Chapter Text
Battle City. He should have listened to Rishid. He shouldn’t have had so much ill contempt in his heart for someone he’d only just met. But everything worked out, didn’t it? He defeated his darkness, reunited with his sister, he helped new friends reach the end of their quest. The Pharaoh was returned to rest in peace along with the destruction of another vile evil that replaced the threat of his own.
Yet the truth is he didn’t do it. He didn’t kill it.
Malik made everyone believe his shadow had been put down but really he simply locked it away. He was now stronger than before, he could keep it at bay himself. Just as Rishid was once the key to its prison, now he held that power.
The first time he tried to visit it, he couldn’t find it. His mind and soul were still a complex maze. He could feel its presence but he could never locate it. It was angry. Rightfully so for how he oppressed it. Every bit of its fury seeped through the twisting turns and around every corner. Perhaps it didn’t want to see him or maybe these walls were in fact his subconscious guarding him, urging him to let it rot and waste away..
‘I didn’t kill it…'
It was something he told himself every time he’d come here in search of the path toward reaching it with hope that those words would finally reveal the way. He wanted to see it. He had to. That’s what he kept telling himself. He had to prove to himself that he could control it… and maybe even-
Over the course of a month he’d slip into this place within the walls of his body, chipping away at the winding configuration of a prison that his consciousness had built. He always knew when he’d take the right turn as he could feel the heat of its rage breathing upon him like a gust of the hot desert wind during the peak of the sun’s travels. It never deterred him, it only encouraged him. Until finally one day…
He found it.
His other self was ensnared within the dead center of a large opening surrounded by multiple other entry points of the maze. Its head hung like it had given up all the fight it once commanded. All that volatile nature that used to be in a constant churning motion ready to unleash at any given moment had vacated. It was illuminated by a different light than the one you would stand within for control. This was a binding light, keeping the chains wrapped around its entire torso tight, like a cocoon of glowing links. It didn’t seem to respond to his arrival, keeping a pace of deep steady breathing as it stayed there, feet barely touching the ground.
Perhaps the reason it refused to notice was because it couldn’t. Like it was slowly being suffocated. Was he unknowingly doing this to it? He wanted to speak to it and he wanted it to respond.
“I-” One letter to start for himself. That’s all that could escape from Malik’s mouth before the sound of shifting chains caused him to hold his breath.
“You…” Even its voice was tight and struggling, like it hadn’t spoken in several hundred years and was dying of thirst but it still held onto its contempt.
Be brave. That's what he had to tell himself. So he pushed closer before realizing his willingness to move forward was reawakening it.
At first the chains rattled, then the binds that wound around it began to slither away allowing it to grace the ground with its own feet. It was not without its restraints however. Hands, neck, torso, feet. Like a marionette but given less tension.
The first thing it did was stumble, but it made sure to catch itself bracing an arm around midsection and wrapping fingers with its other hand around the chain that cuffed the same wrist. Out of pride it would not bend. Out of tolerance it would not show weakness. “You didn’t kill me…”
“I didn’t kill you…”
“Why?”
Why? There were several reasons. He felt an urgency to respond with the first one that came to his head. “You were afraid to die.”
It scoffed at his answer while straightening itself to return to a stance of confidence. “And yet I was so ready to kill you regardless of your personal fears.”
“But you didn’t.”
“I couldn’t - because of you ,” That final word held such malice for a ruined plan. It was a perfect plan. It’d already defeated Bakura and claimed the ring after the other spirit intervened upon its attempt to take Rishid's life. And then the duel happened between the spirit of the pharaoh residing in another. With each miniscule detail remembered of its downfall, its breathing hastened with wrath. It was losing itself to that thought; that hatred of being so easily defeated by the oversight that Malik’s consciousness was still alive.
“I’m sorry-”
It tensed up, the chains around it settling as its breath staggered. What was Malik’s angle? Why was he here? Was this another trick?
“I denied you something that you’ve always wanted.” Malik tempted fate, moving closer to it and with every step the length of its chains loosened, allowing it more range of movement.
Yet with every step Malik made towards it, it retreated, continuing to put distance between itself and him until it found the edge of the ring of light and it could go no further as the boundary line was like a solid wall, just one of the many defenses to keep it contained. “What game do you play?”
Malik stopped just before the edge of that same ring, remaining in the shadows after having found his other half retreating. Why was it moving away? “Does it need to be a game?” He tilted his head in curiosity but his eyes portrayed confusion. “Are you afraid of me ?”
“What do you want?” It spat its words fiercely at him, denying him an answer to his question. Perhaps it was afraid of him. It had underestimated him before. What he was willing to sacrifice to regain control. Of the power the better half commanded to hold it here, to restrain it.
Another of his reasons for seeking it out could be aired in the open. Malik moved to sit just on the edge of the light, pulling one leg over the other to make himself comfortable. To appear less menacing. “I was hoping we could do better. To become… symbiotic.”
There was silence. It was stunned by his request. It took time to process what Malik was saying but then it seemed to let loose the comedy of such a remark in a fit of loud mocking laughter.
Malik sat there, listening to its wordless ridicule. He stared into the circle of light recalling Yuugi’s relationship with Atem being the ideal balance. Even the partnership of Ryou and the spirit of Bakura bore little complications in how they worked with each other despite the latter's end goal.
Its laughter died down after it gained no response, no retort, no retaliation. “You’re actually being serious, aren’t you?”
He looked away, feeling shame start to set in over his belief that this could possibly work. Maybe it couldn’t. This was a completely different situation than what the others got. They were tied to spirits of the past. This thing was just him. An emotion given free reign to run wild and think for itself. He was so lost in his own thoughts, doubt filling his head that he was a fool to think he could have what they had. He didn’t hear the clatter of its chains as it got closer and closer. He didn’t realize that it was now right in front of him, crouched down until he looked up to find its dead half-lidded gaze locked with his startled vibrant hues. There was a sudden heavy pool of saliva swimming around in his mouth that he promptly swallowed as they stared at one another.
“You want what they had.”
Its exact words were the very lines in his head. Like it actually knew what Malik desired. It was probably because of the fact they were the same person that it knew… but did it also want the same thing?
“Yes.” Malik found himself moving closer. Was it actually understanding him?
“You want to know what it was like?” It also leaned closer towards the boundary of the threshold that separated them.
“I do.” He held his vocals back from sounding too desperate as his whole body moved forward, his hands finding the ground as he placed fingers into the light.
“And you think it’s possible for us?” It spoke smoothly, glancing down for a split second then back up to keep his focus ensnared.
“I think-” Malik was so enamored in the fact of this belief that it possibly wanted the same thing that he didn’t think anything of it when more of him crossed over into the ring of light. “-maybe we could-” He lifted one of his hands off the ground and reached up for its face. “-tr-” His final word would never successfully leave his lips.
Its hand came to snatch his reaching grasp, securing it tightly to tug its better half into the light while situationally falling back itself, further away from the edge of its confinement. Its chains clanged fiercely as it worked to change the circumstances, reversing Malik’s view before all noise and movement came to a sudden rest.
There was no struggle as Malik was too taken by his carelessness. In a matter of seconds he found his back pressed tightly against its front, his arms held closely against his chest by its grasp, preventing any struggle for now.
“You want this .” It’s hushed words in his ear, almost a hiss. It could feel him shiver in its grasp from the breath it expelled.
“I.. I want-”
“More?” One arm came to wrap around and secure him, even though it didn’t expect much of retaliation but with a free hand it could move it anywhere and it chose down. First it dug beneath his top, pushing fingers upward until its own arm lying across his chest stopped any further advance.
Malik’s jaw clenched after he swallowed a shallower pond beneath his tongue. He felt it rest its chin on his shoulder. Then he could feel its hand reverse.
Its touch was lighter than before, barely skimming over his lower chest then down his stomach, causing Malik’s body to tense wherever its finger tips caressed. It travelled slowly until it lifted all its fingers save for a thumb which hooked upon his belt, viciously tugging down the hem of his pants so that the rest of its fingers could grasp his groin tightly.
He inhaled sharply with how aggressive the move was but then he found himself melting against it. His head leaned back, eyes shut tightly as both his body and breath quivered with his exhale.
“So this is what you want, isn’t it?” It purred with sweet adoration like it was trying its best to mimic the interaction Malik craved. To lure him in while loosening its hold around his chest and keeping its other grip firm. It pulled its other hand off his shoulder moving it more to the center of his collar before shifting up towards his neck. Not too tightly, but just enough to feel his pulse... to leave him wanting. “You think this is what they had?”
“I- I don’t know-” Malik almost whined at the feeling. He was always curious what it was like to have a mutual bond with another in a shared coexistence of one body. He wanted this to be the moment he finally got to experience it. What it was like. How it would make him feel.
“If I’d known you were this easy to subdue I would have done it long ago.” A head lowered further against his neck, lips pressed lightly upon the skin just below his golden neck rings. It made sure that he could feel its lips twist into a grin. Then a tongue pressed forward, dragging along the short stretch of bare flesh, then to gold before moving back to the skin at the base of his jaw.
Malik’s eyes squeezed tighter as he raised his unrestrained hand behind himself, reaching for its head, wanting to show without words that this was what he wanted - to force it to linger. The movement didn’t come without its oddities as his wrist felt more weighted. It didn’t feel right. One eye opened, just a peek. Then both opened with alarm as he found his wrist cuffed. In panic he raised his other hand, finding it too bound.
“You were always so easy.”
He looked up quickly to find it on the outskirts of the ring of light; unshackled and free. So many thoughts flooded his mind over this betrayal, no this was his fault. He gave in to a desire to be at peace with himself and it used that as a means for its escape. But.. it could have done much worse.
“You didn’t kill me…”
“I didn’t kill you…” It’s words calm as it mimicked Malik's own statement from before.
There was a long silence between them after the short exchange. It stared down at him. He stared up at it.
“...but will you?” Malik broke the mute void between them, feeling it inevitable that this was the end game. To restart an old quarrel that would turn better in its favor - ending in its age old desire for full control. To be the one and only true Malik.
It crouched down, as it had before but now on the opposite side, tracing its index in the loose grit just beyond the light's reach as its eyes watched its digit draw a pattern. “I admit you’ve gotten me curious if it’s possible... to coexist.” It tilted its head as it continued the construction of its drawing on the flat surface.
“How will you conclude if it’s possible?” Malik was terrified of the answer it would respond with but he felt responsible for whatever its plans were. Regardless if it would tell him or not he would feel and carry that guilt.
“By learning from those who are more experienced.” It pulled its gaze up to meet Malik’s with a look that betrayed its intent. Dark, twisted, plotting. It wasn’t just going to ‘learn’. Then it stood and turned away from him, gazing at its options for entry into the maze before focusing on one.
Malik noticed it was the direction he’d come from, then eventually realized this maze wasn’t just meant to keep him away. It was also meant to occupy it in the eventuality it got free and he foolishly painted the way out by reaching and reconnecting with it…
It would carry on, even if Malik screamed at it to stop. Tearful begging to dissuade it. It wouldn’t. Old grudges die hard even if those responsible no longer walk this world. It left behind a vague semblance of its plan. A pyramid shaped puzzle and a ring adorned with five pendulums.