"Tomorrow," I say. No reaction. He just keeps looking at me with those mesmerizing, half-lidded, reddish eyes. "Starting tomorrow, things will be different."
"How so?" His voice is low, filled with his usual arrogance. I reach for the golden bangs clinging to his cheek, and brush them away, gentler than I intended. He doesn't move.
"Battle City will commence. You heard and saw Kaiba's announcement."
"I sure did." Now he shifts his position a little. I try to remember how lazy he looks, with that... satisfied smirk on his face, those eyes that gaze at me, as if he doesn't have a care in the world. I want to remember it, because it'll be a stark contrast to the inevitable moment that he'll lose the ultimate game, and he'll realize that he's got nothing left but his own darkness and hatred, buried deep inside him. I want to see his expression the moment he realizes his loss; but for now, I need him to win. "I just wonder..."
He looks in the direction of the desk, propped up against the wall. The Puzzle lies on top, next to a deck of cards. My deck is next to his; it was a flimsy excuse to get both our vessels together: to discuss game strategies and the strength of our decks. My landlord thinks entering the tournament is a nice thing, because he likes to play Duel Monsters. A 'nice thing'. It gets me laughing every time, and I do appreciate the irony that I, a thief and a stealer of souls, have ended up in the body of one of the most polite, shy, well-mannered people ever.
"You just wonder what?" I trace his face with my fingers, slowly. I made my intentions quite clear during Duelist Kingdom, and I was genuinely surprised when he reciprocated. As in, allowing me to touch him, to kiss him, and to talk to him. Why would be that so strange? After all, he's attracted to Darkness, the same Darkness within him.
"I just wonder what the future holds." He tilts his head a little, as if leaning more into my touch, but his eyes are gazing at me. It's safe to say of course, that I haven't been all that friendly to him. Some physical pleasantries don't make up for millennia of hatred. "I want to regain my memories. I want to know who I am."
"All good reasons," I murmur. My fingers go past his jaw line, so much sharper than his vessel's. Mutou Yuugi is just as my landlord, a goody-two-shoe, and he'll be consumed by his inner Darkness if he doesn't grow a spine. This Battle City is going to bring out our strengths and our flaws.
"And I wonder..." he drawls just a little, shivering from my touch as my nails scrape over his skin, not drawing blood but slightly painful nonetheless, "...what your reasons are."
Now I tilt my head and he grabs a fistful of my hair, tugging. I grunt, and my hand goes to his neck. He gasps as I immediately apply pressure, my fingers bruising his skin.
"Like I said, starting tomorrow, things will be different. I'll be your enemy. I'll be fighting you, and I'll show no mercy." My body is actually just as weak as his, but I have the power of surprise. He yanks harder at my hair and I hiss. I don't care if he pulls out the strands, I am still on top, literally. I'm the superior one. He can be a King a thousand times over, but he's not above me. I push harder. He starts to panic, I can see it in his eyes. The lazy pleasure is gone, and angry confusion and fear has taken its place. He doesn't know what's happening to him as I cut off his air. We played around like this before, but this... is also different. I have no qualms. I should stop, but I can't. He must suffer, and choking him to death is... not suffering enough. My fingers tighten, I can see his skin turn dark from the bruises I'm inflicting.
I don't care. It's like I'm on an exalted power trip, and I'm winning. I'm screaming at myself to stop, this isn't what I wanted, this isn't what I planned, and the pain I feel as he's trying to free himself, his nails trailing blood all over my arm is nothing compared to the adrenaline rush of impending victory. The room darkens and my head starts to spin. The Darkness, ever so patient, is closing itself around us with a loving gesture; Mother calling her Sons home. Shadows cradling me, the familiar chilly sensation, and I can't let go, and I won't let go...
Maybe I realize it after all, or maybe the shadows remind him of his own powers. The Eye appears on his forehead and it shines so brightly that I flinch and the Darkness recoils. I release my grip, just for a second, but that's all the time he needs. In the next second, I'm thrown off of the bed and land unceremoniously on the floor, rolling and banging into the wall from the sheer force of impact. I moan.
"Get the hell out, Bakura." It's a slight satisfaction to hear his voice raspy and hoarse. I grin, despite the effort it costs me to pick myself up from the floor. I search for my clothes and dress myself. I'm not sure what had gotten into me. Was I trying to sabotage myself? Why couldn't I hold myself back? I don't know, and it doesn't make much difference. I'm finished with my shoes, and I turn around. He's sitting on the bed, perfectly dressed albeit still lacking his shoes, fastening that dog collar he's so fond of wearing. It covers up nicely the marks I have left, and I can't help but ask: "So, how are you going to explain this to your little friend?"
He narrows his eyes. "Get out," is all he says. I shrug. I pick up my deck from the desk; it's actually the occult themed deck of my landlord, one that suits me just fine. I wonder how far it'll take me. I leave the room without another word. Tomorrow is an important day.
Things are different. My own voice echoes in my mind. I'd been calling him arrogant, but now I realize I had spoken too soon. I made myself known as his enemy, convinced as I was, that I would come out on top again. My patience, my beautiful eternal patience, had forsaken me and I had crushed my own plans as soon as I put my hand on his neck. Tomorrow. I've lost, I'm depleted, and I'm facing a monster that I can't defeat. Not even working together with Malik Ishtar has brought me victory; in fact, I have set myself considerably back. What have I done? Why couldn't I keep my mouth shut? I can see him standing on the other side of the dueling field, completely in control, knowing very well that he's going to win. I want to laugh and cry at the same time, all in frustration. The irony that after all my hard work, I lose in the first round of the tournament without as much as a chance of collecting another Sennen Item. I never told him my reasons for entering Battle City. Maybe he'll figure it out, or maybe he doesn't care. All that I can see is his triumphant smirk, and then his lips move. I don't need to hear him. I know what he's saying. Tomorrow. I open my arms wide and I laugh. Osiris roars and I brace myself for the oncoming pain. I stare into the bright light of the God's attack that will spiral me back in to shadows and Darkness again. I'll admit my defeat today. Tomorrow, things will be different.