[fic] A Christmas Wish
※ What would your last wish be?
※ Pairing - Marik/Malik, Bakura/Ryou
※ Warnings - Death.
※ Disclaimer - I obviously don't own it.
ღ - ღ - ღ
A few days ago Isis told me that Malik was going to die on Christmas Eve.
I didn’t believe her.
I made up the excuse that her Millennium Tauk lied sometimes, that Malik’s death was just another one of its lies. But then I saw how bad Malik was and I realized how true it was. He was so thin and so pale that I couldn’t believe anything else.
It had started several months ago, when Malik had first been diagnosed with a mysterious virus that no doctor could name. Nothing could be found so there was nothing they could do, not to say they didn’t try. They did, they tried everything. They treated it and treated it, they poked and probed Malik’s body until he couldn’t take it anymore, but nothing worked.
Malik just ignored it completely and he continued to live as normally as he could, of course with a few differences now. He’d get tired easily, and drinking made him sick. This stopped our late night drinking parties (much to Ryou’s relief). He lost his appetite and it got so bad that someone literally had to force something down his throat. And the one to do that was always Marik. He’d do anything for his other.
Marik never left Malik’s side during the last hard months. He had been there when Malik would wake in the middle of the night with unexplained fevers and he was there to comfort the mortal when all the pain became too much and Malik finally let his defenses down. He was the one that carried Malik to the bathroom when the boy got too weak to stand and he was the one to help Malik bathe.
I knew how much the two loved each other, and I know how much Marik will hurt after Malik’s gone. The spirit of the Millennium Rod seems to be the only one that hasn’t accepted the fact that Malik will soon leave us. Or perhaps he knows all too well and is just ignoring it around everyone, nobody, not even I, knows what goes on in his mind.
After Isis told me the horrid news, Christmas Eve came faster than usual. Ryou explained that it had always seemed to take so long because everyone wanted to open presents and time always went so slow. I had told him about Isis’s vision and he had agreed not to tell anyone else. Nobody else needed to worry.
And now that Christmas Eve was here we had all planned to do something special. One last time to see Malik happy and alive.
When the sky was dark and the only lights were that of the bright full moon and all the stars, we grabbed sleds and traveled to a nearby field where hills had been created for the neighborhood kids. For what seemed like hours we climbed the hills and slid down them. Yugi, Ryou, Malik (and of course, Marik, Yami and myself) made a large snowman at the bottom of the hill. He stood taller than even Seto Kaiba, who stood by with Isis and watched us.
We decorated ‘Frosty’ with a hat; scarf and we used tree branches for arms. Yugi and Ryou had gathered rocks and Malik had pushed them into the packed snow, creating eyes, nose and a mouth. When we had finished the others bounded over to see.
“Wow! That looks cool!” Mokuba grinned as he jumped at Joey, who lifted him up and placed the smaller boy on his shoulders. “You guys did a good job!” Everyone agreed.
“It’s beautiful tonight.” Ryou said softly as all but he, Malik, Marik and I went back to sledding. The four of us sat in the snow staring up at the moon; Malik and Ryou sat between us to keep warm. “It’s peaceful.” He whispered and I watched the air leave his mouth as white steam. I also watched as a tear escaped one of Ryou’s sad eyes. This was hard on him too. Malik was his best friend and I knew just how hard it was for Ryou to watch him die. It was I who woke in the middle of the night to Ryou’s crying.
I wasn’t the only one to notice the crystal liquid either. A thin finger caught the tear and gently wiped the wet track it had left, so it wouldn’t freeze to Ryou’s skin. Slightly startled by the touch, Ryou looked beside him to Malik. The Egyptian smiled softly as he wiped a tear from the other side of Ryou’s face. “There’s something missing.” Malik whispered, speaking of Ryou’s earlier comments. “It isn’t snowing, that’ll make it even better.”
Ryou tried to be strong; I could feel it through the link we had. And Malik knew it too. “You’re right, it would be perfect.” Ryou agreed softly.
Marik, who had been staring up at the sky, gently nudged his partner, getting our attention. When we looked at him he pointed to the sky. “A shooting star.” He said and we all looked in time to see it.
“Make a wish.” I heard Marik whisper to Malik, as the tired boy leaned heavily against him. As Malik closed his eyes and smiled I looked over at Marik as he looked back at me. His eyes were glassy and he gave me a sad smile.
He knew.
Isis must have told him.
Malik opened his eyes again and smiled up at Marik. Seeing that his hikari was looking at him, Marik gently kissed Malik’s thin lips then whispered something to him. Malik hesitated then nodded and Marik carefully helped him to his feet. “We’re going to go back, it’s getting a little cold out here.” He said. “You guys coming?” He wondered.
“Sure.” I nodded; knowing the look Marik was giving me. The four of us walked through the snow, the others getting the idea and coming along. We all walked to the Ishtar house in silence. A peaceful air had surrounded us and I think everyone was afraid of breaking it. As we walked down the lamp lit street, I took Ryou’s gloved hand in mine. Even with the material blocking his skin from me, I could feel that he was trembling.
/ He won’t be suffering anymore. / I stated through our link.
// I know. // He sounded miserable.
/ Marik knows. /
// Malik knows too. //
That surprised me a little, but it made sense. There wasn’t anything that Marik could keep from Malik.
/ Did you make a wish too? / I tried changing the subject.
// Yes. But I know it won’t come true. // He said and I saw him look at Malik sadly. // I’m going to miss him. //
/ I know you will. I’ll miss him too. / I said and gently squeezed his hand as we trudged up the walk and into the warm house.
As Isis and Seto went into the kitchen to make hot chocolate, Marik made sure that Malik was comfortable and warm before going to grab blankets for the others, reluctantly leaving Malik alone. Ryou went over and sat down beside the Egyptian and the two of them began to talk quietly. Seeing that Malik was in good hands, Marik left the room completely.
While everyone found a spot, I built a fire in the large fireplace. Yami Yugi silently helped me. As we were piling wood into the fire our hands grabbed the same piece and his hand was placed over mine. I looked up at him and he gave me a questioning look. I knew exactly what that question was and it wasn’t one that I wanted to answer, but I answered anyway. He wanted to know if tonight was the night.
I nodded and we both silently went back to stacking wood.
Marik returned and handed out blankets, keeping one for himself and Ryou. He went over to the couch and handed Ryou one of the blankets and then wrapped himself and Malik up in the one he’d kept. The fire was burning brightly so I returned to Ryou’s side and we sat on the floor in front of the couch Malik and Marik occupied and we wrapped ourselves within the blanket.
Seto and Isis came into the room and with the help of Joey and Tea they carried in mugs of hot chocolate and handed them out. I declined a cup of my own and occasionally sipped from Ryou’s. Feeling my light’s body so close to mine, I felt that he was still trembling. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him to me and he immediately curled up in my lap.
I didn’t want to tell him, but I could feel Malik’s life force slipping away. He was calming and a peaceful feeling had spread through his aura, it was almost time.
Everyone talked of trivial things, things that didn’t matter, things that nobody cared about; things just to hear the noise. When everyone ran out of nonsense we thought back to times we had shared as a group. Both Joey and Seto teased Ryou about when he and I had first gotten together because Ryou had been so shy. Ryou in turn teased Joey back when he had hid Seto’s third Blue Eyes White Dragon and had to be Seto’s slave for a week.
Everyone stuck to the happy memories. Nobody mentioned Battle City. Nobody spoke of the Millennium Items or our past lives. Nobody even mentioned Duel Monsters.
Suddenly I heard a slight whimper from behind me and I felt Marik move. Everyone stopped everything and turned to the two on the couch behind us. Marik held his light in his arms and gently brushed a few bangs away from his face. “Makky, open your eyes, please.” He whispered, but the room had fallen into a silence and we all heard him loud and clear.
I felt and heard Ryou hold his breath, only to be let out when Malik’s eyes fluttered open. Malik looked up at his darker half and smiled softly. “I wished for it to snow Marik, and it is.” He whispered weakly.
Tears streaked down Marik’s face as he looked up and out the darkened window behind him. He saw that Malik was right. Quickly, the spirit gathered his light’s body up within the blanket and picked him up, then carried him to the backdoor. Everyone watched as Marik opened the back door and slipped into the night carrying Malik with him.
I wrapped my arms around Ryou and pulled him to me. If it had been him dying, I wouldn’t have been able to cope. I couldn’t imagine what Marik was going through.
I gasped suddenly at the unexpected disconnection I had with Malik’s life energy. Which only meant one thing.
Everyone looked at me then at the door as it slid open a few minutes later. Marik came in carrying Malik. The Egyptian’s eyes were closed and he looked peaceful and we all knew that he was finally resting and that there was no more pain. Snowflakes sparkled in his hair from the firelight, along with the tears streaming down Marik’s face.
Ryou released a choked sob and he turned and buried his face in my neck. I gently rubbed his back, letting him cry. Isis went over to Marik to see her brother. After a minute of speaking quietly she nodded and whispered, “I’ll go call the hospital.”
It was Seto who took Malik’s body from Marik and carried the boy to another room. Marik, who looked slightly dazed, turned to look at me, and then he glanced at Ryou. Slowly, he trudged over to us and fell onto his knees in front of me. He placed a gentle hand on Ryou’s shoulder to get his attention.
Sniffing, Ryou pulled away from me and looked at Marik.
Marik closed his eyes, two tears escaping their depths before opening them again and looking at my hikari. “He wanted me to tell you that you were right. It was perfect.”
With that, the spirit of the Millennium Rod pulled my light into his arms and began to cry.
※ Sequel >> ※
» table of contents «
※ Pairing - Marik/Malik, Bakura/Ryou
※ Warnings - Death.
※ Disclaimer - I obviously don't own it.
ღ - ღ - ღ
A few days ago Isis told me that Malik was going to die on Christmas Eve.
I didn’t believe her.
I made up the excuse that her Millennium Tauk lied sometimes, that Malik’s death was just another one of its lies. But then I saw how bad Malik was and I realized how true it was. He was so thin and so pale that I couldn’t believe anything else.
It had started several months ago, when Malik had first been diagnosed with a mysterious virus that no doctor could name. Nothing could be found so there was nothing they could do, not to say they didn’t try. They did, they tried everything. They treated it and treated it, they poked and probed Malik’s body until he couldn’t take it anymore, but nothing worked.
Malik just ignored it completely and he continued to live as normally as he could, of course with a few differences now. He’d get tired easily, and drinking made him sick. This stopped our late night drinking parties (much to Ryou’s relief). He lost his appetite and it got so bad that someone literally had to force something down his throat. And the one to do that was always Marik. He’d do anything for his other.
Marik never left Malik’s side during the last hard months. He had been there when Malik would wake in the middle of the night with unexplained fevers and he was there to comfort the mortal when all the pain became too much and Malik finally let his defenses down. He was the one that carried Malik to the bathroom when the boy got too weak to stand and he was the one to help Malik bathe.
I knew how much the two loved each other, and I know how much Marik will hurt after Malik’s gone. The spirit of the Millennium Rod seems to be the only one that hasn’t accepted the fact that Malik will soon leave us. Or perhaps he knows all too well and is just ignoring it around everyone, nobody, not even I, knows what goes on in his mind.
After Isis told me the horrid news, Christmas Eve came faster than usual. Ryou explained that it had always seemed to take so long because everyone wanted to open presents and time always went so slow. I had told him about Isis’s vision and he had agreed not to tell anyone else. Nobody else needed to worry.
And now that Christmas Eve was here we had all planned to do something special. One last time to see Malik happy and alive.
When the sky was dark and the only lights were that of the bright full moon and all the stars, we grabbed sleds and traveled to a nearby field where hills had been created for the neighborhood kids. For what seemed like hours we climbed the hills and slid down them. Yugi, Ryou, Malik (and of course, Marik, Yami and myself) made a large snowman at the bottom of the hill. He stood taller than even Seto Kaiba, who stood by with Isis and watched us.
We decorated ‘Frosty’ with a hat; scarf and we used tree branches for arms. Yugi and Ryou had gathered rocks and Malik had pushed them into the packed snow, creating eyes, nose and a mouth. When we had finished the others bounded over to see.
“Wow! That looks cool!” Mokuba grinned as he jumped at Joey, who lifted him up and placed the smaller boy on his shoulders. “You guys did a good job!” Everyone agreed.
“It’s beautiful tonight.” Ryou said softly as all but he, Malik, Marik and I went back to sledding. The four of us sat in the snow staring up at the moon; Malik and Ryou sat between us to keep warm. “It’s peaceful.” He whispered and I watched the air leave his mouth as white steam. I also watched as a tear escaped one of Ryou’s sad eyes. This was hard on him too. Malik was his best friend and I knew just how hard it was for Ryou to watch him die. It was I who woke in the middle of the night to Ryou’s crying.
I wasn’t the only one to notice the crystal liquid either. A thin finger caught the tear and gently wiped the wet track it had left, so it wouldn’t freeze to Ryou’s skin. Slightly startled by the touch, Ryou looked beside him to Malik. The Egyptian smiled softly as he wiped a tear from the other side of Ryou’s face. “There’s something missing.” Malik whispered, speaking of Ryou’s earlier comments. “It isn’t snowing, that’ll make it even better.”
Ryou tried to be strong; I could feel it through the link we had. And Malik knew it too. “You’re right, it would be perfect.” Ryou agreed softly.
Marik, who had been staring up at the sky, gently nudged his partner, getting our attention. When we looked at him he pointed to the sky. “A shooting star.” He said and we all looked in time to see it.
“Make a wish.” I heard Marik whisper to Malik, as the tired boy leaned heavily against him. As Malik closed his eyes and smiled I looked over at Marik as he looked back at me. His eyes were glassy and he gave me a sad smile.
He knew.
Isis must have told him.
Malik opened his eyes again and smiled up at Marik. Seeing that his hikari was looking at him, Marik gently kissed Malik’s thin lips then whispered something to him. Malik hesitated then nodded and Marik carefully helped him to his feet. “We’re going to go back, it’s getting a little cold out here.” He said. “You guys coming?” He wondered.
“Sure.” I nodded; knowing the look Marik was giving me. The four of us walked through the snow, the others getting the idea and coming along. We all walked to the Ishtar house in silence. A peaceful air had surrounded us and I think everyone was afraid of breaking it. As we walked down the lamp lit street, I took Ryou’s gloved hand in mine. Even with the material blocking his skin from me, I could feel that he was trembling.
/ He won’t be suffering anymore. / I stated through our link.
// I know. // He sounded miserable.
/ Marik knows. /
// Malik knows too. //
That surprised me a little, but it made sense. There wasn’t anything that Marik could keep from Malik.
/ Did you make a wish too? / I tried changing the subject.
// Yes. But I know it won’t come true. // He said and I saw him look at Malik sadly. // I’m going to miss him. //
/ I know you will. I’ll miss him too. / I said and gently squeezed his hand as we trudged up the walk and into the warm house.
As Isis and Seto went into the kitchen to make hot chocolate, Marik made sure that Malik was comfortable and warm before going to grab blankets for the others, reluctantly leaving Malik alone. Ryou went over and sat down beside the Egyptian and the two of them began to talk quietly. Seeing that Malik was in good hands, Marik left the room completely.
While everyone found a spot, I built a fire in the large fireplace. Yami Yugi silently helped me. As we were piling wood into the fire our hands grabbed the same piece and his hand was placed over mine. I looked up at him and he gave me a questioning look. I knew exactly what that question was and it wasn’t one that I wanted to answer, but I answered anyway. He wanted to know if tonight was the night.
I nodded and we both silently went back to stacking wood.
Marik returned and handed out blankets, keeping one for himself and Ryou. He went over to the couch and handed Ryou one of the blankets and then wrapped himself and Malik up in the one he’d kept. The fire was burning brightly so I returned to Ryou’s side and we sat on the floor in front of the couch Malik and Marik occupied and we wrapped ourselves within the blanket.
Seto and Isis came into the room and with the help of Joey and Tea they carried in mugs of hot chocolate and handed them out. I declined a cup of my own and occasionally sipped from Ryou’s. Feeling my light’s body so close to mine, I felt that he was still trembling. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him to me and he immediately curled up in my lap.
I didn’t want to tell him, but I could feel Malik’s life force slipping away. He was calming and a peaceful feeling had spread through his aura, it was almost time.
Everyone talked of trivial things, things that didn’t matter, things that nobody cared about; things just to hear the noise. When everyone ran out of nonsense we thought back to times we had shared as a group. Both Joey and Seto teased Ryou about when he and I had first gotten together because Ryou had been so shy. Ryou in turn teased Joey back when he had hid Seto’s third Blue Eyes White Dragon and had to be Seto’s slave for a week.
Everyone stuck to the happy memories. Nobody mentioned Battle City. Nobody spoke of the Millennium Items or our past lives. Nobody even mentioned Duel Monsters.
Suddenly I heard a slight whimper from behind me and I felt Marik move. Everyone stopped everything and turned to the two on the couch behind us. Marik held his light in his arms and gently brushed a few bangs away from his face. “Makky, open your eyes, please.” He whispered, but the room had fallen into a silence and we all heard him loud and clear.
I felt and heard Ryou hold his breath, only to be let out when Malik’s eyes fluttered open. Malik looked up at his darker half and smiled softly. “I wished for it to snow Marik, and it is.” He whispered weakly.
Tears streaked down Marik’s face as he looked up and out the darkened window behind him. He saw that Malik was right. Quickly, the spirit gathered his light’s body up within the blanket and picked him up, then carried him to the backdoor. Everyone watched as Marik opened the back door and slipped into the night carrying Malik with him.
I wrapped my arms around Ryou and pulled him to me. If it had been him dying, I wouldn’t have been able to cope. I couldn’t imagine what Marik was going through.
I gasped suddenly at the unexpected disconnection I had with Malik’s life energy. Which only meant one thing.
Everyone looked at me then at the door as it slid open a few minutes later. Marik came in carrying Malik. The Egyptian’s eyes were closed and he looked peaceful and we all knew that he was finally resting and that there was no more pain. Snowflakes sparkled in his hair from the firelight, along with the tears streaming down Marik’s face.
Ryou released a choked sob and he turned and buried his face in my neck. I gently rubbed his back, letting him cry. Isis went over to Marik to see her brother. After a minute of speaking quietly she nodded and whispered, “I’ll go call the hospital.”
It was Seto who took Malik’s body from Marik and carried the boy to another room. Marik, who looked slightly dazed, turned to look at me, and then he glanced at Ryou. Slowly, he trudged over to us and fell onto his knees in front of me. He placed a gentle hand on Ryou’s shoulder to get his attention.
Sniffing, Ryou pulled away from me and looked at Marik.
Marik closed his eyes, two tears escaping their depths before opening them again and looking at my hikari. “He wanted me to tell you that you were right. It was perfect.”
With that, the spirit of the Millennium Rod pulled my light into his arms and began to cry.
※ Sequel >> ※
» table of contents «