1. that which might hurt you;
[[ Part two is here.]]
It was drizzling when Shizuka finally left her apartment, questioning every step she took. Considering how her last encounter with the thief had gone, she should have been staying far away from him. But the more she thought about him, the more she was certain that if she just kept trying, she'd be able to get through to him.
It might be the only way she'd be able to protect Yami. Shizuka couldn't fight, and certainly wouldn't stand a chance if she physically opposed Bakura. She could have gotten others involved, perhaps ask Kaiba to hire bodyguards for Yami, but she didn't want anyone else to get tangled up in this mess. If it came to that, people would die, and she didn't like that idea.
So she figured she'd put her stubbornness to work and whittle him down bit by bit. It had to be possible; she couldn't give up hope. She had to at least try, for her friends.
It was the only reason she found herself standing in line at the pizzeria, inhaling the scents of baking bread and tomato sauce and hearing her stomach growling. The chatter buzzed around her pleasantly, making her feel a little drowsy, and more relaxed than when she'd left. She didn't even mind that the rain had tangled her hair a little; she had a brush in her purse, if it offended the thief that much.
Her contentment turned to amusement when she noticed the amount of food Bakura had ordered. He always seemed to do that, and while it would be annoying carrying everything by herself, it wasn't really that bad. After all, she knew that the darker Bakura, the one with the fondness for cooking shows, often let the pantries go bare, as she had noticed when she'd gone over to prepare a few meals. The thief likely wanted to ensure he wouldn't have to get off his lazy backside for the next few days.
Shizuka paid with a smile, giggling softly when the boy behind the counter winked at her and made a sly comment about how her boyfriend must have been so inconsiderate to make her pick up so much food. Not bothering to answer, she left, then made her way to the thief's apartment, managing to balance everything with a skill that surprised her.
Getting in was a different matter, and she had to wait for someone else to enter the building and hold the door for her. Red-faced, she thanked them, then managed to hit the button to call the elevator with her elbow, and did the same inside the elevator, thankful that the doors opened on their own.
Next time, she was going to insist that he have the food delivered. If there was a next time.
Pausing in front of his apartment, she attempted to blow a wayward strand of hair out of her eyes. Giving up, she lightly kicked the door.
Making someone else do his dirty work was something that Bakura had gotten more and more used to. There was something pleasant in watching people scramble around to try to please him, even if it was with something as simple as getting him dinner. Shizuka, of course, wasn't like the women who kept his company on a regular basis, but she'd still gone out of her way to do something he asked. That alone amused him to no end.
With dinner secured, he'd shifted to the main room, turning on the television and lounging on the couch. The remote was once again missing, so he settled for the sitcom that was on, only half-enjoying the bland humor. There was a knock at his door a few minutes later, and he glanced to the clock, figuring it was too early for Shizuka to arrive.
Sliding off of the couch, he moved over to the door, opening it and staring down (staring down was nice, as he'd grown accustomed to staring up at Malik, and that was just pathetic -- although, technically, that was no longer an issue) at the petite girl there. She was new, quieter than most of them, and yet, he still managed to be anything but polite. "What?"
She looked slightly upset, before she explained, "You invited me over for dinner, Bakura-sama."
He moved aside, letting her in and closing the door behind her. She hadn't brought food, so he'd clearly not been thinking about dinner whenever he'd told her to come (and shit, he couldn't remember that for the life of him). With Shizuka coming, he probably should have turned her away, but he couldn't bring himself to. He'd be quick; he usually was. "Alright, back room." Better to stuff her away, just in case.
She started walking back, with him following, flinching slightly at the hand he set on her hip. She was really new, and he actually found something attractive about that. Most of his girls were scared of him, but not quite like this.
By the time Shizuka had arrived, he'd actually managed to finish (amazingly), get dressed, and saunter out into the living room. He'd paused by a mirror and ruffled his hair a bit, though it still looked messy.
He almost missed the kick against his door, and at first, he didn't recognize what it was. Then, he realized it was actually at his front door and not the whore in the back. Shit, he'd meant to chase that girl out of here before Shizuka arrived. Oh well, the red-haired girl was well aware that he was no saint. Opening the door, he grinned at Shizuka, moving to actually help her by taking a few of the boxes.
"Evening, Princess," he greeted with a small laugh. Hey, at least she got a better greeting than the whore.
Shizuka blinked him at him before returning his laugh with a smile, looking a little worse for wear due to the rain. She really should have braided her hair before coming, but Kaiba had always said it made her look far younger than she was, so she had stopped doing it entirely. It was nice, though, to be inside a warm, dry building.
Entering the apartment, Shizuka slipped out of her jacket and looked around for a place to hang it up. Bakura didn't seem inclined to take it - which she didn't mind; he had taken the food from her, after all - so she simply hung it up in the closet, a little surprised by how sparse it was. Almost as if only one person lived there. Absently, she smoothed over her skirt, glad she'd worn a little cardigan over her shirt; though the interior was warmed than outside, it was still a bit chilly.
"How are you?" she asked politely as she padded behind him, following him into the kitchen. She was already familiar with it, and so, without waiting for any prompt, she pulled out a couple of plates and some utensils, and quickly located the napkins as well. She didn't even stop to think that Bakura might wonder how she knew her way around his kitchen so well.
After all, she figured the other one had told him about her visit.
"It's raining out," she said before he could reply. "It's pretty gross. You were smart to stay inside."
Bakura made his way to the kitchen setting everything down on the counter, not even completely sure what he had just ordered. He'd gotten two pizzas, both covered with meat (if Malik decided to show up, that worthless bitch could starve), among other things. It didn't matter, he supposed, since right now, he really only wanted the pizza.
"I'm fine," he answered, leaning against the counter. He didn't think a thing of her knowing where everything was. He'd known she'd cooked for his roommate, yes, but even that didn't really surface in his mind. Perhaps he just thought women should automatically know their way around the kitchen. "I didn't wake up that long ago," he confessed.
She looked cold without her jacket, though that was mostly due to the fact that she was wet. "Nngh, glad I made you get my food then," he chuckled, looking over to her to let her know he was teasing. Well, partially teasing. "But how are y--"
He was cut off when his whore -- she had a name, Natsumi, but he didn't know it well (he got them confused) -- stumbled into the kitchen, giving him a confused look. She hadn't managed to get dressed all of the way, and had actually just stolen one of his bigger shirts, buttoning it up enough that her boobs didn't show completely. "O-oh, Bakura-sama, I'm sorry..."
Shizuka managed somehow to keep her shivering to a minimum. She was certain that once she started eating, she would warm up, though she wrinkled her nose a little when she peeked at the pizzas. It wasn't as if she couldn't pick the meat off, but still.
And at least it wasn't one of those monstrosities her brother liked to eat.
She had been about to respond when a girl with rather tousled hair came into the kitchen, looking almost frightened to see Shizuka there. For her part, the redhead just blinked, staring at the girl and wondering who she was and what she was doing there.
And why she was wearing what she could only assume was one of the thief's shirts.
Biting her lower lip, Shizuka decided to be polite. Bowing quickly, she murmured, "Nice to meet you. I'm Shizuka!"
"Go," Bakura snapped in the girl's direction, motioning for her to run back to his room. He wasn't in the mood to explain who she was to Shizuka, knowing that she probably wouldn't have an ideal reaction. What an ideal reaction was, he wasn't sure.
The girl bowed in Shizuka's direction, offering a quick, "Nice to meet you, too. I'm Natsumi." She then shot an apologetic look in Bakura's direction and scampered off again. Bakura hoped she was getting dressed and ready to leave, though chances were she'd have to hound him for money first. She'd mentioned needing a place to stay, and keeping her here was almost out of the question.
Malik rarely played nicely with others, after all.
After she was gone, he looked back at Shizuka, offering her a smile that explained nothing. "Mm, as I was saying. How have you been?"
Shizuka stared off towards where the girl had disappeared to, a curious expression on her face. For a moment, she almost made the connection between the events from the other day, to the girl here, but luckily, her thoughts were jolted when Bakura spoke to her.
Blinking, she looked over at him, brows furrowing. Almost unconsciously, she as attempting to only face him on one side, keeping the bruised cheek out of his line of sight. She'd been standing like that around everyone lately, trying to keep the questions to a minimum, and thus didn't even consider her actions here.
"I've been well," she said, her tone making it clear she was curious beyond belief about who the girl was. However, she was too well bred to ask questions. Perhaps she was Bakura's girlfriend, or just a friend needing a place to stay. He certainly wasn't treating her very gentle, considering how he'd snapped at her, but then, Bakura wasn't the nicest of people.
Her eyes flickered back towards the doorway.
Bakura, however, didn't try to ease Shizuka's curiosity and instead moved to get a plate for himself. He tossed two pieces of pizza on it and then moved to the refrigerator, grabbing a can of beer for himself. He paused, looking over his shoulder at Shizuka and asking, "What do you want?" It didn't sound overly polite, but at least he'd taken the time to ask.
He hadn't noticed how she was standing, and truthfully, had almost forgotten he'd slapped her altogether. Events were generally fuzzy in his mind lately, and he usually needed something or someone to jog his memory before he clearly could recall much of anything. He remembered meeting her, and he remembered kissing her pretty easily enough (and the fact that he hadn't gotten further, damnit).
"Nn, I imagine life's been boring? What do you do? Go to school and work?"
Not knowing what was in the fridge, Shizuka came up behind him, peering over his shoulder at the contents. Mostly alcohol of one sort or another, which hardly surprised her. If anyone could invent a way to exist solely on liquor, it was the thief.
There were, however, other things in there, including some rather moldy food, something she couldn't identify growing in a corner, and bottles of various drinks, some new, some half-full. She desperately latched onto the cans of grape soda, and pointed at them. "One of those please," she said, a little surprised they had something so...ordinary.
Then she seemed to realize how close she was standing to him, and stepped back, headed to the counter in an overly casual fashion. Placing a slice of pizza on a plate and grabbing a handful of napkins, she turned to look at him again, head tilted slightly.
"Yeah, that's basically what I do." It was boring, when she wasn't so busy she forgot what entertainment even was, so she hardly had any interesting stories to regale him with. Shifting her stance, she said, "What about you?"
Following her finger, Bakura grabbed one of the cans of grape soda and handed it to her. "No promises that it's not well past its expiration date. I haven't done any sort of 'shopping' since I got back from Egypt, and who knows how up to date the Spirit keeps our drinks." Judging from the rest of the food in the refrigerator, Bakura probably didn't want to know.
He shut the door after that and grabbed his plate and beer, nodding over to a table. Hell, why not use the table? He couldn't remember a time that it'd ever been used before (normally, he ate on the couch or in his room). It was probably well past time to break it in.
He set his plate down, taking a seat, and squirming slightly to get comfortable as he opened his drink. "Uhm," he hesitated, thinking that question over. "Well, legally, I've just been watching TV and drinking cheap beer." He smirked at her and then added, "Take a seat."
Eyes flickering towards the doorway again, Shizuka meekly sat down, sitting straight and proper and trying not to think of all the illegal things he was likely doing in his spare time. After all, Bakura didn't have any sort of real job, so he had to be pulling in money somehow. And that girl on the street the other day...
No. Best not to think about that, since it would just lead to what happened in the alleyway, and then she'd get all embarrassed. Still, she couldn't help but touch her cheek, albeit very briefly. Almost immediately afterwards, she busied herself with opening the can of soda and sniffing it warily.
Two sips determined that it was still good.
"That sounds...boring," she said with a small smile. After dabbing her slice with a napkin, she took delicate bites out of it, chewing thoughtfully and trying to think of something to say.
Though Bakura saw her gaze flicker back towards his room, he still kept his mouth shut, instead focusing on drinking the first quarter of his can of beer. While he trusted Shizuka not to turn him in to the police, he didn't want to be foolish enough to spell out what he was doing for anyone.
"I take it since you didn't die, it's still good?" he asked, referring to the soda. Her touch to her cheek hadn't gone unnoticed, and Bakura shifted over slightly so he could get a better look with it. He'd actually hit her pretty hard, from the looks of it. Still, better not to bring it up if she didn't.
He chuckled at that, leaning back in the chair. "Oh, it is~" He was actually quite content with his life, when he wasn't thinking about the Items. "I don't know what I'll ever do with myself."
For some reason, Shizuka would not have expected Bakura to be content with a boring existence. He seemed the type to thrive on excitement and danger, not drinking beer and watching television and whittling away the hours one by one. Then again, he likely did other things he didn't want her to know about.
Pursing her lips, Shizuka decided to ignore the gnawing curiosity and instead focus on her pizza. "It's good," she said, indicating both the pizza and the soda. It was better to discuss food than anything else, especially since she didn't want to talk about their encounter.
She did, of course, want to know who that girl was.
Setting her half-eaten slice down, Shizuka wiped her fingers clean and stretched lightly, already feeling better. She undid the first few buttons of her cardigan, feeling relaxed. Glancing around the kitchen, she murmured, "You should do fun things occasionally. While sober."
She had been right, of course, as Bakura did much more than just lounge around on a couch all day (or night, when he preferred to go out). They weren't even things he would have bothered trying to hide if she'd asked about them (and hell, normally he bragged about them anyway).
Taking a bite of his own pizza, he swallowed it before nodding. "It's alright," he agreed, though it was nothing spectacular -- he'd certainly had better pizza, but the place he'd ordered from had been cheap, and he'd intended to pay Shizuka back (she hadn't asked though, and if he could steal a free meal from her, he wasn't going to protest).
Watching her unbutton her sweater, he paused eating for a moment, chuckling softly before murmuring, "Oh, I do. Sometimes." While sober, though? That was a stretch, though he'd done better being back in Japan and not in Egypt. "Why? Did you have something in mind?"
Shizuka hadn't had anything specific in mind, having just been making conversation, but now she paused and thought about it. Any suggestions wouldn't have to be done with her, of course, but if she managed to pique his interest with something that involved being outside and being sober - and, hopefully, not bullying helpless girls - perhaps he would lose interest in his quest for the Items and to kill Yami.
Though she understood now why he wanted the Items, at least in part, she didn't approve of the latter part of his plans. Yami hadn't done a thing to him.
"Well," she said slowly, "it's really pretty in the park when the cherry blossoms start blooming. And it's nice there anyway, just to go and relax." It was one of her favorite hangouts during the warmer months, finding a secluded area to study or nap or hang out with her friends giggling. "Or you could always take a weekend trip to Tokyo. Have you ever been there?"
Stupid question. Odds were, he had. "It's really nice there, there's a lot of shopping and places to see." And bars to drink at. She grinned over at him, idly unbuttoning the rest of her cardigan and slipping it off. There, much better.
While Bakura actually liked being outside, it had been too cold for him to do so lately (though that hadn't kept him in completely). He'd taken the month long trip to Egypt, in part to just be somewhere warm again. Now that he was back, he couldn't help but miss that. He just gave her a small nod at the idea, taking another bite of his pizza. After he'd finished it, he laughed softly and nodded, "Yes, I've been a few times."
Visiting places alone got old fast, though, and visiting them with Malik was even worse. He had a few places he still wanted to see, mostly places he'd only heard about growing up.
"Bakura-sama?" Natsumi was in the doorway, dressed now (though her dress didn't cover up much more than his shirt had). She looked at Shizuka for a moment, and then, quickly, shyly, down to the floor. Shizuka, she imagined, wasn't like her at all.
Bakura set his pizza down, wiping his hand on his pants and standing up. He excused himself from Shizuka, before moving over to the girl, pushing her (though the gesture was light) out into the next room. He managed to keep his voice down, a surprise to him. Normally, he had a habit of being loud just for the sake of being loud.
He'd been right, and she'd wanted money or a place to stay. He gave her the former and told her she could either come back later (hoping that Malik would be out for the entire night and not just the evening; unlikely) or buy a hotel room with it. She'd nodded, thanked him, kissed him, and left.
Walking back into the kitchen, he took a seat at the table again, looking over at Shizuka before cracking a smile. "You know, you should really call me Bakura-sama, too, Princess."
Curiosity burned as Shizuka watched the two of them exit the kitchen, but the voices were too quiet for her to make out what was said, and she wasn't about to stoop to eavesdropping. Still, the way the girl had been dressed had been a little shocking. What if she's a prostitute, too?
Furiously reminding herself that it was none of her business, especially since she hadn't seen him try to beat the poor thing up, Shizuka focused on finishing her slice of pizza and ignoring the relative emptiness of the kitchen. It only served as a reminder that there was a lot going on in Bakura's life that she wasn't the least bit aware of.
When he returned, she looked over at him, raising an eyebrow in a surprising imitation of Kaiba. "Why would I call you that?" she asked, though her tone was curious rather than biting; her mimicry of her boyfriend only went so far. Somehow, she managed not to ask who the girl was, or why she had been there, or where she was going. It's none of your business, Shizuka. He can spend time with whatever hussies he wants to.
Deciding she was hungry enough for another piece, she slid her chair back and stood, wandering over to the counter to fetch another slice of pizza. It had warmed her nicely, and her tank top felt like adequate protection, as opposed to when she'd been outside wishing she'd worn a turtleneck.
Taking another sip (more of a gulp) of beer, Bakura stretched in his chair. "Because it shows respect," as if she respected him at all, "and really, I just like hearing it." It had to do with that ego of his that never seem satiated. He watched her pad around his kitchen, trying to figure out why she'd wanted to come see him again.
He'd practically molested her in an alleyway (though he hadn't got that far, and fuck, was he regretting it now -- it's not like she could have done much to stop him), and yet, she was willing to believe whole-heartedly that there was still some sliver of good in him. That hope kept her around him, no matter how many countless times he'd treated her like she was nothing.
She never fought back, save the single slap he'd received that day. What she'd got in return seemed like it nulled that completely anyway -- had anyone noticed that bruise? Surely Kaiba had.
"I already use a respectful honorific." True, it was the same on she tacked onto almost everybody's names, but it was still polite, and Shizuka was nothing if not a polite little creature. Carefully sliding the piece of pizza onto her plate, she glanced over her shoulder, noting that he was watching her. Was he expecting her to do something? Stand on her head? Break into a dance routine?
Kiss him, perhaps, or slap him again?
"But if that's what you really want me to call you..." Shizuka couldn't see how it would hurt. It was an extra syllable and it would make him happy. Considering all the other things he might have suggested, it was relatively tame, so why not? Leaning back against the counter, Shizuka eyed him rather placidly, nibbling on her pizza and wondering what he was thinking.
Was he staring at her cheek? As if aware of the bruise, she turned her head slightly, trying to make it disappear. It wasn't something she was proud to display, after all, and even thinking of it made her feel ashamed for the way she had acted. Perhaps she'd deserved the hit, and everything that had come after it.
"True, true, but I like sama," he replied, grinning at her when she agreed to use it. "It is. It'll make me feel oh-so-much better about myself." As if he actually needed that, but hell, if she was willing, he was certainly going to take it.
She seemed self-conscious in his gaze, but he didn't bother to look away. Instead, he brought up the one topic she'd probably been avoiding, "I hit you pretty hard, huh?" They couldn't dance around it forever, even if she'd wanted to. "It really was a reflex." Though he'd probably have done it anyway, if it hadn't been.
He almost told her she should think twice before hitting people randomly like that, but it would have come out condescending. He was already treading on thin ice with the topic, so there was no reason to make things worse.
"It's all right," she said, a reflex of her own - deflecting the blame onto her shoulders. After all, she'd been taught since she was little not to hit someone without expecting to be hit back. But she hadn't been thinking, only reacting, and thus had deserved the treatment she'd deserved, which was why she didn't especially hold it against him. Had he struck her for no good reason, then feathers would fly.
They still might, if Kaiba caught wind of what happened, but she had no intention of telling him. And if it somehow came to light what Bakura had done, she would simply accept the blame and diffuse the situation before it escalated. If she could.
Shizuka even flashed him a smile before eating the rest of her slice, a little surprised by how quickly she'd consumed it. Putting the plate in the sink beside her, she regarded Bakura now with more anxiety than before, wondering what she was expected to do or say.
Expected. That was what it always came down to, wasn't it? Shizuka had never been more than a pretty trained bird, taught to sing the songs she was told to and mind her courtesies. They hadn't helped when her father was deep in his cups, and they likely wouldn't help now.
The fact that Bakura was now used to women accepting the blame for when they hit him should have unnerved him, but instead, it actually made him smile. So long as she didn't blame him, he wouldn't have to deal with her uppity boyfriend. He could take Kaiba easily, if it came down to a hand to hand fight, but that man almost seemed to much of a pussy to fight his own battles. He couldn't be fucked to hang around his girlfriend half the time, so why would he fight for her?
Jounouchi wasn't much of a threat at all, though Bakura had never met him. If he was anything like Shizuka, he'd be able to not only take him out, but take him out easily.
He finished his pizza (both slices) almost as quickly as she'd finished her one, standing up and leaving the plate where it was. Someone would move it later; he wasn't going to bother. Taking a hold of his beer can, he finished it off as well and tossed it in the sink, actually making his destination for the first time in days.
"Hell yes~" he cheered, before laughing and leaning against the counter. His eyes were on Shizuka again, and she seemed almost on auto-pilot. "So, that's it? You're going to let me off the hook?" That almost seemed to easy. "What if I give you one hit? I won't hit back, and you can smack me as hard as you want. I deserve it, I'd think."
It was actually kind of kinky, and he hoped she'd bite the bait.
Shizuka blinked, and almost immediately combed through both his words and his tone, wondering what the catch was. It sounded almost as if he wanted her to hit him, which made very little sense. Who would go out of their way to get smacked? Uncertain how to respond, Shizuka instead pushed away from the counter - in part to get away from him; it was
distracting, having him so close - and picking up his plate. It didn't bother her that she was cleaning up after someone in their own home. She was tidy, if not quite as obsessive compulsive as Kaiba, and she liked keeping things neat.
Putting it in the sink atop her own, she settled next to him again, watching him warily. It was tempting, oh so tempting, but she wasn't sure if it was a game she wanted to get into.
"Why?" she asked, though she could think of a dozen reasons he deserved it. For the way he treated women, for the way he sometimes treated her, for the way he spoke to Yami and...well, everyone else around him. He deserved to be smacked a thousand times over, and Shizuka would have gleefully done it herself were she certain it would dislodge a few pieces of common sense in his brain. But she wasn't sure she could trust him not to hit her back.
After all, she'd gotten her current bruise from a 'reflex.'
Shizuka had every reason to be wary, and Bakura just smiled lazily at her, watching as she moved around his kitchen and cleaned up. He half-considered asking her to wash the dishes, too. He had no plans to do it, and he didn't expect that the Spirit would want to waste his time with it either.
By the time she was next to him again, he just shrugged, and replied, "Because that way I can say we're even." Then, to quell her worries, he added, "I won't hit you back. I did it before because... well, for one, I didn't know it was coming, much less who had done it, and two, because it was on the street and public." Like hell he was going to let a woman get away with hitting him in front of other people.
She had every reason to hit him, so why would she want to pass up the opportunity, even if it was an odd one that he was asking for?
One day, Shizuka was going to sit down and figure out why such strange things continually happened to her. Until then, she feared, she would be perpetually perplexed.
"You really want me to hit you?" she asked dubiously, wondering if it was the right moment to look a gift horse in the mouth. But if he was sure he wanted it, and they both knew he deserved it, then why not? Shizuka was, unfortunately, justifying a few too many things with that flippant attitude, but she couldn't rationalize everything away.
Hesitatingly, she stepped in front of him, studying his face and seeking some sign that he'd changed his mind, or a hint that he was just toying with her. She saw nothing, and thus she let her hand raise, as if it wasn't her own, and slap him across the cheek with as much strength as she had. It was better than balling a fist and punching him, since then even she might
hurt him if she managed to connect with his nose, and she didn't want to deal with that.
Especially a broken nose. There would probably be blood if that happened, and Shizuka really didn't like blood.
"Like that?"
While Bakura hadn't been completely sure she'd actually pull through and hit him, the result he got when she did so was enough to put that doubt at ease. She was actually stronger than he gave her credit for, though by no means on level with the strength of the punches he was used to taking. Bringing his hand to his cheek, he was surprised to find it felt warm.
"Yes, just like that," he replied, laughing loudly. It had done more for him than it should have, and by no means had 'punished' him for the awful things he was known for doing. "Any chance you'd want to do it again?" he inquired, voice almost a purr. It was obvious by now that he'd actually enjoyed it.
At least he'd kept his word and not hit her back. He figured one bruise on her face was enough, and he didn't want to take the risk in causing more trouble for himself than necessary. Besides, she seemed willing to keep the cause between them.
It really was a pity she wouldn't sleep with him.
"Again?" Shizuka was sounding like a parrot and she wasn't even aware of it. Never in her life had she been in this situation - how often had this sort of thing been happening? - and she was feeling completely out of her element. She simply wasn't a violent person, and would prefer to speak to a person than beat them up. Her gentle nature was part of why people liked
her and sought her out, or so she thought.
But he was laughing, so even if her slap had stung, he enjoyed it. That confused her, too; how was pain enjoyable? But she couldn't understand him to begin with, so there was no way she could possibly puzzle this out.
She was, if nothing else, obedient. If Bakura wanted her to hit him, then she could. "Uhm, all right." It was clear she still wasn't entirely comfortable with it, but she still smacked him again, across the same cheek, hoping that perhaps it would hurt more after being tender and he would stop playing this game and switch to something possibly more familiar and less intrusive.
Unconsciously, her gaze flickered to his lips, and she cursed herself.
"Yes, again," he murmured, fully surprised when she listened to him. She had been right in her assumption; the second slap hurt more than the first, playing off of the pleasant sting that was already there. He gave a soft gasp, fully thankful for his masochism.
Part of him wanted to ask if she had any idea of what she was doing to him. Clearly, she didn't, or she would have stopped before the second slap.
"Third time?" He chuckled, though he moved to instead to grab her wrist and kiss her hand.
A small part of her wasn't surprised by his reactions, though she still stared at him kissing her hand as if she'd never seen the sight before in her life. Her fingers wriggled briefly, testing the hold he had on her, before going limp. He won't hurt me, she repeated in her head as she watched, frozen like a deer in headlights, eyes a little wild.
What should she do? Should she stay where she was, or pull away, or smack him with her other hand to make him stop? Shizuka wasn't left-handed, so the blow would be weak, but maybe it would jar him out of his little stupor and make him stop kissing her hand.
But did she want him to?
Of course, what a stupid question. She couldn't let things escalate like last time. If they did, she wasn't sure she'd have the strength to stop him, and then it would prove once and for all that she was worthless and didn't deserve anyone's love, let alone Kaiba's.
"What are you doing," she whispered. Then, "I can't hit you if you're...doing that."
Just looking into her eyes told him that she was uncomfortable, and Bakura just held her wrist, grinning up at her. He really wasn't holding on very tight, and she could have pulled away easily enough. The fact that she didn't said so much. She hadn't been able to shove him away in the alleyway, either, so if anything, she wanted him. She was able to lie and say she didn't when they weren't together, but like this? She'd just stare at him stupidly.
He had to give her credit, though, as she was better than the loose whore of a woman he'd dated. She felt guilt, and she actually loved her boyfriend. She would have to, to tolerate a man like that. Had she been dating anyone other than Kaiba, he might have left her alone.
"You're attracted to me," he commented, though he let go of her arm. He didn't need to say he was attracted to her; he'd been saying it for well over a year. "You really shouldn't feel bad about it."
Shizuka's mouth opened and closed, and she found that she really didn't have any words to throw back at him. She couldn't deny her attraction to the thief, but then, there were a lot of attractive people in her life: Otogi, Malik, Mahaado, boys from her school. And while it was true that she'd dallied with Otogi when they were together, and Mahaado when she
wasn't seeing anyone, it didn't mean she was willing to stray when she was promised to Kaiba. No matter how frustrating his long absences were, they'd gone through too much in the past year to just throw it all away.
And yet, that was exactly what Kaiba had done not too long ago. He'd accused her of cheating, thrown her aside, and fulfilled her fears that he didn't truly love her. He'd apologized, admitted he'd been wrong, but things hadn't been the same ever since. Whether it was a wedge thrown between them from that situation, or something else entirely, she didn't know.
But he didn't deserve betrayal, no matter what.
Eyes narrowing, Shizuka slapped him again with her freed hand, this time out of anger. "What has that to do with anything?"
Even though he hadn't allowed that one, he let it slide and gave an obviously pleasured sigh. The slap wasn't enough to discourage him, and he continued, "I want you, Shizuka." He clearly had no concept of relationships, despite having been in one himself no too long ago. He'd seen how that had gone. How could Shizuka's be any better?
"Do you really think he loves you?" He had no idea about their personal relationship, obviously, but he was willing to take a shot in the dark. She kept coming back, foolishly, and she had to expect this. He'd never been quiet in what he wanted.
He rubbed his cheek for a moment before moving past her and going to the refrigerator. It wasn't exactly charming, but he wanted another beer, and there was nothing that could have prevented him from grabbing one. He found another one, noting that they were almost out, and opened it.
Indeed, he had made his desire clear time and time again, often when drunk, and it was something Shizuka still wasn't entirely sure how to deal with. He didn't seem to understand the boundaries of a relationship, the fact that the whole point of one was to be with one person and only that person. He'd been burned by Anzu, mistreated and distrusted, so she wasn't surprised he'd left that relationship jaded.
But he had to realize that not everyone was like that.
"Of course he loves me," she said defensively, turning to lean back against the counter again and watch him. Why else would Kaiba have come back to her? He'd had ample opportunity to wash his hands of her and never speak to her again, but he'd still come back. That had to count for something, even in the face of his sudden busy schedule and insistence that any time they did something, Mokuba was along as well.
Shizuka refused to accept that things could be failing.
"Whatever," Bakura replied dourly. He should have known better than to bring it up. Relationships didn't entirely depress him, but they did get under his skin enough to anger him. "I'm not convinced." He probably never would be, though that stemmed from him no longer believing true love was possible.
When it came down to it, even if it had existed, it wouldn't have worked with him. As Malik had pointed out, it conflicted with what Bakura was really supposed to do. Bakura's agreement was with Darkness, anything else had to fall after that.
"Why do you keep coming back?" He was speaking in between drinks now, intent on getting drunk quickly and hoping he had enough beer left to do so.
Shizuka was watching the speed with which he was downing his beer and wondering if it was time to beat a hasty retreat. While she couldn't account for his actions while sober, he was doubly unpredictable when he was drunk. She bit her lip, eyes flickering down to her feet as if she could find the answers there. None were forthcoming, and she scowled briefly.
"I like you," she said simply, still staring down. It probably was dangerous not keeping him in her line of sight, but the odds of him trying something were slim now.
Then again, she hadn't expected the initial kisses, or what he'd done earlier. Perhaps she was even inviting him to do something, to push her beyond her abilities to say "No."
She didn't like thinking about that.
"Would you prefer I go elsewhere, Bakura-sama?"
There was that stupid phrase from her that he'd never understand. He'd given her nothing to like and a million things to hate. He'd been rude to her on countless occasions, even cold to her when she'd visited him in Egypt, and yet, she'd still shown up in his apartment tonight. Chugging the rest of the beer, he threw the empty can on the counter and moved to get another.
Binge drinking, and he should probably quit. He'd end up sick as hell later, but at least that little twit -- what was her name? -- was probably coming back. If anything, she could take care of him. It took him a moment, but he finally answered her question, "I don't care." He really didn't have a preference, though she'd probably wish she'd left if she stayed there when he got sick.
Another drink and he looked at her again, before asking, "Why?" He didn't explain the question, assuming she'd magically follow his train of thought. Why did she like him? He liked himself, of course, but she...
She didn't have much of a reason to. Not on a personal level (though really, did she know him on a personal level?).
Shizuka blinked, growing more and more uncomfortable. "Why what?" she asked, uncertain whether he wanted to know why she liked him, or why she asked if he wanted her to go. If he truly didn't care, then why had he invited her over in the first place? Was it just to get someone to fetch food for him, clean up after him, keep him company for a while?
Was she just another toy to him?
Frowning, she dragged her gaze away from her feet and looked at him, trying to keep her face expressionless. She should leave, before he got angry with her again, before they fought again, before things got out of hand.
Then, "You really don't care? If I stay or go?" As much as she didn't want it to, that hurt.
Keeping the fact that he'd invited her over because he'd actually wanted to see her to himself seemed like the best idea to Bakura. He was constantly insisting that he didn't need anyone else, and admitting that he wanted someone there seemed to go against that entirely.
"Why do you like me?" As he said it, he found the question sounded stupid. He frowned, finishing off what was now his third beer and tossing that on to the counter beside the second, though it was close enough to the edge that it rolled off and hit the floor. The kitchen was slowly starting to look like the living room and his bedroom.
"Nevermind," he mumbled. "That's not important." He'd decided that was the case because he didn't want it to be important. The closer he got to people, the more risk there was that he would end up relying on them like he had relied on Anzu. He could get by on one-night stands and that's what he wanted to do.
She sounded hurt, and he didn't understand why. Did he, someone she barely spoke to, mean that much to her? She'd informed him before that when it came down to it, she was behind the Pharaoh and not him, and in his eyes, it was impossible to care for both of them. It was selfish of him, but he'd never been particularly selfless. Besides, the more the Pharaoh rubbed in his face that he'd never see his daughter again, the more he hated the... woman? Whatever it was at this point in time.
"No, I don't," he sighed, though he did add on, "I have no intention of throwing you out, but if you want to go, I'm not going to fight to keep you here."
Perhaps she would get a better answer if she rephrased her question more carefully. "Do you want me to stay?" There were only two real answers to that; one would result in her leaving, and one in her remaining. She was leaving it entirely up to him, because she didn't especially like the idea of sticking around places she wasn't wanted.
It made her feel like an intruder in his home.
Shizuka twitched, then began picking up the beer cans, letting the movements soothe her in their familiarity. All she had to do was pretend they were soda cans, and she was cleaning up her brother's mess rather than Bakura's, and it helped keep her mind at least partially at ease. Tossing them into the trash, she paused when she was in front of him, and managed to finally look up at his face.
She was close enough she could see and feel the rise and fall of his chest, notice the way the alcohol was already taking effect, and wonder if she shouldn't just forgo waiting for an answer and leave before she said or did something stupid.
It was drizzling when Shizuka finally left her apartment, questioning every step she took. Considering how her last encounter with the thief had gone, she should have been staying far away from him. But the more she thought about him, the more she was certain that if she just kept trying, she'd be able to get through to him.
It might be the only way she'd be able to protect Yami. Shizuka couldn't fight, and certainly wouldn't stand a chance if she physically opposed Bakura. She could have gotten others involved, perhaps ask Kaiba to hire bodyguards for Yami, but she didn't want anyone else to get tangled up in this mess. If it came to that, people would die, and she didn't like that idea.
So she figured she'd put her stubbornness to work and whittle him down bit by bit. It had to be possible; she couldn't give up hope. She had to at least try, for her friends.
It was the only reason she found herself standing in line at the pizzeria, inhaling the scents of baking bread and tomato sauce and hearing her stomach growling. The chatter buzzed around her pleasantly, making her feel a little drowsy, and more relaxed than when she'd left. She didn't even mind that the rain had tangled her hair a little; she had a brush in her purse, if it offended the thief that much.
Her contentment turned to amusement when she noticed the amount of food Bakura had ordered. He always seemed to do that, and while it would be annoying carrying everything by herself, it wasn't really that bad. After all, she knew that the darker Bakura, the one with the fondness for cooking shows, often let the pantries go bare, as she had noticed when she'd gone over to prepare a few meals. The thief likely wanted to ensure he wouldn't have to get off his lazy backside for the next few days.
Shizuka paid with a smile, giggling softly when the boy behind the counter winked at her and made a sly comment about how her boyfriend must have been so inconsiderate to make her pick up so much food. Not bothering to answer, she left, then made her way to the thief's apartment, managing to balance everything with a skill that surprised her.
Getting in was a different matter, and she had to wait for someone else to enter the building and hold the door for her. Red-faced, she thanked them, then managed to hit the button to call the elevator with her elbow, and did the same inside the elevator, thankful that the doors opened on their own.
Next time, she was going to insist that he have the food delivered. If there was a next time.
Pausing in front of his apartment, she attempted to blow a wayward strand of hair out of her eyes. Giving up, she lightly kicked the door.
Making someone else do his dirty work was something that Bakura had gotten more and more used to. There was something pleasant in watching people scramble around to try to please him, even if it was with something as simple as getting him dinner. Shizuka, of course, wasn't like the women who kept his company on a regular basis, but she'd still gone out of her way to do something he asked. That alone amused him to no end.
With dinner secured, he'd shifted to the main room, turning on the television and lounging on the couch. The remote was once again missing, so he settled for the sitcom that was on, only half-enjoying the bland humor. There was a knock at his door a few minutes later, and he glanced to the clock, figuring it was too early for Shizuka to arrive.
Sliding off of the couch, he moved over to the door, opening it and staring down (staring down was nice, as he'd grown accustomed to staring up at Malik, and that was just pathetic -- although, technically, that was no longer an issue) at the petite girl there. She was new, quieter than most of them, and yet, he still managed to be anything but polite. "What?"
She looked slightly upset, before she explained, "You invited me over for dinner, Bakura-sama."
He moved aside, letting her in and closing the door behind her. She hadn't brought food, so he'd clearly not been thinking about dinner whenever he'd told her to come (and shit, he couldn't remember that for the life of him). With Shizuka coming, he probably should have turned her away, but he couldn't bring himself to. He'd be quick; he usually was. "Alright, back room." Better to stuff her away, just in case.
She started walking back, with him following, flinching slightly at the hand he set on her hip. She was really new, and he actually found something attractive about that. Most of his girls were scared of him, but not quite like this.
By the time Shizuka had arrived, he'd actually managed to finish (amazingly), get dressed, and saunter out into the living room. He'd paused by a mirror and ruffled his hair a bit, though it still looked messy.
He almost missed the kick against his door, and at first, he didn't recognize what it was. Then, he realized it was actually at his front door and not the whore in the back. Shit, he'd meant to chase that girl out of here before Shizuka arrived. Oh well, the red-haired girl was well aware that he was no saint. Opening the door, he grinned at Shizuka, moving to actually help her by taking a few of the boxes.
"Evening, Princess," he greeted with a small laugh. Hey, at least she got a better greeting than the whore.
Shizuka blinked him at him before returning his laugh with a smile, looking a little worse for wear due to the rain. She really should have braided her hair before coming, but Kaiba had always said it made her look far younger than she was, so she had stopped doing it entirely. It was nice, though, to be inside a warm, dry building.
Entering the apartment, Shizuka slipped out of her jacket and looked around for a place to hang it up. Bakura didn't seem inclined to take it - which she didn't mind; he had taken the food from her, after all - so she simply hung it up in the closet, a little surprised by how sparse it was. Almost as if only one person lived there. Absently, she smoothed over her skirt, glad she'd worn a little cardigan over her shirt; though the interior was warmed than outside, it was still a bit chilly.
"How are you?" she asked politely as she padded behind him, following him into the kitchen. She was already familiar with it, and so, without waiting for any prompt, she pulled out a couple of plates and some utensils, and quickly located the napkins as well. She didn't even stop to think that Bakura might wonder how she knew her way around his kitchen so well.
After all, she figured the other one had told him about her visit.
"It's raining out," she said before he could reply. "It's pretty gross. You were smart to stay inside."
Bakura made his way to the kitchen setting everything down on the counter, not even completely sure what he had just ordered. He'd gotten two pizzas, both covered with meat (if Malik decided to show up, that worthless bitch could starve), among other things. It didn't matter, he supposed, since right now, he really only wanted the pizza.
"I'm fine," he answered, leaning against the counter. He didn't think a thing of her knowing where everything was. He'd known she'd cooked for his roommate, yes, but even that didn't really surface in his mind. Perhaps he just thought women should automatically know their way around the kitchen. "I didn't wake up that long ago," he confessed.
She looked cold without her jacket, though that was mostly due to the fact that she was wet. "Nngh, glad I made you get my food then," he chuckled, looking over to her to let her know he was teasing. Well, partially teasing. "But how are y--"
He was cut off when his whore -- she had a name, Natsumi, but he didn't know it well (he got them confused) -- stumbled into the kitchen, giving him a confused look. She hadn't managed to get dressed all of the way, and had actually just stolen one of his bigger shirts, buttoning it up enough that her boobs didn't show completely. "O-oh, Bakura-sama, I'm sorry..."
Shizuka managed somehow to keep her shivering to a minimum. She was certain that once she started eating, she would warm up, though she wrinkled her nose a little when she peeked at the pizzas. It wasn't as if she couldn't pick the meat off, but still.
And at least it wasn't one of those monstrosities her brother liked to eat.
She had been about to respond when a girl with rather tousled hair came into the kitchen, looking almost frightened to see Shizuka there. For her part, the redhead just blinked, staring at the girl and wondering who she was and what she was doing there.
And why she was wearing what she could only assume was one of the thief's shirts.
Biting her lower lip, Shizuka decided to be polite. Bowing quickly, she murmured, "Nice to meet you. I'm Shizuka!"
"Go," Bakura snapped in the girl's direction, motioning for her to run back to his room. He wasn't in the mood to explain who she was to Shizuka, knowing that she probably wouldn't have an ideal reaction. What an ideal reaction was, he wasn't sure.
The girl bowed in Shizuka's direction, offering a quick, "Nice to meet you, too. I'm Natsumi." She then shot an apologetic look in Bakura's direction and scampered off again. Bakura hoped she was getting dressed and ready to leave, though chances were she'd have to hound him for money first. She'd mentioned needing a place to stay, and keeping her here was almost out of the question.
Malik rarely played nicely with others, after all.
After she was gone, he looked back at Shizuka, offering her a smile that explained nothing. "Mm, as I was saying. How have you been?"
Shizuka stared off towards where the girl had disappeared to, a curious expression on her face. For a moment, she almost made the connection between the events from the other day, to the girl here, but luckily, her thoughts were jolted when Bakura spoke to her.
Blinking, she looked over at him, brows furrowing. Almost unconsciously, she as attempting to only face him on one side, keeping the bruised cheek out of his line of sight. She'd been standing like that around everyone lately, trying to keep the questions to a minimum, and thus didn't even consider her actions here.
"I've been well," she said, her tone making it clear she was curious beyond belief about who the girl was. However, she was too well bred to ask questions. Perhaps she was Bakura's girlfriend, or just a friend needing a place to stay. He certainly wasn't treating her very gentle, considering how he'd snapped at her, but then, Bakura wasn't the nicest of people.
Her eyes flickered back towards the doorway.
Bakura, however, didn't try to ease Shizuka's curiosity and instead moved to get a plate for himself. He tossed two pieces of pizza on it and then moved to the refrigerator, grabbing a can of beer for himself. He paused, looking over his shoulder at Shizuka and asking, "What do you want?" It didn't sound overly polite, but at least he'd taken the time to ask.
He hadn't noticed how she was standing, and truthfully, had almost forgotten he'd slapped her altogether. Events were generally fuzzy in his mind lately, and he usually needed something or someone to jog his memory before he clearly could recall much of anything. He remembered meeting her, and he remembered kissing her pretty easily enough (and the fact that he hadn't gotten further, damnit).
"Nn, I imagine life's been boring? What do you do? Go to school and work?"
Not knowing what was in the fridge, Shizuka came up behind him, peering over his shoulder at the contents. Mostly alcohol of one sort or another, which hardly surprised her. If anyone could invent a way to exist solely on liquor, it was the thief.
There were, however, other things in there, including some rather moldy food, something she couldn't identify growing in a corner, and bottles of various drinks, some new, some half-full. She desperately latched onto the cans of grape soda, and pointed at them. "One of those please," she said, a little surprised they had something so...ordinary.
Then she seemed to realize how close she was standing to him, and stepped back, headed to the counter in an overly casual fashion. Placing a slice of pizza on a plate and grabbing a handful of napkins, she turned to look at him again, head tilted slightly.
"Yeah, that's basically what I do." It was boring, when she wasn't so busy she forgot what entertainment even was, so she hardly had any interesting stories to regale him with. Shifting her stance, she said, "What about you?"
Following her finger, Bakura grabbed one of the cans of grape soda and handed it to her. "No promises that it's not well past its expiration date. I haven't done any sort of 'shopping' since I got back from Egypt, and who knows how up to date the Spirit keeps our drinks." Judging from the rest of the food in the refrigerator, Bakura probably didn't want to know.
He shut the door after that and grabbed his plate and beer, nodding over to a table. Hell, why not use the table? He couldn't remember a time that it'd ever been used before (normally, he ate on the couch or in his room). It was probably well past time to break it in.
He set his plate down, taking a seat, and squirming slightly to get comfortable as he opened his drink. "Uhm," he hesitated, thinking that question over. "Well, legally, I've just been watching TV and drinking cheap beer." He smirked at her and then added, "Take a seat."
Eyes flickering towards the doorway again, Shizuka meekly sat down, sitting straight and proper and trying not to think of all the illegal things he was likely doing in his spare time. After all, Bakura didn't have any sort of real job, so he had to be pulling in money somehow. And that girl on the street the other day...
No. Best not to think about that, since it would just lead to what happened in the alleyway, and then she'd get all embarrassed. Still, she couldn't help but touch her cheek, albeit very briefly. Almost immediately afterwards, she busied herself with opening the can of soda and sniffing it warily.
Two sips determined that it was still good.
"That sounds...boring," she said with a small smile. After dabbing her slice with a napkin, she took delicate bites out of it, chewing thoughtfully and trying to think of something to say.
Though Bakura saw her gaze flicker back towards his room, he still kept his mouth shut, instead focusing on drinking the first quarter of his can of beer. While he trusted Shizuka not to turn him in to the police, he didn't want to be foolish enough to spell out what he was doing for anyone.
"I take it since you didn't die, it's still good?" he asked, referring to the soda. Her touch to her cheek hadn't gone unnoticed, and Bakura shifted over slightly so he could get a better look with it. He'd actually hit her pretty hard, from the looks of it. Still, better not to bring it up if she didn't.
He chuckled at that, leaning back in the chair. "Oh, it is~" He was actually quite content with his life, when he wasn't thinking about the Items. "I don't know what I'll ever do with myself."
For some reason, Shizuka would not have expected Bakura to be content with a boring existence. He seemed the type to thrive on excitement and danger, not drinking beer and watching television and whittling away the hours one by one. Then again, he likely did other things he didn't want her to know about.
Pursing her lips, Shizuka decided to ignore the gnawing curiosity and instead focus on her pizza. "It's good," she said, indicating both the pizza and the soda. It was better to discuss food than anything else, especially since she didn't want to talk about their encounter.
She did, of course, want to know who that girl was.
Setting her half-eaten slice down, Shizuka wiped her fingers clean and stretched lightly, already feeling better. She undid the first few buttons of her cardigan, feeling relaxed. Glancing around the kitchen, she murmured, "You should do fun things occasionally. While sober."
She had been right, of course, as Bakura did much more than just lounge around on a couch all day (or night, when he preferred to go out). They weren't even things he would have bothered trying to hide if she'd asked about them (and hell, normally he bragged about them anyway).
Taking a bite of his own pizza, he swallowed it before nodding. "It's alright," he agreed, though it was nothing spectacular -- he'd certainly had better pizza, but the place he'd ordered from had been cheap, and he'd intended to pay Shizuka back (she hadn't asked though, and if he could steal a free meal from her, he wasn't going to protest).
Watching her unbutton her sweater, he paused eating for a moment, chuckling softly before murmuring, "Oh, I do. Sometimes." While sober, though? That was a stretch, though he'd done better being back in Japan and not in Egypt. "Why? Did you have something in mind?"
Shizuka hadn't had anything specific in mind, having just been making conversation, but now she paused and thought about it. Any suggestions wouldn't have to be done with her, of course, but if she managed to pique his interest with something that involved being outside and being sober - and, hopefully, not bullying helpless girls - perhaps he would lose interest in his quest for the Items and to kill Yami.
Though she understood now why he wanted the Items, at least in part, she didn't approve of the latter part of his plans. Yami hadn't done a thing to him.
"Well," she said slowly, "it's really pretty in the park when the cherry blossoms start blooming. And it's nice there anyway, just to go and relax." It was one of her favorite hangouts during the warmer months, finding a secluded area to study or nap or hang out with her friends giggling. "Or you could always take a weekend trip to Tokyo. Have you ever been there?"
Stupid question. Odds were, he had. "It's really nice there, there's a lot of shopping and places to see." And bars to drink at. She grinned over at him, idly unbuttoning the rest of her cardigan and slipping it off. There, much better.
While Bakura actually liked being outside, it had been too cold for him to do so lately (though that hadn't kept him in completely). He'd taken the month long trip to Egypt, in part to just be somewhere warm again. Now that he was back, he couldn't help but miss that. He just gave her a small nod at the idea, taking another bite of his pizza. After he'd finished it, he laughed softly and nodded, "Yes, I've been a few times."
Visiting places alone got old fast, though, and visiting them with Malik was even worse. He had a few places he still wanted to see, mostly places he'd only heard about growing up.
"Bakura-sama?" Natsumi was in the doorway, dressed now (though her dress didn't cover up much more than his shirt had). She looked at Shizuka for a moment, and then, quickly, shyly, down to the floor. Shizuka, she imagined, wasn't like her at all.
Bakura set his pizza down, wiping his hand on his pants and standing up. He excused himself from Shizuka, before moving over to the girl, pushing her (though the gesture was light) out into the next room. He managed to keep his voice down, a surprise to him. Normally, he had a habit of being loud just for the sake of being loud.
He'd been right, and she'd wanted money or a place to stay. He gave her the former and told her she could either come back later (hoping that Malik would be out for the entire night and not just the evening; unlikely) or buy a hotel room with it. She'd nodded, thanked him, kissed him, and left.
Walking back into the kitchen, he took a seat at the table again, looking over at Shizuka before cracking a smile. "You know, you should really call me Bakura-sama, too, Princess."
Curiosity burned as Shizuka watched the two of them exit the kitchen, but the voices were too quiet for her to make out what was said, and she wasn't about to stoop to eavesdropping. Still, the way the girl had been dressed had been a little shocking. What if she's a prostitute, too?
Furiously reminding herself that it was none of her business, especially since she hadn't seen him try to beat the poor thing up, Shizuka focused on finishing her slice of pizza and ignoring the relative emptiness of the kitchen. It only served as a reminder that there was a lot going on in Bakura's life that she wasn't the least bit aware of.
When he returned, she looked over at him, raising an eyebrow in a surprising imitation of Kaiba. "Why would I call you that?" she asked, though her tone was curious rather than biting; her mimicry of her boyfriend only went so far. Somehow, she managed not to ask who the girl was, or why she had been there, or where she was going. It's none of your business, Shizuka. He can spend time with whatever hussies he wants to.
Deciding she was hungry enough for another piece, she slid her chair back and stood, wandering over to the counter to fetch another slice of pizza. It had warmed her nicely, and her tank top felt like adequate protection, as opposed to when she'd been outside wishing she'd worn a turtleneck.
Taking another sip (more of a gulp) of beer, Bakura stretched in his chair. "Because it shows respect," as if she respected him at all, "and really, I just like hearing it." It had to do with that ego of his that never seem satiated. He watched her pad around his kitchen, trying to figure out why she'd wanted to come see him again.
He'd practically molested her in an alleyway (though he hadn't got that far, and fuck, was he regretting it now -- it's not like she could have done much to stop him), and yet, she was willing to believe whole-heartedly that there was still some sliver of good in him. That hope kept her around him, no matter how many countless times he'd treated her like she was nothing.
She never fought back, save the single slap he'd received that day. What she'd got in return seemed like it nulled that completely anyway -- had anyone noticed that bruise? Surely Kaiba had.
"I already use a respectful honorific." True, it was the same on she tacked onto almost everybody's names, but it was still polite, and Shizuka was nothing if not a polite little creature. Carefully sliding the piece of pizza onto her plate, she glanced over her shoulder, noting that he was watching her. Was he expecting her to do something? Stand on her head? Break into a dance routine?
Kiss him, perhaps, or slap him again?
"But if that's what you really want me to call you..." Shizuka couldn't see how it would hurt. It was an extra syllable and it would make him happy. Considering all the other things he might have suggested, it was relatively tame, so why not? Leaning back against the counter, Shizuka eyed him rather placidly, nibbling on her pizza and wondering what he was thinking.
Was he staring at her cheek? As if aware of the bruise, she turned her head slightly, trying to make it disappear. It wasn't something she was proud to display, after all, and even thinking of it made her feel ashamed for the way she had acted. Perhaps she'd deserved the hit, and everything that had come after it.
"True, true, but I like sama," he replied, grinning at her when she agreed to use it. "It is. It'll make me feel oh-so-much better about myself." As if he actually needed that, but hell, if she was willing, he was certainly going to take it.
She seemed self-conscious in his gaze, but he didn't bother to look away. Instead, he brought up the one topic she'd probably been avoiding, "I hit you pretty hard, huh?" They couldn't dance around it forever, even if she'd wanted to. "It really was a reflex." Though he'd probably have done it anyway, if it hadn't been.
He almost told her she should think twice before hitting people randomly like that, but it would have come out condescending. He was already treading on thin ice with the topic, so there was no reason to make things worse.
"It's all right," she said, a reflex of her own - deflecting the blame onto her shoulders. After all, she'd been taught since she was little not to hit someone without expecting to be hit back. But she hadn't been thinking, only reacting, and thus had deserved the treatment she'd deserved, which was why she didn't especially hold it against him. Had he struck her for no good reason, then feathers would fly.
They still might, if Kaiba caught wind of what happened, but she had no intention of telling him. And if it somehow came to light what Bakura had done, she would simply accept the blame and diffuse the situation before it escalated. If she could.
Shizuka even flashed him a smile before eating the rest of her slice, a little surprised by how quickly she'd consumed it. Putting the plate in the sink beside her, she regarded Bakura now with more anxiety than before, wondering what she was expected to do or say.
Expected. That was what it always came down to, wasn't it? Shizuka had never been more than a pretty trained bird, taught to sing the songs she was told to and mind her courtesies. They hadn't helped when her father was deep in his cups, and they likely wouldn't help now.
The fact that Bakura was now used to women accepting the blame for when they hit him should have unnerved him, but instead, it actually made him smile. So long as she didn't blame him, he wouldn't have to deal with her uppity boyfriend. He could take Kaiba easily, if it came down to a hand to hand fight, but that man almost seemed to much of a pussy to fight his own battles. He couldn't be fucked to hang around his girlfriend half the time, so why would he fight for her?
Jounouchi wasn't much of a threat at all, though Bakura had never met him. If he was anything like Shizuka, he'd be able to not only take him out, but take him out easily.
He finished his pizza (both slices) almost as quickly as she'd finished her one, standing up and leaving the plate where it was. Someone would move it later; he wasn't going to bother. Taking a hold of his beer can, he finished it off as well and tossed it in the sink, actually making his destination for the first time in days.
"Hell yes~" he cheered, before laughing and leaning against the counter. His eyes were on Shizuka again, and she seemed almost on auto-pilot. "So, that's it? You're going to let me off the hook?" That almost seemed to easy. "What if I give you one hit? I won't hit back, and you can smack me as hard as you want. I deserve it, I'd think."
It was actually kind of kinky, and he hoped she'd bite the bait.
Shizuka blinked, and almost immediately combed through both his words and his tone, wondering what the catch was. It sounded almost as if he wanted her to hit him, which made very little sense. Who would go out of their way to get smacked? Uncertain how to respond, Shizuka instead pushed away from the counter - in part to get away from him; it was
distracting, having him so close - and picking up his plate. It didn't bother her that she was cleaning up after someone in their own home. She was tidy, if not quite as obsessive compulsive as Kaiba, and she liked keeping things neat.
Putting it in the sink atop her own, she settled next to him again, watching him warily. It was tempting, oh so tempting, but she wasn't sure if it was a game she wanted to get into.
"Why?" she asked, though she could think of a dozen reasons he deserved it. For the way he treated women, for the way he sometimes treated her, for the way he spoke to Yami and...well, everyone else around him. He deserved to be smacked a thousand times over, and Shizuka would have gleefully done it herself were she certain it would dislodge a few pieces of common sense in his brain. But she wasn't sure she could trust him not to hit her back.
After all, she'd gotten her current bruise from a 'reflex.'
Shizuka had every reason to be wary, and Bakura just smiled lazily at her, watching as she moved around his kitchen and cleaned up. He half-considered asking her to wash the dishes, too. He had no plans to do it, and he didn't expect that the Spirit would want to waste his time with it either.
By the time she was next to him again, he just shrugged, and replied, "Because that way I can say we're even." Then, to quell her worries, he added, "I won't hit you back. I did it before because... well, for one, I didn't know it was coming, much less who had done it, and two, because it was on the street and public." Like hell he was going to let a woman get away with hitting him in front of other people.
She had every reason to hit him, so why would she want to pass up the opportunity, even if it was an odd one that he was asking for?
One day, Shizuka was going to sit down and figure out why such strange things continually happened to her. Until then, she feared, she would be perpetually perplexed.
"You really want me to hit you?" she asked dubiously, wondering if it was the right moment to look a gift horse in the mouth. But if he was sure he wanted it, and they both knew he deserved it, then why not? Shizuka was, unfortunately, justifying a few too many things with that flippant attitude, but she couldn't rationalize everything away.
Hesitatingly, she stepped in front of him, studying his face and seeking some sign that he'd changed his mind, or a hint that he was just toying with her. She saw nothing, and thus she let her hand raise, as if it wasn't her own, and slap him across the cheek with as much strength as she had. It was better than balling a fist and punching him, since then even she might
hurt him if she managed to connect with his nose, and she didn't want to deal with that.
Especially a broken nose. There would probably be blood if that happened, and Shizuka really didn't like blood.
"Like that?"
While Bakura hadn't been completely sure she'd actually pull through and hit him, the result he got when she did so was enough to put that doubt at ease. She was actually stronger than he gave her credit for, though by no means on level with the strength of the punches he was used to taking. Bringing his hand to his cheek, he was surprised to find it felt warm.
"Yes, just like that," he replied, laughing loudly. It had done more for him than it should have, and by no means had 'punished' him for the awful things he was known for doing. "Any chance you'd want to do it again?" he inquired, voice almost a purr. It was obvious by now that he'd actually enjoyed it.
At least he'd kept his word and not hit her back. He figured one bruise on her face was enough, and he didn't want to take the risk in causing more trouble for himself than necessary. Besides, she seemed willing to keep the cause between them.
It really was a pity she wouldn't sleep with him.
"Again?" Shizuka was sounding like a parrot and she wasn't even aware of it. Never in her life had she been in this situation - how often had this sort of thing been happening? - and she was feeling completely out of her element. She simply wasn't a violent person, and would prefer to speak to a person than beat them up. Her gentle nature was part of why people liked
her and sought her out, or so she thought.
But he was laughing, so even if her slap had stung, he enjoyed it. That confused her, too; how was pain enjoyable? But she couldn't understand him to begin with, so there was no way she could possibly puzzle this out.
She was, if nothing else, obedient. If Bakura wanted her to hit him, then she could. "Uhm, all right." It was clear she still wasn't entirely comfortable with it, but she still smacked him again, across the same cheek, hoping that perhaps it would hurt more after being tender and he would stop playing this game and switch to something possibly more familiar and less intrusive.
Unconsciously, her gaze flickered to his lips, and she cursed herself.
"Yes, again," he murmured, fully surprised when she listened to him. She had been right in her assumption; the second slap hurt more than the first, playing off of the pleasant sting that was already there. He gave a soft gasp, fully thankful for his masochism.
Part of him wanted to ask if she had any idea of what she was doing to him. Clearly, she didn't, or she would have stopped before the second slap.
"Third time?" He chuckled, though he moved to instead to grab her wrist and kiss her hand.
A small part of her wasn't surprised by his reactions, though she still stared at him kissing her hand as if she'd never seen the sight before in her life. Her fingers wriggled briefly, testing the hold he had on her, before going limp. He won't hurt me, she repeated in her head as she watched, frozen like a deer in headlights, eyes a little wild.
What should she do? Should she stay where she was, or pull away, or smack him with her other hand to make him stop? Shizuka wasn't left-handed, so the blow would be weak, but maybe it would jar him out of his little stupor and make him stop kissing her hand.
But did she want him to?
Of course, what a stupid question. She couldn't let things escalate like last time. If they did, she wasn't sure she'd have the strength to stop him, and then it would prove once and for all that she was worthless and didn't deserve anyone's love, let alone Kaiba's.
"What are you doing," she whispered. Then, "I can't hit you if you're...doing that."
Just looking into her eyes told him that she was uncomfortable, and Bakura just held her wrist, grinning up at her. He really wasn't holding on very tight, and she could have pulled away easily enough. The fact that she didn't said so much. She hadn't been able to shove him away in the alleyway, either, so if anything, she wanted him. She was able to lie and say she didn't when they weren't together, but like this? She'd just stare at him stupidly.
He had to give her credit, though, as she was better than the loose whore of a woman he'd dated. She felt guilt, and she actually loved her boyfriend. She would have to, to tolerate a man like that. Had she been dating anyone other than Kaiba, he might have left her alone.
"You're attracted to me," he commented, though he let go of her arm. He didn't need to say he was attracted to her; he'd been saying it for well over a year. "You really shouldn't feel bad about it."
Shizuka's mouth opened and closed, and she found that she really didn't have any words to throw back at him. She couldn't deny her attraction to the thief, but then, there were a lot of attractive people in her life: Otogi, Malik, Mahaado, boys from her school. And while it was true that she'd dallied with Otogi when they were together, and Mahaado when she
wasn't seeing anyone, it didn't mean she was willing to stray when she was promised to Kaiba. No matter how frustrating his long absences were, they'd gone through too much in the past year to just throw it all away.
And yet, that was exactly what Kaiba had done not too long ago. He'd accused her of cheating, thrown her aside, and fulfilled her fears that he didn't truly love her. He'd apologized, admitted he'd been wrong, but things hadn't been the same ever since. Whether it was a wedge thrown between them from that situation, or something else entirely, she didn't know.
But he didn't deserve betrayal, no matter what.
Eyes narrowing, Shizuka slapped him again with her freed hand, this time out of anger. "What has that to do with anything?"
Even though he hadn't allowed that one, he let it slide and gave an obviously pleasured sigh. The slap wasn't enough to discourage him, and he continued, "I want you, Shizuka." He clearly had no concept of relationships, despite having been in one himself no too long ago. He'd seen how that had gone. How could Shizuka's be any better?
"Do you really think he loves you?" He had no idea about their personal relationship, obviously, but he was willing to take a shot in the dark. She kept coming back, foolishly, and she had to expect this. He'd never been quiet in what he wanted.
He rubbed his cheek for a moment before moving past her and going to the refrigerator. It wasn't exactly charming, but he wanted another beer, and there was nothing that could have prevented him from grabbing one. He found another one, noting that they were almost out, and opened it.
Indeed, he had made his desire clear time and time again, often when drunk, and it was something Shizuka still wasn't entirely sure how to deal with. He didn't seem to understand the boundaries of a relationship, the fact that the whole point of one was to be with one person and only that person. He'd been burned by Anzu, mistreated and distrusted, so she wasn't surprised he'd left that relationship jaded.
But he had to realize that not everyone was like that.
"Of course he loves me," she said defensively, turning to lean back against the counter again and watch him. Why else would Kaiba have come back to her? He'd had ample opportunity to wash his hands of her and never speak to her again, but he'd still come back. That had to count for something, even in the face of his sudden busy schedule and insistence that any time they did something, Mokuba was along as well.
Shizuka refused to accept that things could be failing.
"Whatever," Bakura replied dourly. He should have known better than to bring it up. Relationships didn't entirely depress him, but they did get under his skin enough to anger him. "I'm not convinced." He probably never would be, though that stemmed from him no longer believing true love was possible.
When it came down to it, even if it had existed, it wouldn't have worked with him. As Malik had pointed out, it conflicted with what Bakura was really supposed to do. Bakura's agreement was with Darkness, anything else had to fall after that.
"Why do you keep coming back?" He was speaking in between drinks now, intent on getting drunk quickly and hoping he had enough beer left to do so.
Shizuka was watching the speed with which he was downing his beer and wondering if it was time to beat a hasty retreat. While she couldn't account for his actions while sober, he was doubly unpredictable when he was drunk. She bit her lip, eyes flickering down to her feet as if she could find the answers there. None were forthcoming, and she scowled briefly.
"I like you," she said simply, still staring down. It probably was dangerous not keeping him in her line of sight, but the odds of him trying something were slim now.
Then again, she hadn't expected the initial kisses, or what he'd done earlier. Perhaps she was even inviting him to do something, to push her beyond her abilities to say "No."
She didn't like thinking about that.
"Would you prefer I go elsewhere, Bakura-sama?"
There was that stupid phrase from her that he'd never understand. He'd given her nothing to like and a million things to hate. He'd been rude to her on countless occasions, even cold to her when she'd visited him in Egypt, and yet, she'd still shown up in his apartment tonight. Chugging the rest of the beer, he threw the empty can on the counter and moved to get another.
Binge drinking, and he should probably quit. He'd end up sick as hell later, but at least that little twit -- what was her name? -- was probably coming back. If anything, she could take care of him. It took him a moment, but he finally answered her question, "I don't care." He really didn't have a preference, though she'd probably wish she'd left if she stayed there when he got sick.
Another drink and he looked at her again, before asking, "Why?" He didn't explain the question, assuming she'd magically follow his train of thought. Why did she like him? He liked himself, of course, but she...
She didn't have much of a reason to. Not on a personal level (though really, did she know him on a personal level?).
Shizuka blinked, growing more and more uncomfortable. "Why what?" she asked, uncertain whether he wanted to know why she liked him, or why she asked if he wanted her to go. If he truly didn't care, then why had he invited her over in the first place? Was it just to get someone to fetch food for him, clean up after him, keep him company for a while?
Was she just another toy to him?
Frowning, she dragged her gaze away from her feet and looked at him, trying to keep her face expressionless. She should leave, before he got angry with her again, before they fought again, before things got out of hand.
Then, "You really don't care? If I stay or go?" As much as she didn't want it to, that hurt.
Keeping the fact that he'd invited her over because he'd actually wanted to see her to himself seemed like the best idea to Bakura. He was constantly insisting that he didn't need anyone else, and admitting that he wanted someone there seemed to go against that entirely.
"Why do you like me?" As he said it, he found the question sounded stupid. He frowned, finishing off what was now his third beer and tossing that on to the counter beside the second, though it was close enough to the edge that it rolled off and hit the floor. The kitchen was slowly starting to look like the living room and his bedroom.
"Nevermind," he mumbled. "That's not important." He'd decided that was the case because he didn't want it to be important. The closer he got to people, the more risk there was that he would end up relying on them like he had relied on Anzu. He could get by on one-night stands and that's what he wanted to do.
She sounded hurt, and he didn't understand why. Did he, someone she barely spoke to, mean that much to her? She'd informed him before that when it came down to it, she was behind the Pharaoh and not him, and in his eyes, it was impossible to care for both of them. It was selfish of him, but he'd never been particularly selfless. Besides, the more the Pharaoh rubbed in his face that he'd never see his daughter again, the more he hated the... woman? Whatever it was at this point in time.
"No, I don't," he sighed, though he did add on, "I have no intention of throwing you out, but if you want to go, I'm not going to fight to keep you here."
Perhaps she would get a better answer if she rephrased her question more carefully. "Do you want me to stay?" There were only two real answers to that; one would result in her leaving, and one in her remaining. She was leaving it entirely up to him, because she didn't especially like the idea of sticking around places she wasn't wanted.
It made her feel like an intruder in his home.
Shizuka twitched, then began picking up the beer cans, letting the movements soothe her in their familiarity. All she had to do was pretend they were soda cans, and she was cleaning up her brother's mess rather than Bakura's, and it helped keep her mind at least partially at ease. Tossing them into the trash, she paused when she was in front of him, and managed to finally look up at his face.
She was close enough she could see and feel the rise and fall of his chest, notice the way the alcohol was already taking effect, and wonder if she shouldn't just forgo waiting for an answer and leave before she said or did something stupid.