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When Yugi wakes up, it's to the sound of tapping on a window. He opens his eyes blearily, fighting against the last of the evening sun lighting up the room. That nap was not as short as he thought it'd be, apparently. When his gaze focuses finally, he's looking up at his ceiling and locking eyes with a face outside of his skylight.
Immediately, his heart stops in fear.
A second later, he realizes who it is, but his heart still needs time to catch up. Yugi lets out a loud sigh and closes his eyes for a moment to regain his composure, ignoring the much more insistent tapping now. No matter how many times this happens, he always forgets and assumes the worst. It doesn't help that he never knows when Bakhure's going to show up, but trying to make a schedule with the man is futile.
Resigned to this routine, he gets up and pulls a chair over to open the skylight up. It takes them a minute of shuffling and Yugi hopping down to help before Bakhure is actually inside the room, making him wish even more that he'd just use the front door like everyone else.
“You know, you could at least—” Yugi’s scolding is cut off by the other man pulling him by the waist into a fierce kiss. It takes his breath away just like the first time had and leaves all his thoughts melting into the feeling of being pressed up against his lover. When they part, he’s forgotten what he was going to say—which he suspects was Bakhure’s goal if the sly grin is anything to go by.
“I brought you something,” Bakhure tells him, letting him go so he can drop his backpack onto the bed. “Well…A few somethings.”
This is another routine Yugi’s gotten used to—Lately, it seems like everytime Bakhure sees him, he has a gift. Usually it's a snack of some kind or a meal from Burger World, but sometimes there’ll be little trinkets or booster packs. At first he was miffed about it since he knows a good portion of it is stolen, but he’s come around to seeing it as a sweet gesture—to the point where he can’t help but feel a little excited as he watches Bakhure start pulling things out.
There’s a couple packs of meat sticks they both love tossed onto the bed with a container of the strawberry wafers Yugi’s addicted to, then a few drinks of various choices because Yugi’s always indecisive, and—a tiny wooden doll? That’s something new. The doll looks close to a cartoon version of his Silent Magician, painted in her pale colors, with the head and arms attached to the body with two chain hoops each so it wobbles around, and one chain and hook at the top similar to a keychain. There’s a few toys that Bakhure will get for him here and there, but they’re usually plastic action figures and this looks far more rustic.
Still, it’s adorable and makes him smile, and he can’t help his teasing as he picks it up, “Did you steal this little guy too?”
Bakhure snorts but pointedly keeps looking down at the things he’s setting up on the bed. “No. I made it. For you.”
While he already suspected as much, hearing it said out loud makes his heart flutter. Yugi plays with it in his hands for a moment, running his fingers along the grooves where it’s clear a knife carved into the wood. Bakhure and Bakura are practically professionals with how quickly and how well they can both create diorama’s and figurines, but he knows there is still an amount of effort to be put into it. That Bakhure thinks Yugi is worth his time and effort is something that seems significant.
He steps towards his lover, a sweet smile on his face as he coos, “You made this for me? How thoughtful and kind of you.”
Bakhure pauses what he’s doing to give him an annoyed glare to the side, but it doesn’t hold any of its usual heat. “Don’t make this a big thing.”
Yugi ignores him, pulling on his arm with his free hand until Bakhure drops the backpack on his bed and turns towards him. “Isn’t it? My sweet boy making me something handmade?” He adds a flutter of his eyelashes for a full effect. Bakhure just scoffs at the display, making Yugi chuckle. “Thank you, I really love it.”
“You’d better, I broke one of our chisels trying to make it,” Bakhure says flatly, but he leans in as Yugi places a hand on one cheek and stands on his toes to kiss the other. “If you’re good, maybe I’ll carve that stupid swordsman to go with it.”
“If I’m good?” Yugi echoes in amused disbelief. “I don’t think I’m the one we have to worry about here, but I’ll keep that in mind.”
His lover snorts and gives him a smirk as he says, “Right, because you’re so well-behaved with your hands when we’re out together.”
“ Hey ,” Yugi huffs, but can’t keep the laugh out of his voice. “You’re not any better!”
His lover rests a hand on his waist, stepping in closer. “Mm, no I am not.”
The conversation trails off after that, a comfortable silence settling between them. Despite the suggestive teasing, Yugi’s content to just stand there and admire his beautiful lover. Bakhure stares right back at him, gaze as intense as always, before his eyes close and he leans his head into Yugi’s hand. His chest goes tight at the sight of it, even though he’s done this before. Yugi runs his thumb over the scar under his eye, and thinks about how lucky he is to be trusted with this, to touch him and love him. Yugi gets overwhelmed with it sometimes, knowing by now just how much Bakhure’s actually been through.
He steps closer and moves his hand up into Bakhure’s hair so he can gently pull him in. His lover moves with him easily, a smile twitching at his lips that makes Yugi’s heart do a somersault. They’re so close now that they’re breathing each other’s air, and Yugi closes his eyes too to soak in the moment. He kisses Bakhure softly and his lover matches his pace for once, his other hand coming to rest on Yugi’s hip and that smile he’d been fighting finally felt against his lips—
And then there’s a knock at the door.
“Partner? Are you awake?” Comes as a muffled call right after, and it sends Yugi into a panic. He pulls away abruptly and rushes to the door before Atem can open it himself.
It's not a secret, technically, what they're doing. Atem's seen them kiss and given Bakhure his own version of a shovel talk, but Yugi gets worried in moments where Bakhure's doing something sweet for him. His lover gets embarrassed easily, not used to anyone seeing this side of him, and sometimes he’ll disappear for a while to somewhere even Bakura doesn’t know about if someone besides Yugi sees too much.
When he cracks the door open, Atem’s surprised face greets him on the other side. “That was quick, Partner. Everything alright?”
Yugi gives a sheepish laugh and shrug in return, saying, “Yeah, yeah. I was up and about to change so I was already near the door. Uh…What’s up?”
Atem seems a little suspicious still, but says, “I wanted to let you know that I’ll be going over to Bakura’s for the night. He called to say that Bakhure was out, so I thought I’d visit him.” He pauses and seems to realize something, now looking a little awkward. “I…I mean you could come along as well if you wished, I just—”
“I’m fine here,” Yugi interrupts with a knowing smile. His partner seems relieved. “Buuut, you two have fun. Use protection.” His words and the wink he adds with them leave Atem sputtering, which Yugi can’t feel bad about with all the times he was teased in the past.
“Right. I mean, no—We won’t be—I’ll just…be sure to keep it in mind.” Yugi giggles but starts inching the door closed in anticipation for the coming goodbye. Which is, of course, when Atem’s gaze catches downward and he says, “What is that?”
Ah, right. The keychain is still in his hand. He lifts it reluctantly, opening his hand to show the small doll to Atem, who hums in interest. “It’s uh, just a little gift. From-From Bakhure…”
His partner’s eyes snap up again, narrowing in suspicion. “I see.” Then, loudly and pointedly, he says, “Well, I suppose I should remind you to also use protection. And that I’ll be only a call away, Yugi, should any stray thieves make their way into your room.”
Bakhure’s voice calls from behind him, “Oh, wouldn’t that be a shame. We don’t want any unsavory types getting inside and tainting Yugi’s precious innocence, do we?”
Yugi decides to interrupt before they can get any further in their usual back and forth, giving a tight smile to Atem and closing the door as he says, “Alright, well goodnight! Tell Bakura-kun I said hello! You shouldn’t keep him waiting!”
Atem looks huffy and annoyed but gets his own goodbyes in before Yugi finally closes the door on him. He waits a moment to listen for his partner’s footsteps actually walking away from the door before he heaves out a sigh. When he turns around, he sees Bakhure zipping his backpack up again with an unreadable expression and it sends Yugi’s heart into a panic.
He rushes towards him, bullying his way in between the other man’s arms so he can hug him tightly around the middle. “Don’t go yet,” he whines into his chest.
“I just came to give you some stuff. Like I said, it wasn’t supposed to be a whole thing, Yugi.” The way his heart is rabbiting against Yugi’s ear tells him that’s an excuse, though.
“You didn’t want to see me?”
“I’ve already seen you,” Bakhure says, his tone edging towards annoyed. A few months ago, Yugi would have taken that as an indication to drop it there and back off. Now, he knows it means he can still push his luck.
“See me more, then.” He pulls back enough to pout up at his lover, but keeps a tight grip on him. “I miss you, you know, when you’re away from me…”
Bakhure’s face does a funny mix of emotions then, and he clears his throat awkwardly before looking away. Yugi waits him out, having a feeling that he’s already won. Finally, Bakhure sighs and says, “For a little bit. I have shit to do still.”
“It’s almost night, so I don’t really believe you,” Yugi replies, but he’s grinning happily and pulling Bakhure over to his bed again where he plops down on the edge and sets the doll on the nightstand carefully.
“This may come as a surprise, but thieves don’t exactly work during the day, Yugi.”
“The good ones can work during the day,” Yugi quips back with a sly grin. His lover makes an offended sound and turns as if to actually leave, but Yugi laughs and pulls on his hand again so he falls into Yugi’s lap. “I’m kidding! Obviously you’re the best of all of them, Mr. King of Thieves.”
Bakhure humphs and then falls silent for a few moments, taking the time to get comfortable while Yugi noses at his neck. The quiet is nice, comfortable, until— “Are you so ashamed to be seen with me?”
Yugi freezes, his grip on Bakhure’s waist instinctively tightening. He tries to think if it’s a weird joke or if he had missed some important social cue in their conversations. “Come again?”
Bakhure’s got an arm around Yugi’s shoulders, and he uses it to grab his hair and force his head back so he can see the cold gaze that Yugi hasn’t had directed towards him for maybe a month now. Looks like his lucky streak is broken. “You had the Pharaoh leave rather quickly. Wouldn’t even let him see in the room. If you don’t want me here, tell me and I’ll go.”
Some part of him panics, while the other is a bit more annoyed. His lover can be so contrary and sensitive sometimes. “Bakhure—” He breaks off in a hiss as the grip tightens like a warning. “You are the one who always seems uncomfortable when other people interrupt. I didn’t want you to…Run away.”
That gets Bakhure to pause like he hadn’t considered his own hang-ups. Silly. After a moment of glaring down at him for being right, he lets go of Yugi’s hair and says, “ Tch. I don’t run away.”
“Sure, if you say so,” He teases, leaning back in to nip at his collarbone in retaliation for the hair-pulling. He kisses it softly afterwards to soothe it. “I can show you off to all of my friends if you would like that.”
Seemingly appeased, he feels his lover’s hand run through his hair more softly now, but he still makes a noise of consideration. “...Maybe start with just one or two. I’m sure Landlord and his king will have a date we can crash soon.”
Yugi laughs into his lover’s neck, feeling him shiver. “You just want to bother them, I know you.”
“Maybe.” Bakhure moves his hand to Yugi’s chest and pushes him until he gets the message to lay back. As Bakhure shifts to straddle his hips, his lover leans over him and says, “For now, I think I just want to bother you.”
“Mission accomplished,” Yugi teases, but pulls him in for a kiss. When they part, he keeps Bakhure close and whispers, “But I’m afraid you’ll have to take the rest of the night off, my thief—You’ve fallen right into my trap and I don’t plan on letting you leave now.”
His lover snorts but Yugi can see the way he melts more into him. “I hope you have a good plan for keeping me here, I’ve been known to slip away easily,” he whispers back in the same tone, pressing soft kisses down his jaw.
“Oh, I’m sure I’ll figure something out…” As he turns his head to the side to give Bakhure more room, his eyes land on the doll on the nightstand. Another burst of affection warms him, and he holds his lover closer.
Bakhure’s afraid that Yugi’s ashamed of him? Well, he’ll just have to make him feel as loved as Yugi does. There’s a thousand strategies already forming in his mind, but he knows a few that he can use tonight…