Little Master 1-- Tendershipping

Bakura couldn't remember when he stopped tolerating Ryou and began liking his hikari.    To him Ryou had always seemed weak. He hated people who were weak. Ryou had no spine, he was a complete pushover, so why did he start liking the boy. Maybe it was because Ryou reminded him of himself when he was younger, or maybe it was because they had both been abandoned, or maybe he had just grew soft. Whatever the reason he slowly began to... care for his little light. And when he finally got his own body he had shocked everyone, most of all himself, when he decided to stay with his hikari. It was then when he found out that Ryou did have a spine... and a way with knives that, even though he would never tell anyone, slightly scared him. 

The door opened and Ryou came in. He still had his work clothes on. Ever since he had come to live with Ryou the poor hikari has had to quit school and get a job. Bakura wanted to get a job but he couldn't. Apparently 500 year old Egyptian spirits didn't have social security numbers. 

"Hey Little Master" Bakura called as Ryou slumped into a chair. 'Little Master' was a joke between the two. After Ryou had whooped his ass with several kitchen knives Ryou had made him choose to either loose an important but not necessary body part or call him Master for a week. Bakura had chosen the later and since then Ryou had became his 'Little Master'. 

"Hey 'Kura," Ryou replied. Ryou was the only one who could call him 'Kura, any one else would have died. 

He took in Ryou's tired state and hunched shoulders and sighed. "Would you like me to cook dinner?" he volunteered. Personally he didn't want to cook dinner for two reasons. One, though he knew how to cook that was over a fire, all this fancy electrical stuff left him in the dust. Two, the liked Ryou's cooking so much better. Of course, he would sacrificed himself, and possible the kitchen, if he Ryou wanted him to. 

"No, no," Ryou said. "I'll make dinner. Just let me take a shower first."

"You sure?" he asked. 

"Yeah," Ryou struggled to his feet. "I'll be right back," as he watched Ryou's small figure walked down the hall he realized how broken down and small he looked. 

Ryou entered a doorway and a second later steam flooded the hallway as the shower turned on. Bakura waited until Ryou had finished, flipping through channels to pass the time. Mist billowed into the living room as Ryou opened the door. He threw a glance over his shoulder at Ryou, who was naked besides a towel barely hanging on his skinny waist. Though he tried to surpress it, a trill of desire still shot through his being. 

His eyes followed Ryou until his hikari disappeared into his room. He went back to watching the screen until Ryou emerged from his room wearing black sweats with no top. Once again desire flickered within him at the sight of Ryou's bare chest beaded with water. 

He watched Ryou as he passed through the living room and into the kitchen. Ryou donned on a stained apron and began working on dinner. Water clung to Ryou's silky hair, forcing the white strands to stick to his cling onto his pale shoulders. Bakura physically had to tear his gaze away from his wet and sexy hikari. 

Smells of food cooking and peeks of a damp hikari preoccupied the next hour of Bakura's life. 

"Time for dinner," Ryou said as he set down the last dish on the table. Bakura stood and went to the table. 

Ryou had made pasta covered with a creamy white mushroom sauce sprinkled with cilantro, a fluffy garlic bread, and a fruit salad with a blanket of honeyed yogurt. 

"Looks delicious," Bakura said as he sat down. 

"Thanks," Ryou blushed slightly. Bakura had to advert his eyes and bit his lip, trying to qualm the hot ache of need. 

"It feels like a crime to tear apart such a master piece." Bakura said as he dished out some pasta onto his plate. 

Ryou laughed lightly, the sound echoing like bells in Bakura's ears. 

Bakura smiled and grabbed a hunk of bread. He lather the bread with a heaping mound of pasta and took a bite. White sauce leaked out of his mouth and stained the corners of his mouth. 

"Good," Bakura mumbled around a mouthful of pasta and bread. Ryou took one look at him and snickered, rolling his eyes. 

"Come here," Ryou said. He scooted closer to Bakura and Bakura obediently leaned over. Ryou took his napkin from his lap and began dabbing at the corners of Bakura's mouth. 

"How do you get so dirty with one bite," Ryou laughed. 

Bakura tried to answer but was distorted by Ryou's napkin, making his words into an unrecognizable jumble. Ryou rolled his eyes again and stifled a laugh. 

Being so close to Ryou was making Bakura dizzy. The sweet scent of lilacs and chocolate that clung to Ryou's skin was swimming through Bakura's head. Pains of hunger that was not related to food streaked through Bakura. His eyes locked onto Ryou's soft lips, just inches above his. 

"Done," Ryou smiled as he straightened back up. Bakura felt a cry of longing rise in his throat. He clamped his teeth down hard against it and smiled his thanks at Ryou. 

The rest of dinner was a battle of banter and the clinking of forks. After dinner Ryou went to do dishes and Bakura got changed into black pants and a black jackets, no shirt of course.

"Be back soon," Bakura called to Ryou as he slipped out the window, hanging onto the overhang. 

"Be careful," Ryou called. 

Bakura let go and slipped into the dark of the night. Even though Ryou didn't agree once a week Bakura met up with Marik and had some fun, steal some stuff, terrorize some people, kill some strays, that sort of thing. Bakura called it his stress reliever. 

Except there was something that was bothering him tonight. Ryou. Thoughts of Ryou ran round and round in Bakura's head. He wanted his little light so bad, it was like an actual ache. Bakura bit his lip and sighed. He knew that hanging with Marik was not going to help him tonight.

Instead he wandered around the neighborhood trying, and failing, at not thinking about Ryou. His weak little hikari had turned out to be a strong independent teen whose way with knives amazed him. Though everyone else saw the cute lovable side of his hikari he knew differently. Ryou would stand up for himself. When Bakura had first appeared he had tried to bully Ryou into doing his bidding. Long story short that backfired when Ryou had whipped out his kitchen knives. 

Bakura smiled at the memory. He suddenly noticed that he was standing outside Ryou's apartment building. While he was lost in thought his feet must have carried him here. 

Bakura looked up at the fifth floor to where Ryou's window was. He jumped and grabbed the ledge of the second story window. He swung himself upwards and grabbed the ledge of the third story window. A minute later he landed softly onto the window overhang of Ryou's room. Light peeked through a small crack in the curtains. Bakura looked through that crack into Ryou's room. 

Ryou was laying in bed, still awake. It was past midnight. Bakura was puzzled. Ryou was always in bed and asleep before nine. Why was he up so late? 

Bakura stayed there and watched for a while before more thoughts penetrated his mind.  Why was he up here in the middle of the night watching the boy he lived with? Why was he, the great thief king, reduced to stalking? He shook his head. How had he fallen  in love with a mere mortal who had to work two jobs just to live? One look still sent his heart racing but at the same time....

He lowered his eyes. How did he get so pathetic? Pining over a human boy who couldn't even kill someone to save his life. He had to get over Ryou. He was the Great Thief King! A 500 year old spirit! 

He threw one more glance at Ryou before pushing himself away from the window and into the lightless night. From this day forth he would forget all sentimental feelings he had established and once again become the Great Thief King.