, staring at the wall.
"You could be totally alone." Bakura murmured softly. "You could have no friends at all. You could have never had a family to begin with. You could be totally alienated from society. You could have nothing at all." Ryou frowned, digging his fingers into the couch cushion.
"Who are you?" Ryou lifted his head slightly, and looked over to the kitten, who reclined across the couch. Bakura let out a long sigh. "I-I mean… You're a talking cat. That... I don't get it. And how come I'm the only one who can understand you?" Bakura sat up, curling his tail underneath him. Ryou looked at the kitten, at his snowy fur stained with dirt, and hunks ripped out.
"It's a long story." Bakura muttered, looking down at the worn pattern on the couch. I'm not like you. I can't sum up my personal tragedy in two sentences." Ryou swallowed, and bit his lip.
"I'm here to listen." He said softly. "You can tell me if you want to." Bakura sighed, and rolled over, exposing his white stomach."
"Well…" He sighed. "If you really want to know… It all started about six hundred years ago..."
I will agree, it's quite odd. XD I'll update shortly, hehe.
R&R!