Joint Post! Like an Old Married Couple

[fluffydeathdealer]

[From just outside the jungle's trees, near the mountainside, some bickering can be heard:]

Here. It's probably fresher than you'd like, but it's all we have.
...I can't eat that, Bakura.
You don't have the option to be picky, Malik!
No...I really can't, you fool!
Tch... I can cook it a bit more, but we have to be careful, or the smoke from the fire will give us away!
Ughh...can't you find some fruit? Just look up.
Do you want to die? If someone finds you while I'm out looking for fruit, you'll have worse problems than having to eat meat.
But Bakura... [Malik sounds a bit like he might be ill.] My stomach...
O-oy! Hold on a little longer, okay? I'll see if I can find something close by. I'll stay within earshot, so if someone approaches, scream.
Just get a couple...I don't need that much.
Be quiet, you idiot. You need to eat something. [He chomps down on the meat Malik refused to eat.]
Well? I can't eat anything if you don't go get something!

((ooc: So! Tags will come from both Bakura and Malik. If we're going to tag you with both on a turn we'll put a "1/2" in the subject line, otherwise it's just one at a time. Also since the two of them are injured, we just ask that nobody with magic healing powers comes along to heal them up and stuff. Thanks!

Warnings for adult content in some threads.))

Comments

[moderndaydragon]

Huh? Oh! Yeah, I'm... okay. I've just never had someone just out and out tell me they're going to kill me before. I guess it just shook me up a little...

[She manages a weak smile, inclining her head some.]

...Funny, huh? I'm a dragon and I'm still scared by threats like that.

[fluffydeathdealer]

It's only natural.

Truthfully, I'm a little pleased.

[He flashes her a smile again, looking at ease.]

If you weren't bothered by it, that'd mean it happened a lot to you. It'd be pretty sad, wouldn't you say?

[moderndaydragon]

[...Huh.]

I hadn't really thought about that. It really would be sad, huh?

[A beat.]

Namu-kun is... really okay, right? Even despite what he said there, for whatever reason?

[fluffydeathdealer]

Yeah. I'm sorry about him. He's something of... I guess you could call it an unfortunate child. Family troubles, getting in with the wrong crowd... It's coloured him somewhat. But he's a good kid, deep down.

[Very deep down.

...he really hopes the sob story works at least a little.]

[moderndaydragon]

[It seems to be working just fine.]

I see... then... I'll leave it up to you! I'll try to give Namu-kun some space and get along with him when we are together.

[fluffydeathdealer]

Thanks. I really appreciate it.

I'd probably better not go much further, but Karasu-chan... I'm glad you came to see me. When we get back to the building, I'll come visit you.

[moderndaydragon]

It's the least I can do.

[She stops, nodding a couple times and smiling again.]

Okay. I'll hold you to that, Bakura-kun! Until then... take care of him, and I'll see you later. If you need my help, just... let me know, okay?

[fluffydeathdealer]

I will. I'll send a carrier pidgeon if I have to.

[Shooting her a cheeky grin, he disappears back into the foliage to return to the campsite.]

[obeytherod]

[...Where Malik is now sitting up again, albeit still in a bit of pain from that kick.]

...Bakura. [His eyes narrow at the sight of him.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Oh dear... you look pained. Does your wound hurt? Does it?

[He lets his voice lapse into its usual mannerisms after that note of sarcasm.]

It's fine, she's gone. In a generally good mood, too.

[obeytherod]

[He sneers at the sarcastic remark before making his own.]

Ohh...too bad. I was hoping she'd run home in tears.

[fluffydeathdealer]

You're acting strange, Malik. You nearly undid all of my work in one go there. Luckily I happen to be good at twisting the truth.

[He sank down onto the grass besides Malik, shooting him a curious look.]

Don't tell me you're jealous.

[obeytherod]

What work? [He asks dubiously. It's not as if Bakura had told him about the girl beforehand, if his work was so important.]

...Better yet, why are you doing work without telling me? We're partners, Bakura. We work together.

[He manages to keep a stiff upper-lip about that last comment.] ...Jealous? Of what?

[fluffydeathdealer]

I told you, Malik. She's a dragon. I've been getting her on my side little by little since she first crashlanded here. As to the second part... it never seemed relevant.

[He smirks a little.] I don't know. Of her looks... of her getting attention...

[obeytherod]

How is that not relevant? [He hisses, leaning in closer to the other man.] Are you an idiot? Do you even know--

[Malik's eyes widen, and he pulls back again, furious and flustered.] What?! Why would I be jealous of her looks? She's as white as a corpse--with hair to match!

[fluffydeathdealer]

I met her right before this entire mess went down. It didn't seem important in all of the fuss. Especially since she's not stronger than Rosenkreuz's.

[A laugh rose up in his throat at that.] So am I.

[obeytherod]

When I have the Rod back she may be of use, but that girl would never do our dirty work otherwise. You're just wasting your time, Bakura, and mine.

[...And now Malik's been completely sidetracked by the other side of their conversation.]

What's your point? I'm not interested in you because of your looks. [Yes, that came out wrong. No, he didn't notice.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Malik... Are you calling me ugly?

[His smile is like that of a feral dog, waiting for a chance to bite. The first part, he ignores entirely. But that part... oh, the opportunity is too good.]

[obeytherod]

Do you seriously care? [He says skeptically, but then a thought occurs to him...and for once, he actually realizes something.

...As opposed to all the times he doesn't realize these things.

Bakura was either fishing for compliments, trying to make him say something stupid, or trying to bait him into saying the wrong thing. That, or any combination of the three.

Malik shoots for the stars and goes for all three!

He lifts his hands in a shrug, returning his own pointed grin.]

Bakura-kun...are you finally falling for my charisma?

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Okay, the last thing he expected was for Malik to make that sort of joke. Lifting his hands in an idle gesture of dismissal, he lay back on the grass to stare up in the sky. Despite both that and the surprise on his face, he doesn't seem unhappy at all.]

Keep making jokes like that and one day I might say yes.

[obeytherod]

[Malik stayed where he was, back against a nearby tree as he considered those words.]

...As a joke, right? [He glances over.

Aughh...what was he saying? Was he really jealous of that stupid woman?! No...it wasn't that. He just couldn't lose Bakura, especially not right now. But now that he knew the girl was nothing more than a pawn...he shouldn't still feel angry over it.

The last few days, he'd practically had Bakura at his every beck and whim. But Bakura...had saved his life. He could have taken what he wanted--the Millennium Rod--and left with Ra as well.

Malk still didn't understand why the other man had gone so far out of his way to save him. It wasn't his charisma. They were only using each other. Right?]

Keh heh... [Is he supposed to do something right now? Malik had spent so long with the Rod, manipulating others...he had forgotten how to really deal with other people.

He didn't have to deal with Bakura though. He just needed to make him do what he wanted...]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Do you seriously care?

[He threw Malik's words back at him lightly, glancing over at him. What an annoying person. Interfering in his plans like that, as if it was impossible for them to be partners while he still carried out his own plans. Not to mention how naive Malik seemed to be. Had he really not noticed his own reactions.]

Oy, Malik? Why do you hate her so much?

[obeytherod]

... [He should had seen that one coming, but it still irritates him.]

Why? Because she gets in the way. [His words are dark. They really are filled with hate.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

...In the way of what? The most she did was spend some time talking to me and make a joke about being a nudist.

[He stares over at Malik in complete and utter confusion]

[obeytherod]

[Malik opens his mouth to respond, but finds that he doesn't really have an answer. It had just...been a feeling.]

Why the hell does it matter, Bakura? She's nothing but a disposable pawn, anyway!