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

[fluffydeathdealer]

Bastard... Where do you get this "look where it gets you" crap from?! When you think about it, you're the one whose plans never work!

[That smile just pisses him off even more. Even more so since he doesn't actually have a plan in regards to Malik. He's been winging it from the start, and he knows it. Being put on the spot like that threw him off so completely that he can't even formulate a proper lie.

How annoying...]

You'll know when I'm done with you! I'll bury you when that time comes!

[obeytherod]

...Tch! [That was a quick way to turn Malik's mood sour. The teen scowls, losing a bit of the calculated edge his actions were carrying before.]

At least I have plans--I'm beginning to wonder if you have any at all!

[He raises a fist, still fuming.] The only thing you'll bury me in is boredom at this rate!

[fluffydeathdealer]

...keh-! What do you know about my plans?! Maybe I should just leave you right here if you aren't satisfied with me as a partner!

[...he has to admit it's kind of true, though. Even if it's just to himself.

But seeing the tables turns gives him an edge. He manages a brief smirk, folding his arms over his chest.]

Oh? And after I went to such trouble to entertain you...

[obeytherod]

Well, it's hard to know anything about something that doesn't exist!

[Malik wrinkles his nose in a sneer; a look that's wiped off his face as he realizes what else Bakura had said. It wouldn't be good to antagonize Bakura too much...he still needed this man.]

...No, no. [He closes his eyes, jaw tightened in a grimace.] You're aimless, but not useless.

[Glancing up at that next comment.] Tch...who entertained who, exactly?

[fluffydeathdealer]

...tch. [Still feeling rather annoyed, he leant back, supporting himself on his hands.]

I've got more purpose than you think, Malik. I'm simply good at adapting to new opportunities... so my plans are often changing, depending on what's available.

If you really want to know... I can tell you. But it'll have to be honesty for honesty. I don't give away secrets without expecting something in return.

[That last part, though...]

...oy. Don't forget, you'd never have even tried that if I hadn't suggested it.

[obeytherod]

[About to answer to that challenge, Malik suddenly shivers violently.]

...It can wait. I want to finish washing up first.

[Brushes past Bakura, he steps into the water and takes a seat, the cool, calm waves brushing up against his bandages and making him shiver further. He grabs his cloth and starts to gently wash off his dark skin.]

And for the record...you may have started it, but I finished it.

[fluffydeathdealer]

...!

[He growls at that, looking a little flustered. Still... From this position, he can see those markings easily.

Reaching out, he places a hand square on the center of Malik's back.]

Well... you definitely rose to the occasion. Hmhmhm...

[obeytherod]

[Malik bristles at the hand on his back, quickly shifting away from the touch.]

...Well...somebody had to teach you who was in charge. [There's something else behind his voice. A double meaning in his words.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

...

[So Malik didn't like those markings being touched. Why have something like that, but not allow them to be seen? He didn't seem the type. And the harsh ridges of them didn't feel like any modern-type tattoo. It felt more like... scar tissue.]

I noticed the use of a scalpel to keep me 'in my place', so to speak. It'd be interesting to see if you could top me if we did it for real.

Heheh. Need a hand with that?

[obeytherod]

[While he still seems a bit uncomfortable physically, Malik words still carry unwavering confidence.]

Oh, I could. The scalpel merely made up for the fact I'm limited on how much I can move.

[He blinks, pausing.] Help with what?

[fluffydeathdealer]

Heh. We'll see... if you ever feel up to trying.

[His gaze flickers over the markings, trying to decipher them, but to no avail. Keh, of all the times for Ryou's idiot father to be in another dimension or time or country or something! Though he guesses Malik would be annoyed at having a short blue-haired man trying to read his back while he bathed.]

You've still got limited movement, haven't you? I can help you wash.

[obeytherod]

... [He'll take Bakura up on that offer another time.

Looking down at the cloth in his hand, he gives the other teen an annoyed look.]

I did just fine washing myself the last three days. I don't need your help.

[...The first two days he was too incapacitated to do much of anything, though.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

"Needs" and "wants" are two different things, Malik... but if you're so annoyed at the idea, it doesn't matter.

[Really, was the man going to be mad at him for long? Just because he'd mocked his failing plans... How annoying. Malik being in a bad mood was likely to be contagious. Moving away from Malik, he turned his attention to the water. Ducking down, he submerged his head in the water for a moment in order to calm his thoughts before sitting up and starting to clean himself off.

Now that his bandages were off, he didn't have a problem scooping the water over his head and letting it run, glistening, down his skin. Even though his shoulder still hurt like hell, it wasn't in any danger from the water.

The only awkward part was the way his hair clung to him from the dampness. Rather than its usual spikiness, it softened and bent under the assault of the water, looking almost normal. The cold left him shivering. It was too bad he was so good at ignoring the signals of his body. He barely even noticed it.]

[obeytherod]

[Malik merely snorts at the idea and continues on at his own pace, running the wet cloth over his chest, arms, and neck. When he gets to his shoulders he pauses at the forming bruise, frowning thoughtfully at it.

Bakura had marked him. He'd need to make sure to do the same at a later date...something more permanent.

Once Malik finishes up with his body, skin shiny and wet, he moves to take care of his hair. It was easier said than done since he couldn't just lean over due to his injury.

Of course, Malik had done this before. With a bit of practiced shuffling onto his hands and knees, he submerges his head into the water for about as long as he could hold his breath. He comes back up with a bit of a splash, shaking his head and sending water flying before sitting back to wring his hair out.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

That's a good look for you.

[Bakura makes the crude joke almost offhandedly as he strolls out of the water to go get dressed, not minding his own dampness. Tugging his clothes on haphazardly, he lets his shirt hang open.

...Oh, that was a signal he couldn't miss-]

Achoo-!

[Stupid sudden temperature changes and their stupid effects on the stupid human body. It was stupid.]

[obeytherod]

... [Malik notices the comment, although he's not entirely sure what Bakura's referring to...he'll still make him eat those words.]

[Letting out a sigh he climbs out of the water, dripping wet and with the only article of clothing he had clinging tightly to his skin. He carefully crouches down, picking up a fresh pair of underpants and glancing over at Bakura. The other man wasn't looking...]

Don't look. I'm changing.

[He turns his back and sits down to pull off his own underwear, slipping the fresh pair on instead.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

[Don't look? Oh, Malik, you fool. If you'd stayed silent, he likely wouldn't have noticed. As it is, he glances around, admiring the curves of Malik's posterior smugly.]

What? Are you ashamed of your body, Malik?

[obeytherod]

I enjoy my privacy. [He says flatly, pulling on his pants next. Malik was utterly unaware that Bakura had looked.]

Anyway, I'm done. I should probably change my bandages now...

[And by that he means you should probably change his bandages.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

Hoh? I guess that's not too beneath you, then.

[Just gonna go get the bandages. He's kinda used to this by now.]

Get comfortable, then.

[obeytherod]

Why would it? [Privacy was a privilege! Malik knew this well enough, considering where he grew up.]

[Still sitting by the stream's shore he adjusts his legs so that they're tucked off to his side instead of splayed in front of him.]

[fluffydeathdealer]

You didn't want me to help you wash, but you're fine with this...

[Even though it's much more vulnerable to you. It would be easy to rip this wound right open... heh.

You're lucky, Malik... I like you better alive.

Even though he was annoying, that thought flickered through his mind. Sinking down to kneel beside him, he strips the older bandages away with practiced care.]

[obeytherod]

Oh, I thought you were talking about something else... [He mumbles, annoyed at the misunderstanding, even if it was his own fault.] Anyway, this is different.

[Like the last several times, Malik raises his arms up just enough to clear way for Bakura to work. And just like those last several times, even the slight removal of the bandages causes Malik great, squirming discomfort.]

Nnh...

[fluffydeathdealer]

[His fingers ghost over the healing wound, feeling it gently for any signs of it having ruptured. Finding none, he quickly cleans and redresses it.]

Different...? Why? Isn't it more dangerous?

[obeytherod]

[Even that ghosting of fingertips is enough to make Malik shudder, the touch sparking a horrible itching pain.]

Guhh...

Dangerous? [He pauses, and then realizes the implications. There's a flair of paranoia that flutters like a moth in his chest, but he quickly snuffs it out to the best of his abilities.] No...if you were going to do that, you would have just let me die in the first place.

[fluffydeathdealer]

You could always blame it on the bloodloss... heheh.

[The joke came easily, but he supposed it was time to at least let on a little of his thoughts. Not much, however.]

Sad, isn't it? When I saw you lying there like that, in such a helpless state among the rubble, it was as if I was looking at a corpse. If you hadn't moved, I would have left you behind. However, you clung to life even in that situation...