One Night in Bangkok

* * *

Chapter Six - Avarice

* * *

-2:18 am-

The world exploded in flame.

Yugi yelped, clasping his hands over his head.  He winced as Yami's
heavy body pinned him down protectively, coughing out smoke and blinking
the sweat from his eyes.

Why the fuck is this happening to me?!  Goddamit!

Roaring and and flickering flame.

God, all I wanted... all I want...

Wet breath in his ear.  "Are you...?"

He choked on stinging smoke, eyes watering fiercely.  "Yeah - you?"

They clambered to their feet as best they could, throats and eyes burning,
and all around them rose the sickening smell of burnt hair and flesh and
the sound of echoing screams.

Roar and light and brilliant heat.  He shaded his eyes against
the flickering light and shuddered.

Oh ..

"Gods, run!"

Around them, the fire shrieked and leapt and raced and spun like a madman's
banner in the wind.

* * *

-2:33 am-

He clasped Yugi against his chest and ducked underneath a flaming banister.

Which way was out?  Ra damn it all, he couldn't see!

Smoke in his lungs and fire roaring in his ears and it was bright and
flickering and orange and gold...

Shouldn't it be shining ebony and crackling with magic and thrumming
like eternity and frenzied passion and swirling madness under his command?

He paused for a moment, transfixed by the odd notion, before Yugi yanked
him out of the way of a screaming...

Ouch, he thought numbly, then picked up his feet again and ran.

Don't think about your dreams, you fool, he hissed to himself,
and lunged out of a broken door, following on Yugi's heels.

Terrified shrieks filling the night as thick blackness shredded the
waiting army to ribbons -

Don't think about it!

* * *

-2:40 am-

They plunged out of the inferno, gagging and choking and beating soot
from their clothes, but they were alive.

It was more than could be said for many others they had left behind.

They clung to one another while the masses poured around them, screaming,
heat searing their backs but far enough away that they didn't catch alight.

Yugi hacked up soot and sickness and wiped his mouth with his arm -
not that ade ade too much of a difference.  He felt wretched, and
probably looked worse, but that was okay, because at least he was still
alive and breathing.

He rubbed cinders out of his eyes, watching as Yami wandered from his
side, only to kneel cautiously by a pile of debris.  He tugged at
it, carefully extracting what looked like a small metal box.  "What's
that?"

Yami paused, hands wavering above the small box.  In the flickering
hell-light of the fire, his eyes seemed very dark and strange.

"Cashbox."

His choked breath froze in his throat.  "You're not going to-"

Heat and cold - but did they truly clash?  "And let whoever finds
it spend it all on women and drugs?"

Sharp-edged certainty, and certainly his Yami knew of such things better
than he... but... "They wouldn't necessarily-"

Slight exasperation tinged the velvet flavor of his words.  "Yugi,
you know what kind of place this is!  It's a guarantee that they would!"

Even so...  "That doesn't make it right!" he protested.

"But it does make it necessary."

Yugi looked away.  "I can't accept that..." and I won't let
you sway me.

A slender hand brushed soot away from his cheek with the utmost care. 
"I never asked you to, hikari."

He flinched away.  Stop coaxing me!  I won't let you change
my mind!  "Where do you get off calling me 'light?'"

Flickering flame danced around his slim form as Yami offered him a hand
up.  Beautiful, graceful fingertips, long and elegant and tapered,
palms now smeared with grease and grime, capable of destruction and desire,
both overwhelmingly intense and recklessly insane.  How could he refuse?

"Because without you, I have none."

And Yugi couldn't think of anything to say to that.

...and if I fall in love with you, how long will you take until you
break my heart?

Never, his darkling breathed without speaking, slender fingers
brushing tenderly across his lips.  Never and never and never.

Yugi closed his teeth gently over the slim digits, felt the soft gasp
and subtle shift of his weight, saw the flare of blistering heat in his
eyes, stronger still than the inferno that blazed in their wake.

Honey, thick and sweet,ck ack and dripping from the comb.  You
smell of ses, he murmured, so many secrets and lies and deceit. 
How can I believe that you want me?  That you won't hurt me?

Darkest ebony drew a thick shade over exquisite ruby.  I ache
for you.

...God.

And they staggered away from it all, fleeing from the hellfire into
the precious darkness that wasn't.

In the distance, far behind them, a siren wailed.

* * *

-2:51 am-

He was really getting sick of running.  But it did have its advantages,
though they were difficult to ascertain when screeching blindly down narrow
passages and filthy alleyways, and dodging slumped bodies draped over every
available surface, tugging and nudging along his pretty hikari, spinning
and leaping another way when all they ran into was thicker heat and the
oppressive stench of smoke in the sultry air.

But... maybe, just maybe, if they were lucky, then maybe they'd get
out of thishouthout being caught?

"You over there!  Hold it!"

Fuck.  Why did the police hate him?

"Again?" Yugi yelped, ducking around a flaming bit of wreckage.

Well, they weren't catching him, and they weren't getting anywhere near
his Yugi.  He knew about those prisons - crammed full to bursting
and spilling over with only the worst kind of human wreckage.

And his Yugi was a tantalizinttlettle creature.  Pretty, delicate
prey for the unwashedisteisted, drug-addled men of the streets.  A
warm body was the only thing they wanted - but sweetness and light and
desire and need swirled around him, and that fragile purity would be shattered
with the first unwelcome touch of a bleary-eyed stranger.

His eyes slitted jealously.  Yugi belongs to me!

"Looks that way.  Less talking, more running!"

Never let them catch his Yugi.

Never.

An angel would crumble if jailed - and his Yugi deserved only freedom.

"Fuck!"  Yugi leaped back, twisted, grabbed his arm and forced
him down an alleyway he hadn't known was there.

Salvation, he thought, watching passing neon lights flash that
lovely face into shadow and light and back again.  Salvation in a
den of iniquity.  Irony liked to bite him in the ass.

Gods damn it all, but he was beautiful.

But now... now, he had to run.

* * *

-3:08 am-

They skidded to a som somewhere in the red light district, tucked away
in some dark corner between heaven and hell.

Yugi collapsed against the wall, gasping for breath.  His lungs
felt like they were on fire.

Beside him, Yami slid down to the ground, running a hand through his
rumpled hair, trying to even out his own breathing.

"That was fun," he commented idly.

Yugi leaned on his knees and concentrated on inhaling.  "Fun?"
he muttered raspily, casting a skeptical glance over at his demon child. 
Beautiful, alluring, and dark as a velvet midnight - as well as quite possibly
insane.

He let his eyes wander over every pretty inch of his Yami, who sat slumped
against the filthy wall at his side, arms draped with a careless grace
over his knees, chin resting on his arms.

Yami noticed the attention - and flashed him another devil's grin.

My God, you're crazy and strange and wild and everything that I've
ever wanted.  His eyes slipped down ebony and silver to come to
rest on brilliant gold.  ...and how was my wish granted?

"Where do you come from?" he wondered, reaching out and running a curious
hand through hair as thick and dark as his own.  A nightmare or a
dream?  Gehenna or Shangri-La?

Yami gazed at him through drowsy lashes and leaned into the touch. 
"...some say nowhere and some say hell.  I say Egypt."

Egypt?  Sun and sand and scorching heat and ancient secrets long
since vanished in the shadows of eternity.  Oh yes - the deserts of
Egypt would suit his darkling well.

"And what about you, my sweet hikari?" he murmured inquiringly, one
slender arm latching around his waist.  "How long has it been since
you tumbled from paradise?"

He giggled and tried not to blush - the sheer mischievous flirtation
in his tone made him feel shy and strange and young.  Strange how
he could be embarrassed over mere compliments, yet not so much as squirm
when completely entangled with this creature.

"Um... Domino City.  Japan."

Yami propped his head on Yugi's shoulder with a soft, contented purr. 
"Mmm.  A foreigner."

He snorted, rather bemused with the soft play of fingertips against
his arms.  No intent of seduction - but it sent a warm thrill down
his spine nonetheless.  "Aren't you?"

The fingers wandered idly, absently settling atop his puzzle, tracing
the intricate Eye in the center.  Yami's voice was very low, tinged
with a hint of a thick accent now, warm and strange and different. 
"...drifter."

He felt an odd prickle run down his spine.  Tell me, who are you
really?  "No family?"

Sharp teeth closed gently over his jaw, his Yami nibbling tenderly at
pale skin, another arm slipping around his waist.  Yugi groaned softly
- was every movement he made designed to driim mim mad?

A soft, deliberate bite.  "Mmm.  None."

None?  Then... no connections.  No one.  Yugi tilted
his head, considering, unconsciously shifting closer to that addictive
warmth.  "Ah..."

His voice was slow and throaty and sounded like he tasted.  "You?"

He pushed away the heavy puzzles that dangled between them and scooted
onto his lap, looping his arms around Yami's neck and kissing him forcefully,
claiming the sweetness of his mouth greedily.

Wet heat and velvet spice.  Crushing hunger.  No longer a
novelty, but gods, perfection incarnate.

Let me have you and have you and have you...

When they finally broke apart, both were breathless and flushed and
panting with newly reawakened desire.

"I live... with my grandfather and mother in the house attached to my
grandfather's game shop," Yugi managed after a moment, resting his forehead
against his Yami's, trying to recall how one breathed.  In, out, wasn't
that how it went?

Warmth tickled his nose as Yami rubbed a playful Eskimo kiss against
him.  "Nnn."

He blinked, distracted out of melting into his arms by a tingling sense
of unease.  "...did that lump back there just move?"

Yami looked carefully over his shoulder.  He clucked his tongue,
considering, before nodding decisively.

"...yes.  It did."

Moving things.  "..."

"..."

They seemed to be having a problem with moving things tonight. 
"Things that move seem to consistently try to kill us."

Another, more thoughtful nod.  "...true."

"I suggest we vacate the premises."

A soft, slightly disgusted snort.  "...I've never run away so much
before in my life."

Oh really?  Then as someone with such habits as your own...
"How many times have you been arrested?"

Yami's face danced with light hesitation, his soft mouth curving in
a shy echo of his usual Mephistopholean smile.  "...for what?"

Yugi pursed his lips and slapped him chidingly.  Did he have no
shame at all?  "Anything!"

The hint of a dark chuckle rang in his soft reply.  "...only twelve
times."

...why was he not surprised by this?  Why did he not care? 
"You're impossible."

Yami blinked at him, then leaned forward, pressing his lips to Yugi's
in a slow, sweet kiss that made his head swim and his toes curl.

The darkling drew back and smiled tenderly at him from barely an inch
away, stroking his hair with an affectionate hand, calm and content. 
Another soft kiss brushed against his willing mouth, and when they pulled
away again, Yami caught his lower lip between his teeth and breathed, "You're
perfect."

...oh God, oh God, you're so wonderful it hurts.

His eyes flooded with tears, and he buried his face into his shoulder,
feeling a soft ripple of surprise shimmer down his darkling's body, but
he couldn't explain himself.

Am I selfish to want you forever?

Soft hands slid up his spine, gentle caresses that were warm and slow
and tender, Yami whispering nonsense in a language old and foreign and
strange to his ears, nuzzling his face into his hair.

His tears were soaking black leather, and he still didn't know why he
wept.

Don't ever leave me.  You can't...

I won't.

They stood slowly, still twined together, Yami's tongue flicking lightly
over his skin, lapping away the tears.

He smiled even though he wept, and pressed wet salty kisses against
the addictive heat of his pretty mouth.

* * *

-3:30 am-

In theory, at least, they were slowly making their way back to the hotel
- and the blessed shelter of their hotel rooms.  Sanctuary, if only
they could find it...

But Yugi had melted into his arms again - and he was a distraction Yami
could ill afford at the moment.

But gods help him, he couldn't stop himself - silk and heat and longing,
a potent drug that left him dizzy and aching, at wat was so hard to think
when Yugi... Yugi...

Yami drew in a harsh breath, gripping his slim form perhaps harder than
was necessary, nuzzling his lips against warm porcelain that smelled like
honey.

Soft panting.  So soft, everything about Yugi, so very soft, soft
eyes, soft supple mouth, soft hair, soft slippery tongue, soft and alabaster,
soft and all his because he'd found him, he'd won him, he'd caught his
prey and been captured in return, but gods, to belong to Yugi was sheer
perfection itself.  Strange how such an innocent creature could still
be so very jealous...

"Is this... mmm... is this where we're supposed to be?"

He forced himself to drag his mouth away from the smooth curve of Yugi's
neck long enough to blink blearily at his surroundings.

"No, I... I'm not sure..."

Soft mouth wet and warm against his collarbone.  "Dammit..." Yugi
sighed, and he was so damned beautiful that he caught him by the waist
and kissed him desperately deeply.  Sleek warm Yugi slim and hard
in his arms... so hard to resist...

"Mmm... Yami..."

They stumbled against the nearest wall, eager hands searching for now-familiar
holds, Yugi's leg looped enticingly around his waist.

Painful desire.

Gods, Yugi, his wet warm willing little Yugi... soft crying against
his neck, delicate fingers holding and petting... heat and sweetness and
perfection and Yugi...

And if I told you that I love you...

* * *

Would you turn and walk away?

Yugi shifted his grip, rubbing his hips deliberately against Yami's. 
A soft moan - slick and velvet in his mouth.

Is it wrong to want you the way I do?

Slender hands eager and groping, sliding under his shirt and ghosting
across his chest.  Heat - pressed so close, so tight, searching and
wanting and taking and craving - it was so good, yes, his Yami felt so
very good as he clung hungrily to the slender warmth of his trembling form.

And if I give you me... what do I get in return?

Glowing crimson met his gaze, and they were so close, so very close,
and it was warm and they were both panting and still completely tangled
up in each other.  Slim fingertips cupped his chin, and there was
so much blatant hunger in his eyes that Yugi nearly shuddered.

"Me," his wandering demon child breathed, and kissed him again, rough
and warm and passionate and slippery and needy, and he pushed back against
his heavy warmth, grasping at firm thighs with greedy hands.

Mine, he thought dazedly, and kissed him harder still.

* * *

-4:06 am-

Some way or another - how long had they run?  Somehow they wound
up staring through the darkness at one of the many discreet side entrances
to the Banyan Tree Hotel.

And Yugi, quite without reason, was terrified.  God, if he... if
they entered this hotel together, he knew, he knew he wouldn't be
able to resist his darkling - he knew how very much he didn't want to resist
him.

And he knew that one night spent in his arms would kill him.  His
darkling was a wanderer, a thief and a criminal, strange and wild and vicious
- and a single night in his bed would be far more deadly than a cyanide
kiss.

It would never be enough - he was sure of that.  To join with the
darkness... to let that restless hunger wash over him, to give himself
completely to a boy he'd only met hours before... his Yami might belong
to him, but...

If his darkling - the sweetest of sinners - fled from his side when
dawn broke the protective veil of the night...

Yugi knew he would shatter without him.  But if he didn't... didn't
sleep with him, then maybe, just maybe, maybe he could recover?  Maybe
he would remember what it was to breathe alone?  What it was to live
without needing someone so badly it hurt?

Need... even now, even now his restless hands clung to black leather,
even now his tired body ached for the feel of his darkness.

Even now he craved the taste of his lips.

Trembling breath stirred his hair, slender fingers curled possessively
around his hips.  "Come with me?" Yami whispered, voice thick with
longing, and it was all he could do to not look into his eyes - or else
he would surely fall.

He swallowed, forcing himself to take a step back, even as every sense
he possessed screamed at him in protest.  "...I - no.  No... 
I can't..."

Exquisite agony slammed into his mind and body and made him choke and
force back a painful sob.  Oh God, please, don't do this to me! 
Don't make me hurt us!

Yami trembled beside him.  "Why?"

It hurt so much... he could nearly taste his darkling's rage and frustration
and desperate misery, but gods, what else could he do?  Yugi drew
in a shaky breath and tried to speak.  "Because..."

Because... because... you aren't... you can't... we're so different
that God, it's perfect, but...

Stay with me and see what you've never seen.

Before... before, he knew, before he had learned and understood and
touched and tasted his dream.  Now?  His dream was so beautiful
that his dream could break his heart and not understand what he had done.

How quickly will you steal my soul and my love and my life and my
innocence... and what will we do when the morning comes?

Soft hands seized his shoulders - You can't do this to me! came
the silent shriek of protest, You can't!

He couldn't keep staring into nothingness when the darkness he'd so
easily embraced stood screaming and raging and furious beside him.

Yugi forced his eyes from the ground to look up into mirrored longing
and a silent plea.  Stay with me, don't leave me, I'll promise
you the stars just so long as you don't go...!  Anything and everything,
don't you know...?!  I'll do anything, anything, anything you would
ever wish I can give you, just swear you'll never leave me!

How can I? Yugi questioned silently, tears burning in his eyes,
raising the elegant hands from his shoulders and clasping Yami's golden
fingertips between his own, lifting them to frame his cheeks.  The
gentle grip firmed, long fingers tracing the full curve of his lips, the
delicate arch of his brows, the tip of his nose.

Still silence, ruby on amethyst, frozen misery made heavy with need. 
One delicate finger brushed against the swollen softness his mouth once
more, and he lapped at the tanned flesh, kissing silken skin, scraping
his teeth gently against him, and waited for the inevitable reply.

After a moment, a heartbreaking whisper tumbled past trembling lips. 
"You're all I've ever wanted," the darkling breathed, "You haunt my every
dream.  Every thought, every word, every breath I take-"

Calmly, never looking away from his gaze, Yugi raised his own pale digits
to cover the velvet curve of his darkling's mouth.  An odd gesture
of affection, to be sure, but he knew its effects, and he shivered as sharp
teeth settled over his skin, warm and wet and as violently distracting
as the look in his eyes.  "Say it," he whispered around sensitive
skin, biting down softly, "Prove it to me."

I need you, he promised, his free hand slipping around his waist,
I need you so badly that -

- on cold dark nights I wake screaming for your arms.

Crystalline understanding, pure in the shadows of the night.  Slim
hands dropped from parted lips only to curve desperately around sleeesh.esh. 
Soft mouths joined in skewed, frantic union, and neither cared about the
taint.

...even if this is wrong...

...gods, even if I'll die from it...

...even if I fall to your darkness...

...even if I drown in your light...

Gods help me, but I think I love you.

* * *