Pharaoh and the Thief

Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Warning: Slight lemon, yaoi
Author's Note: Not much to say about this chapter. But the story does get more exciting soon!

Chapter 12

Atem blinked awake as someone knocked on the door. The room was bright with sunlight streaming through the windows. Atem was usually an early riser and didn’t remember the last time he woke up with the sun already in the sky. He tried to get out of bed to answer the door, but a strong pair of arms that were wrapped securely around his waist tightened their grip. He tried to wiggle free to no avail.

“Don’t move,” Bakura commanded, burying his face sleepily in Atem’s shoulder.

“But someone is at the door,” Atem replied. As if to prove this, a sharp knock sounded again.

“I don’t care,” Bakura muttered into the Pharaoh’s shoulder. Atem laughed, but complied with Bakura’s demands, settling back into his lover’s hold.

The person on the other side of the door seemed to be annoyed at being ignored as the knocks became more insistent and more frequent.

“I’m coming!” Atem called. “Come on Bakura, let me up.”

Bakura grumbled but allowed Atem to climb out of the bed and stumble sleepily to the door. He pulled it open to a very annoyed looking Akhenden and a frightened looking slave boy.

“Yes?” Atem asked, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand.

“I don’t mean to disturb you, my Pharaoh, but you were supposed to be in the throne room an hour ago, for the meeting you scheduled with your priests and chancellors.

Atem’s eyes widened. “Oh! Is everyone still there?”

Akhenden gave a curt nod. “Tell them to take an hour and a half for midday, and then return to the throne room.”

“As you wish, my Pharaoh,” Akhenden replied politely and bowed stiffly before sweeping down the hall, the little servant boy running after him.

“You’re going to be gone all day again?” Bakura asked grouchily from the bed, still curled up with his back to Atem.

Atem smiled and sat down next to him, stroking his soft hair away from his face and leaning down to kiss him gently on the forehead. “Just for an hour or two.”

Bakura grumbled and turned away from Atem’s attempts to placate him.

“I’ve got an hour and a half until I have to leave,” Atem reminded him, running his fingers down Bakura’s spine.

“Don’t try to seduce me so you don’t have to feel guilty, it won’t work,” Bakura said gruffly.

“Really?” Atem asked. “I was under the impression it worked very well.”

With that, he slid his hands under Bakura’s shirt and around the front until he brushed a nipple. He pinched it lightly and rubbed at it until a quiet moan escaped Bakura’s lips.

“That’s what I thought,” Atem said playfully, straddling the thief as he turned over to face him. Bakura grinned up at him and bucked his hips a bit, earning a moan himself.

“That’s what I thought,” Bakura said with a satisfied smirk. Atem glowered at him, and then bent down to kiss him. Bakura’s mouth quickly sought his own, his tongue invading to caress every part of him it could reach. Atem loved it when Bakura kissed him like that, so thoroughly and desperately like he would never kiss him again.

Atem pulled away, breathless, to look down at the thief beneath him who was just as flushed as he was. Atem grinned sinisterly and licked up Bakura’s chest before switching directions and working his way down to the waist of his trousers, Bakura whimpering quietly all the while. Atem dipped his tongue under the thief’s waistband, adding his fingers as well to caress teasingly before slowly inching them down.

Through his moans, Bakura managed to gasp, “Don’t!”

Atem looked up at him, worry in his eyes. “What? I didn’t mean...” he trailed off, unsure of what he wasn’t supposed to do.

Bakura shook his head, white hair flying. “It’s not—can we just not have sex right now?” he asked, almost pleadingly. Atem nodded and went to sit next to Bakura at the head of the bed.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, stroking Bakura’s hair as the thief leaned against him.

Bakura didn’t respond for awhile, but linked his fingers through Atem’s and stared at their joined hands.

“Is it always going to be like this?” he whispered.

“Like this?” Atem asked with a smile, raising their conjoined hands slightly. “I hope so.”

“No,” Bakura said seriously. “I mean, are you always going to spend the day with other people and then come back at night and fuck me?”

Atem glanced down at him. “No. It doesn’t have to be,” he said slowly. “I know I’ve been gone a lot recently, but I am Pharaoh and I do have obligations to my people.”

“I know,” Bakura said quietly, rubbing his thumb over the back of Atem’s hand.

“I want nothing more than to sit with you, like this, for the rest of my life,” Atem said reassuringly. “But I can’t.”

“Is that really what you want?” Bakura asked, finally looking at him.

Atem smiled warmly at him and kissed him. “I’ve never been happier in my life than I am with you,” he whispered as he pulled away.

Bakura visibly blushed and Atem chuckled at the sight. “You don’t have to stay in here waiting for me all day, you know. You’re not a prisoner anymore and you’re practically healed.”

Bakura rubbed the pink scar on his side that had been left by the knife wound. “I suppose. But what am I supposed to do? Rob your subjects and then come to your bedroom at night?”

Atem grinned. “Well, I wouldn’t say rob, but you could go out into the city, or you could do stuff here. If you really wanted you could come with me.”

“They wouldn’t be happy about that,” Bakura reminded him, very clearly referring to Akhenden.

“Doesn’t matter,” Atem said authoritatively, “I would be happy about it, and my happiness is all that matters.”

Bakura shoved him, with a smile forming on his lips. “You’re so self-centered.”

“I’m a pharaoh, I have to be,” Atem said with a laugh. Bakura shook his head and resumed his spot leaning against Atem.

Atem laid his cheek on Bakura’s soft hair. “I love you,” he whispered.

Bakura smiled to himself. “I love you too, Atem.”

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bakura ended up accompanying Atem to his meeting after all. As predicted, Akhenden was less than happy. He said nothing as the Pharaoh entered, the white haired thief defiantly at his side, but the gaze he threw Bakura could have frozen the desert. Though Atem didn’t notice the look, Bakura caught it and returned a charming grin that made the priest’s blood boil.

Throughout the entire session, Bakura sat on the Pharaoh’s right side, looking bored and kept throwing lustful glances at Atem. As if that wasn’t bad enough, what annoyed Akhenden even more was that Atem returned them.

No one else seemed bothered by the thief’s intrusion. They simply accepted him as Seth had. Did they not see the lowly assassin that had penetrated their circle? He had tried to murder the pharaoh and they all simply accepted him like it was nothing. Akhenden stewed in his anger as the session wound to an end, occasionally casting angry glances at Seth who ignored him.

Seth was his protégé. The young priest had followed in his footsteps and had been trusted among all others in Akhenden’s eyes, but it seemed his priorities had fallen to what the Pharaoh wanted rather than what he needed. And what he needed was to be rid of that parasite that was taking advantage of his hospitable heart.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bakura snuck a glance around the room as he reclined next to Atem. The priest, Seth, had nodded to him when they came in, and Bakura returned it, a little surprise at being recognized. The others cast him questioning glances, but otherwise ignored his presence at the session. All that was, but the old man near Seth. Bakura couldn’t help but grin every time he caught one of the nasty looks the man was giving him. He knew he shouldn’t. He knew he was probably making another enemy he didn’t need. But it was just too damn funny how absolutely infuriated he got.

Bakura sighed and glanced at Atem, who was discussing something political with the rest of the group. He really liked being with him. He loved him, he’d admitted that to Atem as well as himself, but did he really want to live his life like this? Following the pharaoh around like a well-behaved dog? He knew Atem would try to make it better for him, but he had spent all his life traveling Egypt. He never stayed anywhere too long. And he had been here for quite awhile. He was healed and well-rested and well-fed and was itching to be on the move again. If only Atem could come with him...

But Bakura knew that would never happen. Atem was Pharaoh, and he had to stay here. He didn’t have the luxury Bakura did. He knew that, and he accepted it. But could he really change for someone else? For the pharaoh nonetheless.

Yes, he had to admit. He already had. He would stay here, and he would follow Atem around like a love stuck puppy and he would sit in his room and wait for him. He wouldn’t be happy about it all, but if that was his only options, Bakura knew he would do it. Ever since Atem had shown him that first kindness in the alley, he found himself not able to be without him. He’d saved his life, in so many ways. If it wasn’t for him, he wouldn’t even have the options he was thinking of right now.

Atem glanced at the thief as the discussion was winding down to find him deep in thought and not paying the slightest bit of attention. Atem wrapped an arm around his waist and kissed him, laughing at the startled sound Bakura made.

“You can’t be that good of a thief if I am always catching you off guard,” Atem stated.

Bakura glared at him. “I’m the best thief in Egypt. And you only catch me off guard because I let my guard down around you.”

Atem looked a little surprised, but smiled. “You trust me that much?”

Bakura seemed to ponder this for a moment. “Yeah, I suppose I do. If someone would have told me a few weeks ago I’d say that, I probably would have slit their throat.” Atem gave Bakura a bit of an odd look, but before he could say anything, Akhenden interrupted.

“Are we finished, or did you plan to discuss more?” he asked with stiff politeness.

Atem sighed. “No, I think we are finished for today.”

Bakura watched the man leave, eyes narrowing. “He hates me,” he said quietly when the man was out of earshot.

“He doesn’t hate you,” Atem said reassuringly, “he just isn’t used to change.”

Bakura shook his head. “I don’t trust him.”

“He’s been nothing but loyal to me and my father. I have no reason not to trust him.” Atem told him. “He’s a little overzealous at times, but he has a good heart.”

“Well I have no reason to trust him,” Bakura said with a scowl.

“Don’t worry,” Atem said, pulling him close. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I don’t need you to protect me,” Bakura grumbled as Atem wrapped his arms around him and kissed his neck.

“I know,” Atem replied, “but I still won’t let anything happen to you.”

Bakura rolled his eyes, but said nothing, secretly pleased that Atem wanted to look out for him.

“Are you happy here?” Atem asked him suddenly as they entered the hall.

“Of course I am,” Bakura replied. “I told you-”

“No,” Atem said. “I mean are you happy living here. In the palace. I know we talked about it, but you don’t really seem satisfied.”

Bakura stared at the floor for a moment before facing Atem. “I’m a little restless. I’ve gotten so used to traveling around all the time that I don’t like staying in one place. But this is the best I’ve ever had it. And I’m with you. I can give up a little freedom for that.”

“But I don’t want you to give up anything,” Atem said, cupping his face and kissing him softly.

Bakura smiled sadly at him. “Well, Pharaoh, sometimes that’s just how it works.”

Before Atem could say anything, Seth strolled up with an official air, his robes sweeping behind him. Both men turned to look at him as he stopped in front of them. He bowed shallowly to Atem in respect, and to Bakura’s surprise, again nodded in his direction.

“I just wanted to let you know, I’ve been talking with my informants among the servants,” Seth told them.

“And?” Bakura demanded a little harshly. He’d been trying not to think about his village, or his neglected mission. He’d been trying to focus on the happiness in his life like Atem told him to, but it was always there lurking at the back of his mind. Atem had told him Seth would find out who was to blame for his village’s death, but he felt guilty leaving his work to another man. Mainly, the priest of the pharaoh, even if he was a respected and trustworthy one as far as Bakura could see.

“Nothing definite yet,” Seth answered, ignoring the slight hostility in Bakura’s voice. “I just wanted to let you know we are making progress. There’s lots of information, but the difficult part is detecting the truth among the rumors.”

Bakura looked a little put out. “Don’t worry,” Seth reassured them. “I’ve got plenty of resources and I am using them all.”

Bakura didn’t look completely happy as Atem thanked him. “Maybe I should be doing this,” Bakura interrupted.

Both men looked at him. “Seth can handle it, Bakura. He has lots of...less than reputable contacts,” Atem said with a smile.

Bakura didn’t look convinced. “I don’t need to make some priest do my work,” he grumbled. “Besides, I am less than reputable; I could get it done faster.”

“Actually,” Seth said before Atem had the chance to open his mouth, “It is indeed my work. It’s not just for your sake, but it should have been taken care of long ago. It was overlooked and we are at fault for that. If you would like though, I will let you talk to my informants and read any information they have on it.”

Bakura studied the priest skeptically. “Why would you let someone like me into your ‘work’?” he asked.

Seth grinned. “Because this is your mission more than anyone’s. I understand revenge, and I understand that you want it.” As an after thought, Seth added, “And I like you.”

“Well that’s a relief,” Bakura said sarcastically, though he couldn’t hide the small smile on his lips. “I don’t know what I ever would have done if the Pharaoh’s pet priest didn’t like me.”

Seth scowled at that, and Atem stifled his laughter in Bakura’s shoulder.

“I’d be careful who you called the Pharaoh’s ‘pet’, thief,” Seth said with mock severity.

Bakura grinned and Seth continued to scowl as he took his leave with a last nod to Atem.

“He doesn’t treat me like the others,” Bakura observed.

“No,” Atem said absently, twining his fingers in Bakura’s hair. “He really is a good man.”

Bakura glanced at him. “You haven’t slept with him have you?”

Atem looked at him, a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. “Would you be jealous if I did?”

“No,” Bakura said haughtily. “Because then I would have to kill him so there would be no one to be jealous of.”

Atem smiled and kissed him hard and quick. “Let’s go back to my rooms,” he said huskily.

Bakura matched his grin and backed him against a wall. “Why do we need to go all the way to your rooms?”

“Bakura we’re-”

Atem’s response was cut off as one of Bakura’s hands had grasped his clothed erection and squeezed. He pressed his entire body up the length of Atem’s and continued to rub the straining length harshly until Atem was gasping and mewling against Bakura’s shoulder. Bakura released him and kissed him heatedly, stealing Atem’s breath as he plundered his mouth viciously. Atem returned the kiss with his own fervor and ground his hips into Bakura’s shamelessly.

After several desperate moments, Bakura pulled away, leaving them flushed, gasping, and aroused.

When Atem had recovered enough to speak, he met Bakura’s eyes. “You can leave if you want,” he said quietly.

“Do you want me to leave?” Bakura asked just as quietly, leaning against the other man, pressing their foreheads together.

“No,” Atem responded, his voice heavy, “but I want you to be happy. I’d rather not have you and know that you are, than have you and know that I’m making you miserable.”

Bakura smiled softly, one of his rare innocent smiles. “I am happy, here with you.” As he said it, Bakura realized it was perfectly true. There was that part of him that longed to be back in the desert again, but in moments like this, he was perfectly happy just to be here with Atem and never leave. He knew all he was doing before was looking for an excuse to leave, some reason why this wouldn’t work with Atem, but the truth being, he couldn’t find one. He was just so used to his life falling apart, now that something was actually working out, it scared him as much as it excited him. But he wasn’t going to doubt it any longer.

“Really?” Atem asked, his voice lighter.

“Yes,” Bakura replied, kissing his neck. He worked his hands under the pharaoh’s robes until he met heated flesh. Atem cried out as a hand wrapped around his arousal again, this time with nothing between them. Bakura sucked eagerly at his neck as he fisted him under his robes. It took all of Atem’s strength to remain upright and conscious as Bakura did things to him he didn’t even know were pleasurable, right there in the corridor.

Atem couldn’t hold on for very long and came with a strangled cry in Bakura’s hand, collapsing against him as he was spent. Bakura caught him, kissing the top of his head.

“Now we can go up to your rooms,” he said in a satisfied voice. Atem laughed and let Bakura half carry him and half drag him away.

XxXxXxXxXxX

A hooded figure wandered the market and stopped in front of an alley, looking warily at his surroundings before entering the dark corridor. He stopped in front of a door and knocked sharply three times.

A small dirty man with stringy hair opened the door. The hooded man peered at him with utter disgust, but shoved past the man into the decrepit building nonetheless.

“I trust you have what I acquire?” he asked the thin man.

“I can get it for you, but it’s going to be mighty costly,” the dirty man said with a grin, showing all of his three teeth.

“Does it look like that would be a problem for me?” the cloaked man asked disdainfully.

“Not at all sir,” the other man groveled. “I just wanted to-”

“Shut up, you worthless excuse for a human. On my next trip into this hellhole, you will have the poison and you will be paid, understand?”

“Of course, master,” the owner of the building said, trembling.

“Good,” the taller man replied. “Then with all luck, I will only have to see you once again.” With that, he swooped out of the house, slamming the door behind him and carried on down the street.