AN: I was going to make this a one shot. But it kind of turned into a two shot. I'll finish it soon!

AU story. Mild tendershipping. I think you'll find the ending surprising and cute.

Or just surprisingly cute. I dunno yet. XD

Next I'll try to update "Hooray For One Shots" and "Like Pieces of a Puzzle 2", but I also have "A Week At Sea"...So don't expect one shots every day for now. :p

Tozokuo Bakura was the greatest thief of his time. Jewels, money, horses, food. Nothing was safe from the thief once he set his eyes on it. He was brilliant. He was perfect. He was unstoppable. They called him Thief King Bakura.

Well, in his mind they should have, anyway. He thought about having the name trademarked.

He was a tall man with deeply tanned skin, whiteish-blue hair, and violet eyes. Running down his right cheek was a scar, which he deemed made him look just dangerous enough. He wore black, form fitting shorts and a large, red coat open revealing his well toned body. His hair was messy (someone had said it looked like porcupine quills) but it was easy for him to take care of and he liked it.

All the stealing was tiring, though. He decided, after some deliberation, that what he needed was a vacation.

First, however, he would need some money. Money he would get from his greatest heist to date.

The plan was perfect, of course. Step one: find something that no one had been able to steal. Fate gave him that answer with a poster that had been nailed to a tree announcing the sixteenth birthday extravaganza for the youngest daughter of the Hikari family: Amane Hikari. Bakura had heard of her. Many attempts had been made to kidnap her, but all had failed.

Target: Amane Hikari.

The plan: Break into the festivities and, in front of the nobles and esteemed members of society, kidnap her and leave a ransom note, making certain to sign it Thief King Bakura.

The courtyard of the Hikari's estate had been lit with lanterns and decorated with tropical flowers. Bakura's mouth still watered thinking about the tables ladened with exotic foods and the enormous cake that had been made for the occasion. The cake had been six tiers, each tier a different flavor(chocolate, coconut, strawberry, banana, pineapple, and a mix of chocolate and vanilla) and the entire thing iced perfectly and covered in such realistic looking flowers. On the four corners of the table had been ice sculptures depicting different mythical creatures that some revered as deities: a phoenix, a dragon, a tiger, and a tortoise with a snake riding on it's back.

Bakura would never forget that cake. He was still wiping it off his clothes.

The entrance hadn't been his best. He had been aiming to land in front of the table and say something to strike fear into the hearts of those gathered followed by a laugh. He really did enjoy his laugh. It had taken years for him to develop the perfect laugh.

Still, the thief had climbed out of the mess made by the cake, playing it off as he had intended to ruin the cake. He was flawless after all. He then began lobbing his smoke bombs, causing confusion and pandemonium before rushing to the table where the Hikari family sat, grabbing Amane, and making his dramatic exit. Everything (except the cake part) had gone perfectly. The Thief King had struck and absconded with Aman-

"Are you absolutely certain you aren't Amane Hikari?" Bakura asked his prisoner, who sat before him with his arms tied behind his back. They were in the woods not far from the Hikari's estate.

"...For the twelfth time, Mr. Thief, I am not my sister," the teen sighed. He wore a dark blue suit with a red undershirt, the front of it stained with icing from being carried over Bakura's shoulder. He shook his head to try and get his long, white hair out of his face so he could look up at his captor with chocolate brown eyes.

Bakura sighed, covering his face with his palm. "It's alright...I can work with this..." he muttered.

"Mister Thief?" the Hikari asked quietly.

"Never mind, idiot," Bakura grumbled, trying to rethink his plans.

"R-Ryou. My name is Ryou Hikari. A-and you are?"

'...Is he trying to be pleasant? I just kidnapped him for Zorc's sake,' "You haven't heard of me?" Bakura flashed his most perfect grin to Ryou. "I am the great Thief King Bakura! I am a legend!"

Ryou blinked a few times, tilting his head slightly. "Oh...Oh! Oh I think I did hear of you before!" The white haired teen smiled brightly. "You're the Idiot Thief Bakura!"

"That's Thief Ki- Who calls me Idiot Thief!?" Bakura shouted.

"Oh...I meant no dishonor to you, Mr. Bakura. My father called you that before." Ryou smiled pleasantly.

Bakura felt his right eye twitch but shook his head. 'No matter, they won't call me that now. I might not of kidnapped Amane, but I did get his son. They will have to acknowledge me now.' "Whatever. How long do you think it will take them to meet my demands?"

Ryou pouted a bit. "I...I do not know, Mr. Bakura. I'm certain had you kidnapped my sister, you would have received word immediately that they would meet your demands. H-however, being that I am his son, it might take a little longer for him to even notice that I am missing."

"What?" There was that eye twitch again.

"Ah...we-well, Amane is his little princess...And after our mother died, he...he has been doting on her and I do not see him very often. B-but do not worry, Mr. Bakura. I am certain that you will receive word before the end of the week!" Ryou smiled brightly.

Bakura sighed. 'A whole week? What kind of man is he that he wouldn't notice his son was missing...' "Ah well, it doesn't really matter. I have time to wait," the thief shrugged. "Hmm, I suppose I should find some place to keep you for the time being." He stooped and moved to grab the teen.

"Ah...I could walk if it is too much trouble to carry me, sir."

"Why the hell are you being so damn nice?" Bakura asked, noting Ryou wince as he spoke. "What?"

"Well sir...could you please refrain from using such language?" Ryou asked politely. Before Bakura could response, he continued: "As for why I am being so nice, I do not wish any trouble. I know that I could not escape from you. I am too clumsy to get very far and you seem to be quite strong so I know I could not best you in a fight. Really, I just wish to return home safely."

"...You are one messed up kid," the thief sighed, hefting Ryou over his shoulder and started walking. Ryou frowned, trying to get somewhat comfortable.

"Unhand him, thief!"

"Ah! Mr. Yami!" Ryou chimed. Bakura looked back over his shoulder at the man who had spoke. He was several inches shorted than the thief, though counting his tri-colored hair he was nearly the same height. Like Ryou, he wore a suit but it was black.

"Unhand the young master now, you scoundrel," Yami said, pointing at Bakura.

Bakura laughed. "Where's the ransom?"

"Ransom?" Yami blinked at him curiously. "What ransom?"

"Don't "what ransom?" me! The one in the letter I left behind!" Bakura growled.

"Oh, it was illegible with all the cake smeared on it."

Bakura's face fell. 'Stupid cake. Stupid...delicious cake...damn, now I'm hungry...'

"Nevertheless, I will be taking the young master back home now." Yami started to approach.

"First off," Bakura smirked, "you are alone. And secondly I am holding Raichu-"

"Um, Ryou, mister-" Ryou tried to correct him.

"And I'm not above using him as a human shield," Bakura continued, ignoring the teen. "And thirdly, catch!" the thief cried, pulling a black ball from his jacket and lobbing it at Yami. Caught off guard, Yami knocked the ball away and it exploded, covering the surrounding woods in heavy smoke.

"W-wait! M-mis-ter Bakura!" Ryou coughed out. "Please watch where you are going!"

Bakura laughed as he ran. "I am always careful! For I am the great Thief King Bak- AHHHH!" Bakura cried out as the ground suddenly disappeared in front of him. He tried to stop, but his momentum carried him and his hostage over the edge of a cliff and into the river below.

The thief emerged first, looking around for Ryou. Not seeing him on the surface, he dove back under and grabbed for the teen's white hair, relieved that it stood out enough for him to find. He hauled them both to the shore, dropping Ryou on his side and resting for a moment on his hands and knees. Once he had caught his breath, he looked to see the teen was unconscious but breathing.

"Well...damn..."

Ryou awoke later feeling warm and mostly dry. As he sat up he realized two things: that his hands were unbound and -

"Where are my clothes!?" he cried in dismay, hands flying to cover himself and looking around. He spotted his once new suit laid out near a fire to dry as well as the thief's coat and both of their shoes.

Bakura looked up at him from tending to the fire and shrugged. "It'd be annoying if you got sick and I didn't have anything to change you into."

"A-ah...I...I see," Ryou stammered, doing his best to keep himself covered.

"Relax. Not like I haven't seen a penis before. I have one too, you know," the thief grumbled.

Ryou kept his hands where they were, but nodded. "I...I am sorry-"

"Why are you apologizing...for the love of Zorc, I kidnapped you! I abducted you and took you away from your home to hold you for ransom! Why the hell are you apologizing to me!?" Bakura shouted.

Ryou's shoulders slumped and he watched the fire for a while. "I...was always told to be...proper, Mr. Bakura. I suppose...I just do not know how I am supposed to act in this situation." He looked back up at the thief. "So I am apologizing once more because I am not the hostage you wish me to be." The young noble looked back to the fire. "You aren't the first to mistake me for my sister. You are the first that did so intending to do her harm, however."

Bakura poked at the fire some more before standing up. "I'm gonna get us something to eat. Stay put."

"Oh...yes Mr. Bakura..." Ryou sighed.

"Kid, just call me Bakura." Without waiting for a response, the thief disappeared into the night.

As he scavenged for food, he find his thoughts centered on his hostage. 'He's too innocent," he thought, making his way back, some eggs cradled against his chest. 'And his so pale with all the white hair. He's like an angel or a dove or something. Why do I feel bad for kidnapping him? Me! The great Thief King Tozokuo Bakura feel bad for something! That just doesn't seem right...Poor kid's probably still sitting where I left him, scared shitless that I'm gonna hit him if he moves.' Bakura sighed, returning to the fireside and noticing that Ryou was not there.

The thief felt his right eye twitch, looking to see that the teen's shoes and pants were gone as well.

"That pest ran off," he snarled, almost throwing the eggs to the ground, stopping only because he didn't want to waste a meal in anger. He was about to go on a search for his hostage when he heard a soft grunt off to his right.

"O-oh! Mr. Bakura! You've returned!" Ryou said breathlessly. As he came closer, Bakura could see he was carrying an armload of branches and a flat stone. "I thought we might...need more firewood and a cooking surface."

Bakura let out a sigh. 'He really is too innocent...' The thief set his cargo down and took the branches from Ryou.

"Thank you, M...I mean, Bakura. Just Bakura," the teen smiled, kneeling to set the stone close to the fire to let it warm up. "I would have looked for herbs as well if there were more light. Perhaps I could have located some rosemary or basil. Maybe even some mushrooms that were safe to eat."

"Oh?" Bakura raised a brow at the teen.

"Oh yes. Plants are my specialty," Ryou laughed softly. "I wished to be a botanist when my studies were complete."

The thief couldn't help but smile at Ryou anymore than he could stop his eyes from roaming over his lithe form. He knelt beside the teen and began cracking the eggs on the flat stone, encouraging Ryou to tell him more about himself. By the time they had finished eating, the pair were laughing and talking like old friends.

"We should get some sleep," Bakura said, looking up at the sky. "The sun will rise soon as it is."

Ryou looked up at well. "Yes. What will we do when we wake up? I surmise it will be difficult for them to deliver a ransom to you if they cannot find you."

"Eh, I don't even care about that anymore," Bakura sighed, draping an arm over Ryou's shoulders and pulling him close. "Don't worry about it. I'll take you back home tomorrow."

Ryou blinked, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. "But then...this whole excursion would have been a waste of effort for you."

The thief smiled, shaking his head. "Nah. Really, it was kinda fun. And having fun isn't a waste of effort, right?" He met Ryou's gaze for just a moment before looking to the fire. "Let's just go to sleep, dove."

Ryou nodded, smiling at the nickname. He felt sad that their time together would have to end so soon when they were only getting to know each other. He was startled out of his thoughts, however, when he felt Bakura kiss his temple and pull him down on top of him, an arm hugging him around his waist.

"Night, dove," the thief mumbled, closing his eyes. Ryou swallowed hard and settled against Bakura's chest.

"Night..."