Those Who Rule Egypt

Welcome! This is the tumblr blog for the YGO AU "Those Who Rule Egypt." Ancient Egyptian AU; featured ships are Puzzle/Blind and Gem! <3 Main Blog is @thiefcat-niao

[thosewhoruleegypt]

holy heck I hit this lil comeback right on Ryou’s birthday?? well heck, the universe said YES

[thosewhoruleegypt]

These Shadows Stretch Towards Home (Chapter 1)

Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh!   Characters/Ships: Puzzleshipping/Blindshipping (Atem/Yugi); Gemshipping (Thief King Bakura/Ryou Bakura); Atem, Yugi, Thief King Bakura, Ryou Bakura, Malik Ishtar, Yami Malik, Priest Seto Kaiba, Jounochi Katsuya (ft. background Puppyshipping) Rating: M Length: Chapter 1 / ?; 4900 words

Summary:

A visitor comes to the Pharaoh Atem's palace—a young man armed with a mysterious staff and a grudge carved into his very bones.

With the Thief King and the Pharaoh stranded together in the Shadow Realm, it falls to Yugi and Ryou to reclaim the palace from Malik Ishtar—both Maliks, as if one wasn't enough to deal with.

Sequel to "For Love of Pharaoh and King" and "What Followed the High Priest Home"; "The Pharaoh's Lotus Garden" Parts I and II accounts for the time between each work. Can be read separately, but will make a heckuva lot more sense with context.

Full Story Begins Here! Read on AO3 Previous Chapter – Next Chapter (coming soon!)

note: Welcome aboard, or welcome back! This is officially the third “main” story of TWRE; I’d recommend starting at the beginning, but you do you. c: So delighted to have you here, especially after this AU has been dormant for close to four years. I dearly hope you enjoy!

"I'm Namu. Pleased to meet you!"

Yugi Mutuo blinked, surprised but nonplussed by the stranger in the Pharaoh's courtyard. When Yugi had spotted the boy, he'd approached without fear and asked the stranger's name. It wasn't unheard of for common folk to sneak into the palace grounds—or be admitted freely, for that matter. The day was temperate, the beauty of the palace's lush garden enhanced by the brilliant desert sunlight. Shadows, for the moment, seemed not to exist at all in the golden repose.

"Namu?" Yugi held out his hand. "I'm Yugi. Yugi Mutuo. Did you have some business, here at the palace?"

Namu's face brightened impossibly, and he grasped Yugi's hand. "The Great Royal Husband? It's an honor, my lord!"

Yugi fidgeted, then repeated, kindly, "Did you have some business, here? With Pharaoh, perhaps?"

Namu nodded emphatically. "I was so hoping to get an audience with the Pharaoh Atem... Would you please help me, Lord Mutou?"

Yugi nodded. "Of course... I'll... I mean, yes. Come along with me, and we'll see what we can do."

The boy calling himself Namu had sandy hair and pale skin—not exotically white like Ryou, but with the look of someone who hadn't spent time under the harsh desert sun. Perhaps a scribe, then, or a young priest, Yugi thought, leading Namu into the palace itself. He wore unremarkable clothes—slacks and a shirt that exposed his lean midsection. He had tasteful lines of makeup beneath his eyes, but was otherwise unadorned. At his hip hung a strange metallic rod—not a weapon, Yugi thought, but some sort of artifact. It might be able to do some damage if used to bludgeon an opponent, but that hardly designated the stranger as armed. For jewelry, Namu wore modest gold cuffs about his upper arms and a collar around his neck to match. A pendant hung, bumping against his narrow chest—the most ostentatious thing about him, without a doubt, a pyramid-shaped thing that seemed like it would be impractically heavy.

"Ah! Jounochi!" Relieved, Yugi flagged down his friend in the hallway. Namu, beside him, paused.

"Yugi!" Jounochi trotted over; observed the stranger. "Who's this?"

"Namu," Yugi said. "He says he has some business with Pharaoh. Namu, this is Jounochi."

"Nice t' meetcha!" Jounochi exclaimed, sticking out his hand. Namu shook it obligingly. "Call me Joey, if you'd rather. I'm High Priest Seto's consort."

Namu blinked. "Ah. The High Priest's consort, and the Pharaoh's Husband. You two are good friends, then?"

"The best!" Jounochi said, looping his arm around Yugi's shoulder.

"Jounochi, would you mind keeping Namu company while I go look for Pharaoh?" Yugi asked, gently disentangling himself. Even if this Namu is trouble, Jounochi is one of the best fighters in the palace. It should be safe to leave Namu under his watch while I talk to Pharaoh.

"No problem!" Jounochi said, switching his attention to the newcomer. "Where do you come from, man? I love the pendant! Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

As Namu tried to respond to the barrage of small-talk, Yugi slipped away with a polite farewell. Whether or not Jounochi realized why I did that... everything's under control, for now.

"Pharaoh?"

From the drowsy feel of Atem's mind, the Pharaoh had only just woken. "Partner? What is it?"

"Are you expecting anyone by the name of Namu?"

"?"

Yugi let Atem pursue his recent memories; said, "He doesn't seem like a threat, but I left him with Jounochi for now."

"You shouldn't go up to strangers like that, Yugi. You should call for guards to deal with it."

"And scare some poor kid half to death?" Yugi replied. "Our guards get a bit overzealous sometimes. You know that."

 "Because they care, Yugi."

Yugi sighed; gave up, for the time being. "What do you want to do about this Namu?"

"Bakura is in the audience chamber. Let the boy talk to him, first."

Yugi gave a mental nod, then traipsed back to where Jounochi had kept Namu occupied. Namu looked up immediately when Yugi rounded the corner.

"The Pharaoh?"

Yugi shook his head. "Thief King Bakura hears complaints for him, usually. He'll decide if you need to see Pharaoh in person, or if your troubles can be dealt with a lower level."

Namu looked a bit perturbed, but nodded. "Alright. I'll go about it however the system dictates."

"Come on!" Jounochi called, motioning. "I'll bet Bakura has some good wine with him."

"Wine?" Namu questioned, bewildered, and Yugi shook his head apologetically.

"Do you drink, Namu?" Jounochi asked. "You should have a drink with us, later!"

"I don't... usually..." Namu murmured. "Except in the context of ritual..."

"A priest, then?" Yugi queried.

"Of sorts," was Namu's evasive reply.

"Hey, so the Thief King can be a bit... scary," Jounochi said, as they walked. "Just kinda depends on his mood. But that's just cause he gets off on watching people squirm, so don't be too alarmed, okay? He's actually a pretty good guy."

Yugi watched Namu for any notable reaction, but the newcomer only nodded seriously. "Thank you for the advice, Jounochi."

The room where Bakura fielded complaints was a simple but regal hall; the Thief King himself sat at one end, languidly lapping the juicy innards of a pomegranate off his fingers. The three boys entered from a side-passage, Yugi relieved to find the hall empty of visitors.

"Little Yugi!" Bakura stood to greet them; wiped his hands briskly on his robes. Yugi wondered where Ryou was, to scold him for his messiness. "What've you brought me?" he asked, with a nod to the stranger. "Tribute sacrifice?"

Namu stiffened, but Yugi shook his head. "This is Namu. He came to the palace hoping for an audience with Pharaoh."

"And the Pharaoh needs me to do his job again, eh?" Bakura asked, with a grin, then sat back down; he picked up the other half of his pomegranate and bit into it with a crunch. Yugi grimaced, wondering if he knew the rind wasn't usually eaten; knowing him, he might be fully aware or be oblivious. "Fine. Let's do this right, though—kid's gotta come 'round to this side and present himself properly, even if he was escorted here by the great Lord Yugi."

Jounochi nudged Namu with an encouraging murmur; the stranger edged forward. Yugi caught a curious, hostile flashing in his eyes as he looked at the Thief King; one glance at Bakura told Yugi that he had sensed something, too. But people were usually on edge around Thief King, so Yugi hardly considered that alone to be damnable.

Namu lowered himself slowly to his knees. "I present my troubles to the representative of the almighty Pharaoh Atem, with the utmost hope and faith."

Bakura nodded; gestured, with the hand that held the pomegranate. "Speak." His voice rumbled in his chest—not quite threatening, but powerful, certainly—the playfulness of a moment before gone.

Namu raised his head; said, "The Pharaoh has wronged my family."

Yugi stiffened, and Jounochi—trying to sneak the bottle of wine from behind Bakura's seat—came to attention.

Bakura's eyes widened fractionally. "Our Pharaoh? Or are you referring to the Pharaoh's line?"

It was a shrewd question. Egypt had been a deeply troubled place during the reign of Atem's father, and many of the lingering problems could be traced definitively to not Atem, but to Aknamkanon and his brother, Akhenaden. The idea that Thief King Bakura would draw such a distinction in this public forum surprised and pleased the Great Husband, and he felt himself smile.

A grimace flickered across Namu's face; was gone. "Both. What does that matter?"

Bakura shrugged. "All of Egypt was wronged by Pharaoh Aknamkanon. If that's the case, you're nothing special."

Namu stood abruptly, then faltered and took a step back. "Nothing special?"

The King of Thieves remained unimpressed. "Everyone in Egypt—myself for one, and even the current Pharaoh—suffered because of how the previous pharaoh handled things. If you're here to complain about a dead man's mistreatment of your family, I won't hear it. We have other, relevant things to deal with."

"Relevant?!" Namu demanded breathlessly, and Yugi came up beside the chair.

"Aren't you being a bit harsh?" he asked Bakura quietly, and the Thief King glanced over at him.

"I'm not. If I wanted to be harsh, little pharaoh-ling, you know it'd be worse than this." Then he turned, leaning back, and brought one foot up to rest on his opposite knee before addressing Namu. "Our current Pharaoh's fixed a lot of his father's mistakes, by now. There's prosperity—opportunity—everywhere. Again, if your complaint is with the current Pharaoh, I'll hear it. But if it's with his father or his uncle, reparations have already been made."

"My complaint is with the current Pharaoh," Namu said darkly, and Bakura held his gaze; the pomegranate, forgotten and slightly crushed in his grip, drizzled sticky scarlet down the length of his forearm.

"Then speak it. The Great Royal Husband brought you here personally, remember. Don't insult him by wasting all our time."

"I need to see the Pharaoh—Pharaoh Atem!" Namu snapped. "This is a waste of my time, this 'round in circles with you!"

"I represent Pharaoh Horus, in this hall," Bakura growled, and again Namu faltered. "If I judge it's worth his time, I'll summon the Pharaoh here myself. But if not, this is as far as you go."

Namu shifted, then reached for the rod that hung at his hip. He held it out. "Do you know what this is?"

"If it's a concealed blade, you won't make it out of here alive," Bakura said, and Namu shook his head.

"It's an artifact—an artifact my family has been tasked with protecting." The eye at the center of the rod's head began to glow, and Bakura stood. "You will call the Pharaoh here."

"Pharaoh!" Yugi reached out with his mind—found Atem, still groggy, and dragged their minds together. "Look at this!"

"What in Ma'at is that?" the Pharaoh breathed, even as he gathered context from Yugi's memories. "Artifact? Tasked with protecting? I don't know what any of that means!"

 "You don't know who this Namu is, then?"

"Not a clue. I'm on my way, though."

"Pharaoh, don't! He's obviously trying to draw you out!"

Yugi's attention was drawn suddenly by a hoarse shout from the Thief King—Atem saw it, too, through Yugi's eyes, as Bakura fell to his knees. Ryou's ring—where it hung, always, around his neck—glowed a blinding lavender.

"What in Isfet?!" Namu grunted, and his feet, mysteriously, skidded an inch or so backwards. He held the rod out more insistently; Ryou's ring vibrated madly.

"Bakura!" Jounochi shouted, lunging for Namu. Namu swung the rod towards him, Bakura left to collapse as it's pressure vanished. Jounochi, conversely, froze; his body convulsed, eyes rolling back and glowing violet.

"Suit yourself!" Namu spat. "I'll just make you my puppet, then!"

Jounochi's body went limp, for a moment, and then spun on unsteady feet. He flew at Yugi, eyes blank and hands outstretched. Yugi shut Atem out of his mind even as he felt the Pharaoh begin to race towards the scene. Yugi allowed Jounochi to plow into him, but got his legs up between them; he kicked out against Jounochi's stomach as his own back hit the ground, and so threw the other boy up and over him. Bakura had regained his feet, by then, but still swayed unsteadily.

"Relevant!" the stranger snarled, swinging the rod like a club; Bakura threw his arms up to protect his head, but the blow still connected and made him stagger. Yugi felt Jounochi grab him from behind and thrashed as his arms were wrestled behind his back. "I'll show you relevant! This whole palace is under the control of Malik Ishtar, now!"

The guards... where are our guards?! Yugi thought frantically, head twisting toward the various entrances to the hall.

Namu—or Marik Ishitar, rather—laughed. “Can you hear it? The sounds of battle? The Pharaoh isn’t as universally loved as you may believe. Even now, my forces are attacking your perimeter—occupying your guards while I destroy you from within your own walls!”

"Pharaoh!" Yugi reached out again; he felt Atem mere rooms away, now, and racing ever closer. He had a dagger in his hand, and it occurred to Yugi that the Pharaoh had only the most remedial training in such weaponry. "The attack! It's a diversion!"

"They're everywhere, Partner! They came out of nowhere—underground, I think! Diversion or otherwise, they're doing serious damage already!"

 "Malik... Malik Ishtar, he's...!"

 "Ishtar?!"

Malik raised the second artifact—the upside-down pyramid that hung around his neck—and chuckled darkly. "And now... as the Pharaoh himself approaches..."

The pendant began to glow with the eerie purple light of the Shadow Realm. Atem appeared, frantic, throwing the doors of the hall wide.  

"Get back, you fool!" Bakura snarled. "We're the fucking bait! Don't you get that?"

"Pharaoh! Run!" Yugi shrieked, even as Malik lifted the pendant higher.

"In the name of Shadows, Pharaoh, I banish you! Suffer, as I have, forever stranded in the darkness!"

"Yugi!" Bakura shouted over the rising and unnatural sound of wind—sand, too, materialized from nowhere, whipping about and stinging where it's grains struck exposed skin. "Separate your minds! You'll get caught up in the spell, too!"

Yugi didn't obey, but Atem heard and complied, severing their mental link violently enough to make Yugi cry out. Malik rounded on Bakura, lip drawn back.

"You can share his fate, Thief King! I won't forgive you for making such light of my family's pain!"

The pendant's glow intensified along with the forming gale around them; Yugi felt Jounochi stagger as the rod's light, conversely, faltered. Realizing that Malik was at some sort of a limit, Yugi called out to his friend, begged, "Jounochi! Jounochi, fight! Jounochi!"

Malik gave a furious snarl as the Jounochi staggered, his grip on Yugi slackening. Torrential sands had risen, engulfing both Atem and Bakura, and Malik's rod lost another bit of luminescence.

"Yu... gi...?" Jounochi asked blearily. Yugi kicked out and caught Jounochi's shin, making him yelp and stumble back.

"Run!" Yugi gasped out, finding himself back on his own feet. "Find Priest Seto and run! The palace is under attack—someone has to get away!"

"But—!" Jounochi began to object, then saw the Pharaoh Atem, with a cry, crumple. He grabbed Yugi's hands, swearing, "I'll be back! With help! I promise!" and then tore off.

Yugi felt a flutter of satisfaction as he watched Jounochi vanish, then turned and met Malik's furious gaze. The gale winds peaked, then began to quell; the sands that had swallowed up the Thief King and the Pharaoh fell, empty.

"Malik... Ishtar, was it?"

Malik pointed his rod toward the Great Royal Husband. "And for you too, Yugi Mutuo, infinite suffering. I'll see to it personally, and then send you to be with your beloved. I'll send you to him broken, and he'll suffer as I have. If he's still alive and sane, by then."

An odd golden light—the Eye of Anubis, Yugi thought, but couldn’t quite be sure—flickered on Malik’s forehead.

The doors of the hall began to open—not to reveal palace guards or servants, but to admit a rush of cloaked figures. Malik's rod glowed softly as he orchestrated their movement; bade them seize the Great Royal Husband, and had him dragged away.

... ... ...

Thief King Bakura slammed his fist, still sticky and red with pomegranate juice, into the dusty, lavender turf of the Shadow Realm. Atem, some ways from him, sat motionless and stunned.

"Where...?" he asked vaguely, and Bakura gave a coarse laugh.

"We're in the Shadow Realm, fool!" he spat. "Curse it. Somehow he banished us to the damned Shadow Realm!"

"Didn't you say that Destiny Board is the only way to get here, in the waking world?"

"Clearly I was wrong," Bakura snapped. "And I sure as Anubis’ foul breath don't know of any other way to get out."

They were silent, for a beat, each realizing the significance of that statement. Atem examined the dagger he still held, then tucked it into a sheath at his hip. He stood, a bit unsteadily, and began to pace.

"And to be stuck here with you," Bakura said, with a trace of humor. "That's some bitter irony, right there."

"I can't... sense Yugi..."

"If you'd been connected mentally, when that shit kid did whatever he did, lil' Yugi would be right here with us." Bakura looked down at Ryou's ring, seeming distant as he said, "I doubt you'll be able to touch his mind, from here."

"My father... kept some grave-keepers... by the name of Ishtar..."

Bakura blinked, letting the ring fall back against his chest. "Grave-keepers?"

"He only referenced them once, that I remember. And just a casual thing, like calculating their wages or something... but I'm certain..."

"So the kid does have a genuine grudge, ey?" Bakura asked. "And here I was all ready to give you the benefit of the doubt and write him off as some lunatic bastard."

Atem looked dutifully affronted; he muttered, "I can't listen to your nonsense... not right now..." and paced away from where the Thief King sat.

"I wouldn't go that way, if I were you," Bakura called after him, but Atem ignored it. The Thief King shrugged; stood, and brushed himself off. "And five..." he breathed, to no one but himself, "four... three... two... one..."

Atem shrieked as the ground collapsed beneath him; Bakura sighed trudging obligingly after the Pharaoh.

"I told you not to," he called, as he approached the ravine that had opened up in the sand. "I know this place well, Pharaoh—it'll kill you, if you don't pay attention. I know every detail and trap of its topography, by heart."

Atem, hanging by one hand from the edge of the cliff, huffed. "What are you expecting, cur? An apology?"

The Thief King reached him, looked down and crooned, "Well, considering how things have turned out, an apology might be nice."

"Bakura, quit fooling around," Atem grunted, struggling for a second handhold; the rocky ground kept crumbling away beneath his fingers when he grasped at it. "Bakura, curse it... help me...!"

The Thief King's grin widened, warping at the tremor in the Pharaoh's voice. "Help you?" he echoed, innocently. "Dear Pharaoh, why, in the exalted names of all the gods, would I do that?"

Atem's face lost a bit more of its color. "You..."

"I've been waiting for this moment," the Thief King sneered. As Atem reached up again, he placed his foot casually at the very edge of the cliff, blocking the Pharaoh's hand. "Foolish Pharaoh! We aren't in your palace, anymore—this is my place, and you're the guest."

Atem's face twisted with anger—anger and fear. "I knew it..." he hissed, bearing his teeth as the Thief King bent towards him. "May your soul know eternal agony, you filthy—aah!" He cut himself off as his wrist was grabbed.

"Foolish Pharaoh," Bakura chortled, his grin morphing into something far friendlier. He heaved Atem up—lifted him up out of the chasm, then hefted him effortlessly over his shoulder as the Pharaoh gave a shriek of protest. "You should have seen your face... ha!"

"Bakura, you... you stupid bastard..." Atem wheezed, his breath driven from him as Bakura's shoulder ground into his stomach. "That was too far... you rotten, stinking thief..."

"Payback for that time you made me think you were taking me to an execution," Bakura said, patting Atem's back.

"Put me down..."

"As the Pharaoh commands me."

But as Bakura went to lift Atem back down, the ground gave an unstable lurch beneath them. Bakura scarcely had time to realize what was happening—tried to leap away from the edge, but Atem's dead-weight slowed him—and they both plummeted downward amid a tumult of stone and tangled limbs.

Bakura grabbed and held tightly onto Atem's robes; the Pharaoh gave a shout of objection that was lost in the melee. They tumbled down the cliff-face, locked together, as a craggy landing loomed up beneath them. With a grunt, Bakura thrust the Pharaoh away from him; Atem cried out as he continued, for dozens yards, to tumble along alone. He rolled a clumsy, bumpy halt at the bottom of the ravine, groaning softly with pain.

Every inch of Atem's body felt bruised, battered, and he took a long moment to catch his breath before pushing himself upright on trembling arms. He craned his neck, squinting up at the jutting rock ledge he had been thrown past, and saw Bakura's head appear from atop it.

"Pharaoh Horus! You still alive?"

Atem scowled. "What in Ra did you think you were doing? Are you trying to kill me, after all?"

"Clearly, this is all part of my master plan," Bakura called down, grinning.

Atem struggled to his feet, assessing the damage: a dozen spots scraped bloody, his clothes torn, his whole body one massive ache. "This only happened because you were joking around, up there. And then you go and shove me, damn you! When you get down here, I may put you out of your filthy misery myself."

"Why don't you come up here and just try it?" Bakura sneered, with an inappropriately playful grin.

Though the slope was traitorous and crumbly, Atem, fuming, made the climb in a few calculated leaps. He drew a breath to shout something but pulled up short when he saw the Thief King, sprawled out on his belly with his right leg twisted out gruesomely behind him. Drag-marks in the sand showed how he'd crawled from a blood-stained spot of impact to the ledge's edge.

Bakura smiled; said, "Help me up, please. It's way too strange, looking up at you."

"Oh Osiris..." Atem breathed, and slumped onto his knees. "You... the impact was..." This shelf... hitting it was a sudden stop, with all the force of the fall behind it. Tumbling down the embankment, to the bottom, that was a gradual stop. "You know the topography... you pushed me..."

"Do try not to think the worst of me," Bakura said, with a slightly pained note in his voice. "It is how things are, between us, but it gets a bit old.”

Atem moved shakily forward; Bakura allowed himself to be rolled slightly over, though his teeth grit in pain. Atem examined his leg—femur smashed in multiple places, and hip mangled just above it. The knee seemed intact, somehow, as did everything below it. The blood on the ground had apparently come from a contusion just below Bakura's hip—the first and worst point of impact, it seemed. The skin had split, broken bone visible just beneath.

"The bleeding... isn't bad, at least," Atem murmured, and the Thief King gave a laugh made hoarse with pain.

"Right... there's that, at least. Help me up, I said. We can't stay exposed like this."

Atem nodded vaguely but didn't move. He started violently when Bakura grabbed his wrist.

"Pharaoh! Don't act like you've never seen damned blood before! We can't stay exposed!"

"Bakura... you..." Atem's face twisted, for a moment, and then he nodded; looked away. He looped Bakura's right arm around his own shoulders—narrow, compared to those of the Thief King—and heaved the other man up. Bakura staggered, hopping on his left foot to gain his balance as he tried not to knock Atem over. He gave a stifled shout of pain as his leg was jostled, but bit back any other exclamations.

Slowly, with agonizing care, Atem navigated them both back down the slope. The Thief King's weight on him was almost more than he could tolerate, but he didn't let himself falter. He thought of the agony that Bakura must be in and used it to lend perspective to his own discomfort.

Along the ravine wall, they came to a shallow indent—it could hardly be called a cave, but it was cover, at least. Atem lowered them both to the ground, slowly. Bakura collapsed back against the stone, his breathing ragged, his face unnaturally ashen, and his eyes closed.

"Bakura? Listen to me, you're not going to die here." Atem wasn't sure what compelled him to say it, but he couldn't hold the words back. The Thief King's lips twisted into a wry little smile.

"Great gods, Horus, you sound ridiculous..."

Atem shivered. "Look, this is the Shadow Realm, right? I have my deck with me, and you always carry yours. Can't we use Monster Reborn or Miracle's Wake to fix you?"

Bakura shook his head faintly. "Nah... those cards only work when you die. And even then, they don't fix you." Opening his eyes as slits, he moved one shaky hand to pull back his robe. "See this?" He ran his finger along a knot of scar tissue on his side. "Knife wound. Killed me. Monster Reborn brought me back, but the wound was still there when I woke up. It healed at a normal pace, after that. And when I came back because of Miracle's Wake, when I fought you, I couldn't move for hours afterwards. I've had some luck using Life Point restoration spells, like Goblin's Remedy, to speed up healing, but I don't have any of those with me, and I don't think you keep any in your deck either, right?"

Atem shook his head miserably. "No... I don't."

Bakura sighed; closed his eyes again. "And no trees or brush here, so nothing to even make a splint... Aah... well, guess I'll just die..."

"You're not going to die!" Atem objected; his voice broke on the last word.

Bakura chuckled. "Ha... got you again, Pharaoh..."

Atem bit his lip, tried to keep his composure, and whispered, "Yeah... you got me..."

Neither spoke for a moment, Bakura's harsh breathing the only audible sound. Then Atem rose, went to the mouth of the little alcove.

"There has to be some other way to get out of here..." He gazed out, virtually unseeing, and only looked back when Bakura made a pained little noise. Alarmed, he hurried back to crouch beside Bakura as the thief struggled to straighten out his leg.

"How can I help?"

Bakura shot him a baleful grin. "Take off my outer robe and tear it into strips, would you?"

Atem nodded and did as he was bade, drawing the small dagger at his hip to cut the rich crimson fabric. Bakura labored to get his bones into some semblance of the right shape. Then, together, they bound the injured limb with fabric, though not much could be done for the hip itself. At some point, Bakura also stuffed a scrap of cloth into his mouth and bit down to keep from wailing. The skin on his face and fingers grew slick with sweat.

When the job was done, Bakura slumped back with his eyes screwed shut; gave an odd series of crooning sobs into the rag, saliva leaking out past it. Atem sat awkwardly beside him, unsure of what to do.

Eventually, Bakura collected himself and opened his eyes; he pulled out the gag and threw it to the side, then wiped his mouth, avoiding Atem's gaze.

"I don't know if there's another way out of here, but there's something we can try." Bakura's voice was rough; scratchy. "There's a kind of center, in the Shadow Realm—like the center of a vortex. I've never gone too close to it, but... if there's an answer anywhere, it's there. The rest of this place is just empty wasteland."

Atem nodded, swallowing against the bile in his throat. "Right... that's something. We just need a chance."

Bakura placed one hand against the stone wall; it trembled almost uncontrollably, and Atem lurched to wedge himself under Bakura's arm as the Thief King tried to get up. After a tenuous moment, when both of them might have totally collapsed, they managed to stabilize.

"Aah... how pathetic," Bakura groaned, then gave a soft, involuntary yelp of pain. He snapped his teeth shut, and Atem could tell from the heave of his chest that he was trying hard not to cry out.

"We'll summon a monster, as transport," Atem said, and Bakura nodded reluctantly.

"Which one, do you think?"

Atem shrugged. "You're more experienced with things like this than I am."

Bakura thought for a moment, then said, "You're just trying to give me some sense of control, aren't you?"

Atem huffed. "You give me too much credit."

Bakura gave a pained smile, then pulled his deck out, leafed through it, and selected a card. "I summon Curse of Dragon!"

The air around the two humans swirled; buffeted them, and nearly knocked them both over. The monster screeched, when it had formed, and gave a flap of its skeletal wings as it settled down on the sand.

"Hey, friend," Bakura called, reaching out a hand. The monster screeched softly, bobbing it's head like a great bird. "Give us a ride?"

The monster rotated, slightly; bore it's back and stooped low. Atem and Bakura made their arduous way over to it, and then, with Atem's support from the ground, Bakura managed to heave himself up onto its back. The Pharaoh followed, feeling irrationally guilty in his freedom of movement. The gaps in Curse of Dragon's backbone made for decent seats, and Atem held onto the vertebrae just in front of him.

"Let's go, faithful friend," Bakura told the monster, patting the side of its bony head. Curse of Dragon screeched again; rose into the air with a beating of wings, and they were off.

[thosewhoruleegypt]

The Pharaoh’s Lotus Garden (2 - 12)

The Pharaoh’s Lotus Garden is a collection of oneshots and drabbles within the TwRE-verse; Ancient Egypt AU. Each can be read separately, but they’ll make more sense with context~ Part II happens after What Followed the High Priest Home.

Main Story Begins Here! Also available on AO3~ Previous Chapter - Next Chapter (see you in the next part!)

Part II; Chapter 12 In which Thief King Bakura and Ryou are dearly, deeply in love 399 words; rated M 

"Look at this..." the Thief King purred, his large hands slipping beneath the blue silks Ryou wore. Hot stirrings, arousal and self-consciousness, made Ryou's skin flush. Bakura's hands roamed over the sumptuous flesh of Ryou's hips and middle, caressing and squeezing and gently pinching.

"Bakura...! Please...!" Ryou squirmed a bit, then squeaked as Bakura tipped him onto his back. The Thief King slid Ryou's tunic off despite Ryou's halfhearted attempts to keep it in place.

"You're so soft," Bakura crooned, leaning down to kiss Ryou's belly. It was plush, and Ryou only grew more flustered with the attention. "I'm so glad... you got all scrawny again, when you were sneaking me food... I told you not to give me your own meals, but I could tell you didn't listen... it hurt me, to see that happen..."

"So embarrassing..." Ryou breathed, as Bakura kissed his stomach again.

"Not embarrassing. Lovely..." Bakura's hands gripped Ryou's hips; ran his thumbs along the hipbones which, once so prominent, were now all but hidden. "Beautiful..." Bakura moved to the left; kissed the crest of Ryou's pelvis. "Gorgeous..."

"Ah! Get off me, you—!” Ryou objected weakly, and the Thief King obliged with a cheerful laugh. Ryou sat up too quickly; blinked, for a moment, and then crawled onto Bakura’s lap. He pressed his hands to the powerful muscles of Bakura's chest—relaxed, now, and so unexpectedly soft in their turn. “And what about you? Not a bone to be seen on the King of Thieves, anymore. You frightened me, then—you looked half-dead, when I came back to you.”

"I was dead, my love." Bakura kissed him—deeply, with the flavor of wine and roast meat on his lips. "And now I'm alive, thanks to you."

"You keep saying that..."

"Because it's true," Bakura mumbled, against Ryou's mouth. "You fed me. You loved me. You brought me wine, and you fucked me so tenderly I nearly died all over again."

Ryou mumbled something hopelessly inarticulate, but returned the kiss; said, "I'll always do that. All of those things. I'll always do those things, my King..."

Bakura tipped him back again, then; growled, "Nah. Let me fuck you tenderly, tonight. Let me worship this soft, sweet body."

Ryou gasped; choked out, "Whatever you want, Thief King..." as Bakura began to lavish him with corporeal affections.

"Maybe tomorrow... we can switch."

"As you wish, Thief King..."

[thosewhoruleegypt]

In this, the year of our Lord Thoth 2022, we are back.

Y’all it has been four years! When I say coming back to this AU again feels like coming home-- honestly, I’m so happy to be working on it again. 

Unsure if I’m actually going to be active again here, but I figured I’d at least hop on to make an announcement! Here’s hoping it reaches someone :’3

[rykura]

More gemshipping art 乁༼☯‿☯✿༽ㄏ

Don’t much like the first one, it was a practice drawing for the second one and I’m still working on a style for TKB, but I like my Ryou lots ^w^ Also, do you know how hard it is for an amateur to draw touching foreheads with characters from Yugioh? The hair. It’s impossible. I tried my best. 

Second one is MORE fanart for @thiefcat-niao / @thosewhoruleegypt ‘s amazing fic from this chapter <3

[thosewhoruleegypt]

(as I’m late reblogging everything onto this blog because I haven’t been on this blog for almost a month, oh noooo)

I’M. IN LOVE, WITH HOW YOU DRAW RYOU. 

And that is exactly how I pictured that scene and words can’t describe how much this delights me. QuQ THANK YOU!! :’D 

[rykura]

More art for @thiefcat-niao / @thosewhoruleegypt

Didn’t know which of the two on the bottom was better so they’re variations of each other ;w;

[thiefcat-niao]

*LOUD YELLING AND FLAILING*

OH N O THE FIRST ONE that scene was so much fun to write!! I’m so happy to see it illustrated!! :’D And such a triumphant King in the second one, HA! 

And okay but those last two?? Both variations are literally my favorite thing, they’re beautiful~ *^* My precious gem babies in the first one, poor dears, and then I absolutely love how you’ve drawn Ryou with Diabound in the second one! I don’t have the proper words, but they’re just–I love. I LOVE <333 

Thank you so much for these!! Q^Q 

[thosewhoruleegypt]

The Pharaoh’s Lotus Garden (2 - 11)

The Pharaoh’s Lotus Garden is a collection of oneshots and drabbles within the TwRE-verse; Ancient Egypt AU. Each can be read separately, but they’ll make more sense with context~ Part II happens after What Followed the High Priest Home.

Main Story Begins Here! Also available on AO3~ Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

Part II; Chapter 11 In which Priest Seto greatly overestimates his own abilities 1500 words; rated T

a/n: Forgot to post this here, whoops!! 

It started with a smart remark—as did most inter-palace drama, if the truth was to be told.

"It must be nice to have underlings to fight your battles for you."

High Priest Seto swung about the courtyard, trying to locate the source of the voice. When it wasn't readily apparent, he called, "Show yourself, coward thief!"

"Have you ever relied on your own strength?" came the voice again, and Seto stalked first one way, then the other; checked behind a cluster of bushes. "Or just had your loyal underlings deal with any trouble?”

"At least I don't hide my face in my own damn palace!" Seto spat, spinning again with a swish of his expensive robes. He yelped when Bakura swung into view, hanging inverted from a tree branch.

"At least I don't yowl like a dog when something startles me," the Thief King said, and the High Priest straightened indignantly.

"You're all posturing, thief. Depending on cheep tricks to get the better of anyone you don't like."

"Are you saying I'm all talk?" the Thief King asked, with mock surprise. He dropped down from his tree; landed on his hands, and swirled smoothly up onto his feet. "Gutsy thing to say, especially for someone who acts so gutless most of the time."

Seto threw the first punch; Bakura was unprepared, but dodged to the side with a soft, "Whoa, there!" Seto lunged again; as Bakura moved to block, he struck suddenly from the other side, landing a solid punch that sent the Thief King skidding several inches backwards.

"Let's see you talk so provocatively with a broken jaw," the High Priest sneered, as Bakura wiped a drizzle of blood from his chin.

"Better shot than I expected..." the Thief King growled. "But if you think I'll just take it—!”

Bakura lunged, drilling a fist into the underside of Seto's rib-cage. The High Priest wheezed, but grabbed Bakura's shoulders and wrenched him off-balance; tangled their feet, and so sent then both crashing to the ground. They rolled over once, twice; the Thief King managed to get on top and punched Seto in the face once, twice.

"Hey! Hey! Damn it, Bakura! Seto!"

The Thief King looked up at the shout, and the High Priest took the opportunity to ram his knee up into Bakura's stomach. The Thief King gasped as he lost his breath, and Seto—with superior height—threw himself up and flipped their positions. Bakura, upon finding himself pinned, grabbed the front of the High Priest’s shirt and smashed their foreheads together. Seto reeled and Bakura grabbed his shoulders; wrenched him sideways and into the sandy turf.

"Gods damn you both!" Pharaoh Atem was still shouting, and when Bakura sprang up Atem immediately placed himself between the two men. Seto, slower, staggered to his feet and raised his fists. "Stop it! Both of you!"

Bakura was grinning—a wild, slightly open-mouthed grin, breath huffing in and out between his teeth, heedless of the blood still dripping from his mouth. "Oh, no fun, Horus, no fun!" he wined, and made a feint towards Seto. The High Priest jumped, but Pharaoh Atem didn't budge.

"Stop it!" Atem repeated furiously, and then turned to his cousin. "I expected better from you! My High Priest, brawling in my front courtyard of all places?"

Seto grimaced; staggered, a bit, and shook his head as though dizzy. "I... sorry, my cousin... Pharaoh..."

"How hard did you hit him?" Atem asked Bakura, who shrugged.

"No harder'n he hit me."

"Oh... Bastet, why are there two of you, now?!" Seto demanded, pointing at Bakura and again lurching to one side.

"Damn it, Bakura..." Atem muttered.

"Oh, it went from 'damn both of you' to just 'damn it, Bakura?'" the Thief King asked, making an effort to look hurt. "How unfair, Pharaoh..."

"He's no fighter!" Atem said, with an exasperated motion at Seto.

Bakura gestured to his jaw—swelling now, visibly. "Could've fooled me."

"He got in a lucky shot," Atem said flatly, and Seto glared blearily at him.

"Don't underestimate me, Cousin..."

Atem fixed him with a baleful look. "Don't go trying to brawl with experienced fighters, then. A crooked nose wouldn't suit you."

Seto looked mildly alarmed at that proposition; staggered again, suddenly, and Atem caught his arm. A concerned huddle of palace-folk had formed, by then, and Atem handed the High Priest off to a servant.

"Make sure he goes straight to the healers," the Pharaoh told the girl, who nodded seriously. Then Atem turned to Bakura; jerked his head. "Walk with me."

"What, I don't get to go see the healers?"

"You'll survive."

The palace-folk took their cue; left the Pharaoh and the Thief King to themselves. They wove together through the carefully cultivated gardens in silence, the late summer sun warming their backs.

"He threw the first punch," Bakura said, without preamble.

"Hmm."

"Sorry if we wrecked any of your flowers."

Atem sighed. "Flowers are flowers. They'll grow back."

"Sorry. It got out of hand."

Atem shrugged. "I'm not upset. It just worries me that you two are on such earnestly bad terms. And I know," he added, when Bakura began to speak, "that it's all in good fun, to you. But not to him. Seto might really take your head off, if given half a chance."

"He couldn't."

"He could. He killed both our fathers, you know. Poisoned them."

Bakura blinked. "Oh. Gods, no, I didn't know that. I'm... sorry?"

"It isn't exactly common knowledge. For obvious reasons."

"Obviously not."

"It was in defense of me," Atem said, with a hint of a smile, "so I'm in no position to complain, but my cousin is capable of murder. And if he gets it into his head that you're a threat, to him or to me, he might just take matters into his own hands. That's what I'm nervous about."

"Poison, huh...?"

"He knows I'd be rather cross," Atem continued, "but my disapproval will only stop him to a point. If you agitate him enough, I can't guarantee how he'll act."

"Poison doesn't really work on me," Bakura said, after a moment. "But I'll keep an eye out for knives in my bed."

"Do that."

"His namesake suits him."

"Set..." Atem murmured, and then nodded. "Unfortunately so. But with one very important difference—he supports me, as pharaoh.

"Sure. He supports you so well that he ran off to play with the god cards for how long? Almost a year, right?"

"I've never feared that he might try to take the throne," Atem said, with a sigh. "And he's back, now. It was hard, for us both."

"You're too generous, Horus. And don't you dare take that as a compliment, because it's not."

Atem smiled grimly. "Perhaps... but he's my brother. And a far better brother than Set to Horus, in the legends."

"The legends set a pretty low standard, if that's your basis for comparison."

"Seto has his troubles. But I could count on him, if I needed. I would bet my life on that."

Bakura sighed; shook his head and shrugged. "You know him better than I do..."

"I do. But do watch yourself a bit more, around him. A crooked jaw wouldn't suit you any more than a crooked nose would suit him."

"You don't think it'd add to my dangerous look?" Bakura asked, grinning.

"I think the scar does just fine," Atem said, glancing over. "Besides, Ryou would be very upset."

"You're right about that... aah, he's going to be upset enough about this..." Bakura rubbed his jaw.

"Go to the healers now." Atem gave a dismissive wave. "They'll be able to bring the swelling down."

"Sorry."

"It's fine. Just don't let it happen again."

"Now be sure you lecture your good cousin with just as much authority, okay?"

Atem narrowed his eyes. "My authority has never worked on either of you. I know the best I can do is ask you both to be civil, as a favor."

... ... ...

"... Bakura..." Pharaoh Atem began.

"Hmm?"

"Would you like to tell me why you're wearing Seto's headdress?"

Bakura looked up from his seat on one of the courtyard benches, the headdress in question slipping slightly to the side. "Why, it has a serpent on it, and one that quite resembles Diabound, too. I supposed that made it mine, actually."

Atem massaged his forehead with one hand. "I asked you... please..."

"I don't owe you any favors, Pharaoh."

Atem was drawing breath when he was cut off by a far angrier, indignant shout of, "You wretched thief!" and Bakura sprang to his feet.

"You'll have to forgive me, Lord Horus! Another time!" He waved, then darted off through the garden, one hand clutching the headdress.

Atem stepped obligingly out of the way as his High Priest gave furious chase, albeit with a shout of, "Apologies, Cousin! Pardon me!" and then vanished from sight after Bakura.

The Pharaoh considered his options for a moment, then sunk down onto the bench and cradled his head in his hands.

[thosewhoruleegypt]

Every single time I look at this blog, I’m just amazed by what perfect sidebar pics I was able to find. Like honestly. Look at these boys. Pharaoh and King. 

[thosewhoruleegypt]

In other news, please accept this sneak peek from the next main story~ 

[thosewhoruleegypt]

The Pharaoh’s Lotus Garden (2 - 10)

The Pharaoh’s Lotus Garden is a collection of oneshots and drabbles within the TwRE-verse; Ancient Egypt AU. Each can be read separately, but they’ll make more sense with context~ Part II happens after What Followed the High Priest Home.

Main Story Begins Here! Also available on AO3~ Previous Chapter - Next Chapter 

Part II; Chapter 10 In which the King of Thieves teaches the Great Royal Husband his trade 500 words; rated T

“There’s no lock I can’t foil!” Bakura announced one day—upon casually breaking into Yugi and Atem’s room in the middle of the afternoon. While Atem looked duly affronted, glaring over from where he sat at his desk, Yugi hopped up off the bed and moved to meet the King of Thieves.

“How did you do that?” he asked, and Atem made a small, distressed little sound.

Bakura grinned; knelt. “Step into the Court of the Thief King, dear pharaoh-ling.” Yugi knelt beside him, and Bakura gave his wrist a little flick; a piece of metal dropped from his sleeve into his palm, and placed it into Yugi's hand. “Take a look. I’m never without a couple of these little beauties.”

Yugi examined the object—nothing more than a shard of metal, like a needle for sewing, with one end slightly bent. “How does it work?”

Bakura had produced a second one, by then, and motioned to the lock on the door. “Slip it in, like this... and then feel around... for... where it hooks.” There was an audible click, and Bakura twisted his wrist; the lock turned, the bolt snapping out into open air. “Like that. Your door is a bit trickier than most, even, but it’s not that hard if you’ve got the right tool.”

“So the genius of the Thief King is reliant on his tools?” Atem asked derisively, from where he still sat at his desk. Bakura drew his lip back.

“My fingers used to be small enough to do the trick, but that was a long time ago. The great thing about these little picks, though, is you can make them out of most anything.” Bakura let the tool drop back into his sleeve. He pulled out a knife; slipped a chain from around his neck, and used the knife’s tip to pry one of the links open. Within a few seconds, he’d straightened, whittled, and re-bent the chain link into one of his little tools. He flicked it at Atem, who ducked.

“Nice party trick,” Atem said dryly, straightening again and crossing his arms. “But I’ve never heard of any guards who let you keep a gold chain and a dagger.”

“First of all, guards miss things all the damn time, especially things as small as this,” Bakura said. “Second of all, it takes a bit more time, but any scrap of metal will do, and any sharp edge will work just fine as a whittle.”

Atem grimaced, then looked over when Yugi gave an excited little yelp. He’d gotten the bolt to slide back into the door, and beamed at Bakura.

“I got it!”

“Well done, pharaoh-ling,” the Thief King crooned. “With how skilled you are at puzzles, I expected no less.” When Yugi tried to hand him the pick back, Bakura shook his head. “No telling when you’ll need one.”

“Don’t teach my husband your criminal tricks,” Atem said flatly, turning back to the work on his desk.

“And if my criminal tricks save his life, one day?” Bakura asked.

“Then I’ll owe you my soul,” Atem answered, without hesitation. “Doesn’t mean I approve.”

[rykura]

Fanart for @thiefcat-niao / @thosewhoruleegypt

[thiefcat-niao]

OHMYGODS IM YELLING 

I love these so so much??? Also I don’t know how I’m just seeing them, thanks tumblr… 

Oh my gosh how you drew my gemship dorks, I LOVE, they’re so perfect! <333 The detail like how Ryou’s feet are posed in the first one, and Bakura just stroking his hair… And they both just look so gosh darn happy in the other, it gives me life tkb you big mush, nuzzlin’ the gem like that <3 You have also actually managed to sum up Bakura and Seto’s dynamic in one smol chibi pic, and that’s just… it brings me joy. THANK YOU SO MUCH!! Q^Q 

[thosewhoruleegypt]

!!! EVERYONE LOOK OMG

It’s been a while since I’ve logged into this blog unplanned hiatus over I absolutely promise!! so I needed to reblog these here for sure!! 

[thosewhoruleegypt]

The Pharaoh’s Lotus Garden (2 - 9)

The Pharaoh’s Lotus Garden is a collection of oneshots and drabbles within the TwRE-verse; Ancient Egypt AU. Each can be read separately, but they’ll make more sense with context~ Part II happens after What Followed the High Priest Home.

Main Story Begins Here! Also available on AO3~ Previous Chapter - Next Chapter 

Part II; Chapter 9 In which Yugi decides to coax Ryou from his room, one sweltering summer afternoon 600 words; rated T

"Ryou?" Yugi poked his head into the room shared by the Thief King and his husband, calling out to his friend. Ryou glanced up from where he lay on the bed—on his back, legs tucked halfway up and hair tied loosely. His clothing was light enough so as to be almost see-through, and the hand-fan he held was moving quickly and rhythmically. The curtains were drawn tightly.

"Ah. Lord Yugi. How are you?"

"Hot," Yugi said, with a sympathetic smile. It was the middle of summer, and even denizens of the desert wouldn’t be caught active in the hottest parts of the day. The palace was better off than most other places—it was fairly sealed off, from the sweltering outside, and Atem’s magicians kept chilled air circulating as best they could. Yugi himself noticed and greatly appreciated how supernaturally cool the Pharaoh’s bedding was, just as it was warm during the frigid winter nights.

Yugi reflected, as he sat on the edge of his friend's bed, that Ryou had it somewhat worse than most. His skin was pale, and burnt easily; Yugi had seen it happen, and Bakura was constantly worrying over it. His hair, too, was so long and thick that it must make the heat all the more unbearable.

“Do you want to play a game of senet, to pass the time?”

“Too hot...” Ryou mumbled, turning his head sideways. “I’d sleep, but it’s too hot to manage that, even...”

Again, Yugi gave a sympathetic smile—more of a grimace, this time. Ryou’s body, too, was softer—had grown plush about the edges, as of late. Yugi’s tiny, lithe form was far better at letting off heat; Atem had a similar advantage.

“Where’s Bakura?”

Ryou shook his head. “Don’t know... kicked him out of bed a couple hours ago... it's like lying next to sack of hot coals...”

The Thief King, Yugi knew, wasn’t fantastic at tolerating the heat either, but did so uncomplainingly. It amused—and somewhat pleased—the Royal Husband that Ryou had grown spoiled enough to meet the misery with somewhat more complaint.

“I’m sure Bakura would turn himself to ice, if he could, to keep you cool.”

That got a breathy chuckle from Ryou. “I’m sure. He is good for keeping warm on winter nights, though.”

“C’mon,” Yugi urged gently. “We’ll go down to the inner gardens. Put our feet in the pond. That’ll help. I’ll bring the senet board.”

Ryou mumbled something disgruntled, then sighed and sat up with a soft groan. He shook his head; folded up the fan, and gave Yugi a weary smile.

“Alright, Lord Yugi. We’ll go down to the garden.”

Yugi smiled; waited as Ryou tied his hair up more securely, and then changed into something slightly more presentable. They exchanged inconsequential gossip as they walked, and Ryou had perked up a bit by the time they reached the garden. Yugi flagged down a servant; requested chilled wine and sweetbreads be brought. They slipped off their sandals, then, and sat at the edge of the pool; dangled their feet in the cool water, and laughed as they played senet.

Perhaps the gods tempered the heat, for a while, out of difference for the Great Royal Husband and his friend. Or perhaps it was only a trick of distraction that made it seem that way.

... ... ...

“... Bakura...”

“Hrrrm?”

“... Get out of my bed.”

“Then ask your magicians to cool our bed, too!”

“I don’t ask my magicians to do this for me,” Atem muttered, glaring over from his desk. “That would be presumptuous. And entitled.”

“You’re very right, it would be,” Bakura said, flipping over onto his back and hanging his head over the edge of the bed. “But it would be generous and gracious of you to ask them to do it for Ryou and I. Don’t you think?”

“... I’ll see what I can do.”

[thosewhoruleegypt]

DEEPEST APOLOGIES for the silence, from this AU! I have a couple of really plot-important drabbles that need to happen before the next main story starts up, and of COURSE those are the ones that really don’t want to be written. “orz 

BUT trying really hard to get it un-stuck and rolling again~ Thank you for sticking with me!! 

[thosewhoruleegypt]

“You won’t starve, as long as you’re mine. I want you to know that.”

“I... thank you, I suppose.”

“I didn’t buy you so I could be cruel. I don’t get off on that.”

“You do have quite the reputation as a killer, though.”

Bakura laughed harshly, and Ryou jumped. “I’m a thief, first—King of Thieves. I’m only a killer when I have to be. Besides, you said it yourself—anyone spends more than a few minutes with me and they’re libel to guess that my eyes don’t work so well. Can’t let that happen. Then I’d be an easy mark.”

“I don’t know about ‘easy...’” Ryou murmured; he stood, and began to stack the dishes.

Again Bakura laughed; leaned back, letting his chair tip onto two legs. “If people knew, they’d figure out a way to take advantage.”

“It’s not as if you’re blind.”

“Practically. I can’t tell if someone is armed, for instance.” Bakura leaned forward again, the chair grounding itself with a thump, and held out both his hands with palms upturned. “I have to assume they have a knife in both hands, because I can’t see whether they do or not. I can’t judge whether someone is strong or weak by how they look, so I have to fight everyone with all my power from the start. And when multiple opponents come at me, I get confused—I lose track of how many there are, and I certainly can’t tell them apart. See? Lots of weaknesses to exploit, if you know they’re there.”

“Why are you telling me?”

“Because you figured it out. The worst has already happened.”

Ryou thought, then asked, “So why haven’t you killed me?”

“Because I like you." Bakura's lips twitched upward. "You’re pretty, and you’re clever. So I thought I’d own you, instead of killing you.”

“Seems dangerous.”

“It’s only dangerous if you turn on me. Which wouldn’t be too smart, considering I’d be able to find you, of all people, anywhere. And I know you’re smart.”

“You could only find me if you were alive.”

Bakura laughed. “It would take a lot to kill me—more than you could do.”

“That’s true. I’m no killer.” Ryou had stopped fiddling with the dishes; he looked down at where the Thief King was still sitting. “But with what I know, it wouldn’t be hard to find someone who could do it.”

“You’re bad at bluffing,” Bakura said.

“What If I’m not bluffing?”

In a flash, the Thief King was up; had grabbed Ryou’s wrist. He twisted down, and used his grip there to slam Ryou into the wall. Ryou gasped, but didn’t cry out.

"You're mine, now..." Bakura’s voice was low—laden heavy with danger. He stretched up, bringing his face in close to Ryou’s ear, nose brushing white hair. “I can use you as I please. I can look after you. Or I can kill you. It’s my call. You’ve got nothing to say or do about that.”

Ryou held steady; didn't flinch, and didn't whimper. He took a deep breath, then replied, "I know that."

The Thief King chuckled roughly. "Then consider the fact that everything you say could be your very last words. Do you really want 'What if I’m not bluffing?’ to be the last thing you ever say?"

"It is what it is," Ryou whispered.

Chapter Three of Blind’s Eye is now up on AO3~ 

[thosewhoruleegypt]

The Pharaoh’s Lotus Garden (2 - 8)

The Pharaoh’s Lotus Garden is a collection of oneshots and drabbles within the TwRE-verse; Ancient Egypt AU. Each can be read separately, but they’ll make more sense with context~ Part II happens after What Followed the High Priest Home.

Main Story Begins Here! Also available on AO3~ Previous Chapter - Next Chapter (coming soon~)

Part II; Chapter 8 In which Pharaoh Atem spars with the King of Thieves  1100 words; rated T

"Don't... don't commit so completely," Thief King Bakura growled. "You haven't got the weight to back up that kind of punch. You've got speed, and you've got agility. Use them. Don't bet too much on power." 

Atem nodded; mimicked the Thief King's stance, beside him, and lowered himself into a half-crouch when Bakura did so. 

"Yeah... like that. Stay low. Be quick." Bakura lunged at an invisible enemy; jabbed repeatedly, too fast to count the number of times. Then he settled back into the crouch, for a moment, before straightening up. "See?" 

Atem nodded; stayed low as Bakura walked around to face him, then crouched down and held up his palms. 

"Try it. C'mon, hit me. Aim for my hands. What you lack in power, you can make up for with precision, in a real fight." 

Atem nodded again; shifted his weight and struck. Bakura moved deftly to catch the blows, taking three to his hands before he grabbed one of Atem's fists; twisted it slightly, jerking the Pharaoh off-balance and making him hiss with pain. 

"Not bad, but don't let me do this," Bakura growled, twisting Atem's arm harder; pulling him forward. "This'll kill you."

"You told me to aim for your hands," Atem hissed. 

"And if you'd been aiming for my ribs, I'd have grabbed your wrist, which probably would've hurt worse," Bakura said calmly. "Now, how'd you get loose from this, do you think?" 

Atem grimaced; tried to get past his own discomfort and think. 

"You can't beat me, grip-strength wise," Bakura said patiently. "So think. If I pull you closer..." 

Atem hissed as he was dragged inches forward, and he struck—without particularly thinking—at Bakura's face. The Thief King caught his other hand; smiled. 

"Exactly." He let go, and Atem stumbled back. "If I pull you closer, I bring my own soft targets—throat and eyes, primarily—into range." 

"Let's try it again." 

"Alright." Bakura crouched again; held up his hands, and Atem shifted thoughtfully. He struck again; avoided Bakura's grab, this time. "Good." Atem's fist thudded into Bakura's palm; Bakura flicked out a foot and swept his legs out from under him, and Atem yelped as he fell with a whump and a puff of sand. "But don't focus so much on your hands that you lose track of your feet." Bakura offered his hand; Atem huffed, but accepted the gesture and heaved himself up. "Again?" 

"Again," Atem agreed, bouncing slightly as he crouched down. 

Bakura grinned. "Here we go. Now you've got the spirit of the thing." 

Atem struck. Bakura caught his first few punches; didn't try to grab him, but swept out a foot almost immediately. Atem skipped back; stayed upright, and Bakura murmured a passing compliment. Atem feigned left; struck right, and caught Bakura's forearm as the Thief King brought it up for a hasty block. Bakura lunged and Atem skipped backwards, then ducked as Bakura threw an intentionally slow punch of his own; darted in under the Thief King's guard. Bakura adjusted, catching both of Atem's wrists and yanking them above his head. 

"The Pharaoh's a quick study, ay? Almost got to me, there..." 

Atem kicked out; clipped Bakura's shin, and the Thief King grunted in surprise. Atem lifted himself off the ground by Bakura's grip on his wrists, then hooked one foot around Bakura's knee and jerked it out from under him. The Thief King stumbled. 

Atem grunted as his feet hit the ground, and he heaved himself backwards; pulled Bakura off-balance. The Thief King gave a stifled cry as both of them tumbled, Atem hitting the ground on his back with the Bakura atop him. They stilled, both slightly short of breath, and then Bakura began to laugh heartily. 

"Nice move. But getting pinned by someone bigger than you is basically game over. And almost everyone is bigger than you, Horus, so it might not be your best bet." 

The Pharaoh smiled wryly. "Fair enough. Would you kindly?" 

Bakura chuckled, then sat up; offered his hand, and again pulled Atem up with him. They squared off once again, Bakura giving brief critique and Atem nodding seriously.

... ... ... 

"Oh by all the gods that was hot..."  Ryou breathed, his chin sinking onto his arms as he peered out from beneath the bushes. Yugi whacked him gently on the shoulder. "What? Are you saying you don’t think so?"

"I don't need to say anything," Yugi said, eyes fixed on the Pharaoh and the King as they began again to spar. "Or pant like a dog." 

"But that was hot, right?" 

Yugi relented. "Extremely." 

"Set, even I can admit that was hot," Jounochi, smushed against Yugi's other side, put in. "And Kaiba's my man, but damn!" 

"Who invited you?" Ryou asked, a bit sorely, and Jounochi shrugged. 

"Kaiba might have kind of sent me to spy... but this is way more fun, anyhow." 

"You don't—“ Ryou began, but Yugi shushed him frantically. 

"Guys, guys, stop it! Look! The shirts just came off!" 

Ryou's head snapped instantly forward, and Yugi gave a dreamy sigh. Jounochi whistled softly. 

"Bastet, you guys are lucky...!" 

"Don't get any weird ideas," Ryou muttered. "You've got Priest Seto, remember..." 

"Hey, I do, and Priest Seto's every bit as beautiful," Jounochi scoffed. "That's not the point, though." 

"Gods above..." Yugi breathed, as Atem and Bakura went tumbling together across the ground. 

Ryou sighed wistfully. "Gods right here, more like... Gods on earth..." 

"Gods on earth..." Yugi agreed vaguely, as Bakura's laughter floated over to them. The Thief King helped the Pharaoh to his feet. "It's nice to see them getting along so well, too..." 

"Hey, wouldn't it be hot if they got really friendly with each other?" Jounochi asked, and the other two looked sharply over at him. 

"Jounochi...! How could you—?!" 

"Great Kauket, you're so bloody right..." 

Yugi turned in surprise as Ryou said it, and Ryou blushed as he realized he'd said it. After a tense moment, Yugi sighed and laid his head down on his crossed arms, returning his gaze to the sparring match. 

"Gods, both of you are crazy..."

[thosewhoruleegypt]

PSA: Main Blog

Hope this doesn’t bother anyone! Just letting you guys know that I’ve got a new main blog--it’s @thiefcat-niao! 

I haven’t been active on tumblr for a couple of years; I came back just to talk up this AU, but--SURPRISE!--quickly started to encounter other blogs and people that I actually really want to interact with outside of an AU-centric blog, if that makes sense?? This fandom is really amazing, guys. I also missed the ability to speak into the void and post random things, honestly. And, though I initially attempted to go back and resurrect The Old Main Blog, that proved to be too emotionally tiring for various reasons. Hence the new one! 

So I guess if I start following from there, please do know that it’s me! Though YGO is my main fandom atm, it will include others (and cats, art, etc.), because shiny new main blog, y’know. But if you’d like to, please feel free to follow there! <3 

[thosewhoruleegypt]

"Hey. You own this kid?"

"He works for me," was the terse reply.

"Same thing, right?" the King of Thieves crooned, and then asked, "How much will you sell him for?"

The hand tightened on Ryou's neck, even as his heart began to beat faster, then faster still. His chest felt tight, with panic and with some other sensation he couldn’t identify.

"He's not up for sale."

"That not what I'm asking." Now there was the subtle edge of threat in the Thief King's voice, and Ryou felt nails dig into his neck. "I'm asking how much. If something doesn't have a price, I just assume it's free and take it."

Chapter Two of Blind’s Eye is up now on AO3! :’D