fluffydeathdealer | [CAMPUS/IC] II

No, but he could check with the Ring. I don't know. I just... I need to do this myself, Kai-kun. I'm sorry.

[She untangles herself from him, standing up fully and smoothing down her shirt.]

...Thank you.

...

[He just sort of blinks up at her as she pulls away, then shakes his head.]

Naw, I understand. And you're welcome.

[He flashes her a bit of a smile before standing himself and tugging his sleeve back down.]

I'll be here if you need me. [Plotting. He barely manages to stop himself from rolling his eyes at that thought. Who was going creeper now?]

I might after this is over. I'll... see you later, all right?

[And she'll be going out the door quickly now, before she loses her nerve to.]

[The one blessing of this entire event is that his ill-humor could be easily attributed to frustration over being unable to speak. But now that the problem of speech was resolved, it was harder to hide his grouchiness. More so since there was no longer just Malik to hide it from. Malik's irritation at his affection for the dragon meant that he couldn't even talk about it. How annoying.

Sitting on the beach, his back leaning against a tree to avoid the inevitable rain that has been pouring down in bursts today, he stares moodily out at the ocean and ignores the book in his hands. Tch, it's enough to make him want to hurt people. Especially his wayward host. Traitor.]

...Bakura.

[It probably only gets worse, then, when her voice comes out from the other side of the tree.]

Didn't think you'd be out in the rain.

Edited 2014-02-18 22:00 (UTC)

-?!

[Dropping the book, he turns his head in the direction of her voice. What the hell-?]

...Rain doesn't bother me. It's weird as hell, but as long as I don't get soaked, I don't mind it.

It's kind of calming, in some way.

[The silence settles in for a little bit as she looks up, watching the rain fall herself. She holds her hand out, letting some of it fall on her and just watching it flow off.

...Tch.]

How much?

[Leaning back against the tree, he stares off into the sky.]

...tch. I don't know unless you tell me what you're asking.

I know you lied to me. I know you were manipulating me and using me because I was the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

What I want to know is how much. How much of everything we did, we said, that "friendship"... how much of it was just that lying? How much of that was you manipulating me to use me?

...

Karasu. You're asking something that's almost impossible to certify.

It's true that I started to manipulate you. But you're forgetting one thing.

[Lifting a hand to his face, he stares at it for a moment before clenching it into a fist suddenly.]

What the hell would I even be able to use you for while the barrier's here anyway?!

After it became evident that it couldn't be broken, I could have discarded you at any time! Death doesn't last here, so I wasn't in need of your protection. Remember... I never tried to get you to do anything that wasn't just us playing around. The most I did after that point was to conceal my nature.

Ask yourself that. Why would I bother?

[A part of her wants to point out that death doesn't have to be permanent to still want protection from it, but she resists, just listening silently as she watches the rain fall some more.]

That's what I'm asking you.

[Sorry, but she's feeling difficult right now, Bakura. It kind of comes with being justifiedly angry.]

You already know the answer. If you're not useful to me, why would I keep you around?

[Staring out at the sea, he frowns. Yes... that was right. This stupid human emotion... was liking.]

I kept you around because I had fun with you. Even with that stupid light of yours making me crazy, I enjoyed being around you, talking with you, playing games with you... It was something I couldn't explain.

[He lifts a hand to his face, fingers tracing over the scar there from Malik's rage about her.]

You probably figured it out, but the real reason Malik was so angry at you... was because he was jealous as hell over my liking you so much. If I'd kept it at just using you, it might have been fine... but once that usefulness vanished, he got madder and madder about it. Because it was more and more obvious that I was keeping you around for other reasons.

[The words sink in, soothing some of the pain from the wounds that Ryou ripped wide open and Kai only aggravated. She breathes in, slowly, then out, as if thinking deeply.

...She doesn't need to. She already knew the choice she was going to make if it turned out this way.]

No more.

[Her voice is quiet, and tired, but there's a hint of that powerful creature behind it.]

No more lies, no more manipulation.

[She knows how that sounds, especially with the pause. Maybe a part of her wants to dangle him, a little... but no. It's just so she can get her words together.]

Act the way you really are, no matter what that is. Because...

I still owe you everything. Even if it started out just using me, it still gave me what I needed. And... even if you are everything they said... you're still someone I'm indebted to, Bakura. And you're someone I enjoy being around, too. At the least, I think I do, and I'm willing to see if that's still true.

I don't want to see that fake "you" anymore. I don't want to be tricked or lied to. But I do want to stay friends... if that's possible.

[At first he wonders if she's planning to kill him or drive him away. If that happens, it won't be easy for either of them. But then she continues and he pauses, blinking in surprise.]

You want to see the real me?

[A being born of darkness, and a being born of light. He doubts she'll be as okay with the real him as the him that she knew. Not that there were many differences beyond his calmer attitude.

Well, it would be a relief to let the act drop. Restraining his words was such a bitch...]

Fine, then.

[Lifting a hand, he beckons for her to come sit down.]

But if you want the 'true' me for your friend, the question is if your guilt can handle it. After all, you're talking about befriending someone who's associated with a whole lot of darkness.

[At the answer, she does come around the tree, sitting next to him and pulling her legs up to rest her chin on her knees.]

I know I am... and I know I won't be happy with a lot that you do, if what Ryou-kun said is right. But...

Like I said. I owe you a lot... and I still want to at least try. I really enjoyed doing all those things with you, and if you felt the same, then I'm sure everything else... it'll fit somehow.

[Hah... who knew? He didn't need to repress her memories after all.]

...Karasu. Sit still for a moment.

[Moving so he's in front of her, he reaches out a hand to rest it against her chest. Closing his eyes, he focuses. Enough of this. Come out. he orders the fragment, drawing it free. Between the glow of the Ring and the visible energy of the soul fragment, it might be unnerving.]

I put this inside of you a while back. I'm taking it back now. Consider it a gesture of goodwill.

[Holding the soul fragment in his hand, he looks down at it with a strange smile. It probably won't be able to be re-absorbed... Should he just destroy it? Even though it's something so precious?

For the moment, he just fuses it into his knife.]

Edited 2014-02-18 23:04 (UTC)

Mmm?

[Karasu tenses up visibly when he's in front of her, eyes narrowing a little but making no move to stop him. It is unnerving, very much so, but she'll go on a bit of trust for now.]

What is -- was -- that?

["Goodwill"?]

...heh. I split my soul a while back, and put part of it inside of you. That's the real trick behind that special communications method I spoke of. So it won't work again.

[Moving back, he leans against the tree again.]

I probably won't be able to reabsorb it. Once it's split, it's split. Souls aren't easily reconnected.

I see.

[She closes her eyes a little at that, blowing out some air.]

Let me guess... it knew everything that was going on with me?

Of course it did. While it was inside of you, it was always aware.

In that case...

[And this will be her out and out bitch-slapping him across the face.]

It's not polite to spy on a lady in the bathroom!

[OW GODDAMMIT LIKE HE HASN'T BEEN HURT ENOUGH LATELY.]

O-oi! I didn't do anything of the sort! It's not like I could see through it or anything! It may have observed everything, but it didn't tell me shit unless it was important!

...besides, I've already seen you naked.

It doesn't matter if you've had or not, it's still rude. And it's not like I can hit it, so you'll have to deal with it!

[Really, she doesn't care that much about it. But being able to argue a little like this makes things almost feel normal again.

Their friendship... it's definitely changed, but maybe it's not as much as she's afraid of. Her voice calms a little, but there's almost a hint of teasing in there, if Bakura listens carefully.]

Besides, since it's you, you could've just asked for it. I've let you sit on my lap, after all.

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