The Assassin and The Thief

Chapter 17

(Bakura's POV)

"Joey, Joey!" I slap him in the face, the back of my palm thudding against his cheekbone. We found him in an upstairs room, which Melvin had to beat down the door of to get access. He's beat up bad, but not as bad as me. A trickle of blood dribbles from his nose to between his lips, drying like a lake shrivelling in drought.

"Shit...Kura...?"

"It's me buddy," I smile and step back as Melvin carries him out, me leaning against the wall, clutching my head as I spin out of consciousness for a second. We collect as much cash as we can from Kaiba's, a change of clothes and we run from the house, Melvin hotwiring one of Kaiba's limos (not a rental one, we checked) and take to the road again. It feels good, relaxing to lie across the soft seats, an ice pack pressed against my broken nose, another wrapped in cloth on my busted cheek. I hiss from the pain of applying the bandages, but then a strange numbness settles over me, a feeling of relief and acceptance. I wish I knew what it is, maybe the adrenaline, but I feel super buzzed, enough to make me hum to the modern rock tune Melvin is blasting from the front seat, the music flowing into my brain and into my body, sending a tingling through it.

"I have to sleep..." I moan, curling up on the backseat and staring at how Melvin blurs into lines across widescreen. I don't know why it's so hard to see, why it's so hard to stay awake, but I'm so sleepy. Melvin reaches back, his hand massaging my scalp through my hair, petting me so gently, so nicely.

"No my Kura, you're concussed. Come on, we need to keep you awake,"  he tells me, his voice setting me on edge and making me snap my eyes open, body shaking in sudden fear. Whyyy am I all awake now, it felt so much better when I was comfy and sleepy...

(Melvin's POV)

Damnit Kura, stay awake! I'm navigating the traffic in a type of car I've never driven (the corners, how can I turn corners when this car is six seats long?!) and trying to take care of a sick baby in the backseat! "Joseph!" I bark and Joey looks up from staring idly into the folds of the seat. "Yeah Mariku?"

That's right, he knew me only as Mariku.

"Keep Bakura awake, talk to him. Keep him engaged," I order curtly, pulling into a road off the highway to return to the town. It'll be swarming with police but the limo won't look out of place. We can't return to the hotel but if I can get access to a phone I can get some of my contacts to get us the fuck off this continent, now I have the money to pay them off.

When I stop near a payphone, I lean to the backseat and grip Bakura's chin gently, kissing him on the lips. "My Kura, if there were anywhere in the world you'd want to go, where would it be?"

In his dizzy state, Bakura smiles and loosely wraps his arms around my shoulders. But then his arms are too heavy and he drops them down, eyes swimming in his delirium. "Wanna see the world, Marik. Whole world. Asia,"

I smile and kiss his forehead. My home country then, Japan. "For you babe, I'll make it happen," Bakura deserves every happiness. Everything I can, I will give to him because without him I'd remain that sad assassin wandering between targets, taking orders from an obsessive ass calling himself Blue Eyes for fuck's sake! No more. No more orders or loss or wandering. This is me, it's my time.

I slam the car door and when my finger presses that last button and the scratchy voice on the other end answers "Hello," I know we're about to start our new life.

(Bakura's POV)

"Kura?" Joey asks me, scratching the crook of his elbow. That's right, neither of us have had a fix. I'm okay with that though, I'm contented. I have a cigarette on me but don't even need to smoke. "I feel like dis is da only time I'll get a straight answer so - why'd that weirdo kidnap me? He said somethin' about gold, an' that dude's name is really Melvin,"

His honey eyes stare at me with such intensity and I admire their sparkle. "Kura, what have ya gotten yerself inta this time?"

I shake my head, feeling my floppy hair glide over my shoulders. "Joey, 's okay. It's over now. We're gonna be alright, man. All over," Melvin promised me that and I trust him with all of my head. "Gold is just some shit I stole from the wrong person. Yeah, his name's Melvin. Fine, whatever. But we're okay man. I swear,"

Joey nods. "Okay, Bakura. I trust ya,"

From my pocket I pull a fistful of cash I took from Blue Eyes' place, handing it to Joey who stares at it in awed shock. "Take this. Don't blow it on smack. It's for your sister,"

He starts crying, blubbering and unable to constrain himself. I feel a pair of strong arms squeeze my shoulders. It hurts but it's comforting. "Th-Thanks Kura. Dis means so much, I..."

"Don't mention it," I wave dismissively.

Melvin suddenly gets back in the car and closes the door. He drives off and I look up. "Where-?"

"Joey, isn't it?" He stares at Joey through the mirror.

"Yeah...?"

"I'll drop you off at the station, get you a bus ticket. Say your goodbyes with Bakura,"

I perk my head up, watching his eyes flicker between myself and the road, their reflection matching how dynamic they seem when he looks into my eyes with so much love. "Where we going?"

"The airport, our flight to Japan leads in two hours," he grins. "Welcome to your new life, Bakura Ishtar,"