#Merry Christmas Marik | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

who-i-am-is-who-i-am · 2 years ago

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Merry Christmas @chloelouygo !! 🎄🎁 ✨ It was so much fun writing this little fic for you! I hope it warms your heart like a cup of cocoa! Thank you @super-secret-conspiracy for setting up this fun gift exchange!!

Tags: Thiefshipping, tendershipping, conspireshipping, fluff, holiday stress, ugly christmas sweater, cursing, gooey couple, Y!Marik is named Kek

Christmas was a weird concept to Bakura. It was something familiar and yet so foreign to him. He was used to the holiday due to his time spent in Ryou’s body, but beyond it marking the passage of time, he didn’t care much for the overly cheery occasion. It was simply there, like a mole on your skin; harmless and useless. Why should he care at all when he had much loftier things to think about like his revenge against the Pharaoh? Christmas— it was a waste of his time and energy. Not worth a second of his time.

That was until he had a body of his own.

Much had changed since he was brought back to the land of the living. Bakura was starting to change (including Marik’s darker half) and that included his opinions on holidays. He was done with revenge. Done with using his time and energy to focus on such dark and self-destructive tasks. And now he was…..stressing about gifts….

How things had changed.

Standing in front of Ryou’s apartment, he debated turning back now while he still could. He hadn’t knocked yet. Ryou didn’t even know he was here. He could just leave. He wouldn’t need to embarrass himself further. His pride could remain in tact. But he still needed to get a gift for Marik. Bakura shifted on his feet impatiently, a scowl on his face as his dark eyes looked from the door to the wall awkwardly.

“Oh fuck this—“ The words tumbled out of his mouth as he began to turn, but he was stopped as the door to Ryou’s apartment opened anyways.

Ryou blinked in surprise at the sight of Bakura, looking at the former spirit’s agitated scowl and tense stance with quick glance over. It was still so strange seeing a near identical image of himself walking around— granted Bakura was far sharper around the edges and his sarcastic attitude made it clear to everyone who they were talking to. Of course he was different in other ways, but Ryou couldn’t help but wonder if he looked as stunning as Bakura did when the sun glittered off his long white hair.

Shaking his head slightly to clear his thoughts, Ryou raised a brow at Bakura. “Is there a reason you’re standing outside my door today?”

Bakura huffed and looked away, annoyed at having been caught. He should have left sooner. “What? Didn’t you say I could visit you whenever I want?” He crossed his arms over his chest and tilted his chin up slightly. He bore his reddish-brown eyes down at Ryou defiantly.

Ryou wasn’t bothered in the slightest. He knew Bakura’s tells better than he did. He simply rolled his eyes and smiled knowing. “Of course. And usually you barge in whenever you want. So why don’t we cut to the chase and just have you come inside?” He stepped back and held his arm open in attempt to invite Bakura inside.

Bakura stared at him a moment longer, debating before he finally let his arms lower before stepping past Ryou and into his apartment. Bastard knew him far too well. Ryou smiled as Bakura passed and closed the door behind him politely. He followed after the former ring spirit, curious yet patient as he watched Bakura flop down on his couch.

“Want a cuppa?” Ryou asked even as he headed over to the kitchen. Something hot in Bakura’s hands would do him good.

“Fuck yeah I do,” Bakura called out, refusing to move from the couch. At least this way he wouldn’t look into Ryou’s curious warm brown eyes when he spoke. Just getting here had already been a trip in of itself. Now to admit why he was here…. Bakura gritted his teeth at the thought. “…..Ryou?”

“Yeah?” Ryou put the kettle on the stove and quickly stepped to the kitchen entry way to peer back into the living-room.

Bakura didn’t look back at Ryou, keeping his face carefully tilted away as he continued. “…..what are you getting Marik for Christmas?”

Ryou blinked. “Is that why you’re here? To ask what I got him?” His brows furrowed. Warm doe-brown eyes searched the back of Bakura’s head for an answer. Anything to piece together this riddle. “Are you worried we’ll end up getting the same thing?”

“No it’s not—“ Bakura let out a growl of irritation as he shifted on the couch. His long white hair coiled over his shoulder like a snake, shifting along with him as he moved. “I don’t know what to get him!” Bakura finally relented as he turned to face Ryou once more. His lips were twisted into a deep scowl and his dark eyes pierced Ryou with a fierce glare. It reminded Ryou momentarily of Battle City all over again. “The stupid bastard buys everything he wants!! Just when I think I have it, the bloody fool buys it for himself!! Rings, bike parts, cards— everything!! Marik has no self control—!! I have a week left and I’m fucked!!!”

Relief washed over Ryou as the problem was finally put before him. For a moment he was worried it was something far more complex. But a gift? Bakura was this tense over a Christmas gift? A smile grew on Ryou’s face once more. So much had changed. A few years ago and he never would have been this worried over a gift. Honestly it was rather cute.

“Don’t smile at me like that!!” Bakura snapped, feeling rather childish as he looked away from Ryou. He could feel his cheeks growing warm already Fuck he looked cute when he smiled like that. Gods and the way his lashes brushed against his cheeks as they squinted with his smile… fuck it was pathetic thinking like this. “I can feel you thinking I’m cute so just shut up and help me.”

Ryou couldn’t help but laugh as he walked over to Bakura on the couch and sat on the edge of the coffee table next to him. “No need to get fussy. I’m sure I can help you out.” He reached out and placed a gentle hand on Bakura’s arm to soothe him.

Bakura looked back at Ryou as he drew close and sighed. Despite everything, Bakura relaxed under Ryou’s touch. “You better. Because if I get bitched out by him you know I’m going to come complain to you.”

“Oh yay for me. I’m sure Kek would love to hear you complain,” Ryou mused. Honestly he loved seeing Kek and Bakura bicker with one another. The back and forth between the two of them was entertaining to say the least, especially because of Kek’s strangely unaffected demeanor. But this wasn’t about them. It was about Bakura and Marik. And Bakura wanted to get him a gift. Or maybe…..

“Have you thought about making him a gift?” Ryou asked thoughtfully. He tilted his head as he looked at Bakura. “I mean you say he buys everything he wants. Why not make him something instead? That way it’s personal and one of a kind.”

Bakura’s face scrunched at the thought. “What the fuck could I even make him? It’s not like he plays Monster World or anything. And I’m sure as hell not a jewelry maker.”

“You could make him a sweater.”

Ryou and Bakura both turned to look over at the hallway entry on the other side of the room. Kek stood there with a sleepy look in his eyes and his gravity-defying hair looking even more mussed up than usual. Ryou got up from the coffee table as he said, “I’m sorry Kek. Did we wake you from your nap?”

“Yeah but it’s fine,” Kek hummed as he watched Ryou move. He was lucky to be with someone so graceful. Ryou was beautiful and elegant when he moved, like a ballet dancer. “I needed to get up anyways. Can’t sleep all day.”

Ryou wasn’t too sure of that. Kek had been pulling some overnighters at work in order to bring in some extra cash for Christmas. It was nice not having to worry about money for a bit, but not when it came at the cost of Kek’s health. Plus he missed him. But Kek was stubborn about the whole thing. There was just something he really wanted to get them all.

Kek looked to Bakura as he continued, “You know how to sew right? You said you mended your clothes back when you were a thief. And also you helped Ryou make his Monster World figurines. So it should be easy for you.”

Bakura snorted and sat up. “Yeah sure and I can jump through a hoop of fire into a shark pit for funsies.” Sure he knew how to sew but it was minimal at best. Nothing compared to the elaborate costumes Ryou could whip out.

“Oh stop being a baby and try it,” Kek shot back. “It would be a nice thing for you to do. He’s been needing a sweater for a while now anyways. But he keeps complaining about how none of them fit his aesthetic or how they’re all too scratchy for him. You know how sensitive his back gets—“

At this Bakura nodded at. “Yeah yeah I know. He’s been layering himself in blankets back at the apartment. Can’t even take the heated blanket from him without starting a fight.” Marik was too stubborn to get a sweater though for whatever reason. Bakura even offered his own but Marik refused with a pinched scowl on his face. Sometimes the man was too fucking spoiled. Bakura’s lips twitched at the thought.

The whistle of the kettle broke Bakura’s thoughts as Ryou hurried past him with softly muttered curses leaving his lips. Kek didn’t move an inch as he watched the two of them, enjoying the way Bakura’s eyes followed after Ryou’s ass with appraising eyes. “Miss him already?” Kek asked with a cocky grin growing on his face. “You took him on a date just last week.”

Bakura’s head snapped over to Kek as his cheeks grew warm. “Fuck do you ever use that big mouth of your for anything else other than talking?”

“Yes~” Kek’s smile widened further. “Plenty of things~” He opened his mouth and lewdly stuck his long tongue out before curling it to brush against his lips. Oh he could use his mouth for plenty of things and Bakura certainly knew it.

Bakura’s face grew darker red, making Kek laugh in amusement. “Fuck off,” Bakura hissed, making Kek wave his hand as he turned to head back down the hall He could have tea with Ryou in a bit. Right now a shower sounded good. “Make him the damn sweater,” Kek added before he finally walked away.

If Kek was suggesting it, then Bakura knew it was a good idea at least when it came to Marik. But how the fuck was he going to make a sweater? He didn’t have a sewing machine or— right. He was dating a nerd. A nerd who likes to cosplay. A sharp smirk replaced the scowl on his face as Ryou came back with two cups of tea in hand.

“Oh Ryou~” Bakura cooed as he leaned forward towards the coffee table to get closer to Ryou. “So about making this sweater—“

“I’m not making the sweater for you Bakura,” Ryou cut in as he set the cups down carefully. He didn’t even need to look up to feel the frown on Bakura’s face. “The point is that you made it. Not me.”

“But your hands are practically my hands. I used to possess those you know.” Bakura moved to sit properly on the couch, trying to catch Ryou’s eye even as he avoided his gaze. “And if I think of the idea, who’s to say I didn’t make it?”

“Me. I would say it.” Ryou shot him a look before he settled in the arm-chair across from him. “And if we use that logic, then Kek made the sweater.”

Bakura’s scowl deepened. “Now you’re just being difficult. Can’t you just do this one favor for me Ryou?”

“Fuck no.” Ryou picked up his cup of tea and sipped it with a hum of delight. “But I can tell you how to make it. And I can bring my machine over to your apartment to work on it.”

Defeated, Bakura slumped back against the couch and sighed. He looked up at the ceiling as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Damn you.” There was no real venom behind the words. Only hopeless acceptance.

“Good. Then we can start tomorrow,” Ryou mused with another sip of his tea.

———————————————————

“Damn piece of shit machine!!”

Bakura smacked the sewing machine as his blood pressure began to rise. Never before he had wanted to beat the absolute shit out of a machine before. The week was almost up and Ryou had been kind enough stay with him later in the evening to help complete the sweater. But now it was 11:30pm and Ryou’s eyes were looking drowsy.

“Hey don’t hit my machine,” Ryou scolded from where he was sitting on the couch. Bakura was stationed on the dining room table which was his own personal hell corner at this point. He was just lucky that Marik wasn’t here at the moment to witness it.

“I wouldn’t be hitting it if it wouldn’t jam every three seconds!!” Bakura spit out as he glared at the cursed thing. Honestly he was starting to believe it had a mind of its own. It already had broken a needle twice over the course of this project, but the jamming??? Right now?! He was three seconds away from tearing out his hair.

Ryou yawned, trying not to fall asleep where he sat. “Maybe you should just hand sew the rest.”

“Fuck no. I’m finishing this tonight. He comes back tomorrow and I am not sleeping until this is done.” Marik would be tired from his trip from Egypt but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t notice a missing gift from under the tree.

Ryou sighed. Of course. Right.

Thirty minutes later and Bakura had managed to finish up the rest of the sweater. Well, at least attempted to finish it. His nose wrinkled as he looked over the misshapen garment slowly. One sleeve was a little longer than the other and the design of a snowflake in front wasn’t quite centered. Honestly it was gods awful and rather goofy looking. At least it felt soft.

Ryou stepped out from the kitchen with yet, another cup of tea in his hand and paused as he watched Bakura take in his work. “Oh! You’ve finally finished it!”

“Yeah.” Bakura grimaced as he lowered it. “It looks like shit.”

“It does not!” Ryou quickly reassured despite having to fight the smile on his face. “It looks nice! Homemade even.”

“Ryou I managed to make this snowflake look depressed. I didn’t even think that was possible.”

“It’s not—“ Ryou let out a laugh at his words and had to cover his mouth with his free hand. “It’s not depressed! It’s so cute! It’s got four holes like it should! It’s wearable! Just because it’s a little, um, imprecise doesn’t mean that it’s shit.”

“Ryou.” Bakura looked over his shoulder from where he sat to look at his former host. “I can’t give him this. What the fuck am I going to do? Christmas is tomorrow— Fuck! Im so fucked!!”

“Bakura, it’ll be fine. I know he’ll love it.” Ryou set the tea down on the table and put a hand on Bakura’s shoulder. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. I don’t think Marik’s ever even gotten anything handmade before.”

“Not true. Kek gave him a figure he sculpted,” Bakura denied with a shake of his head. He looked down at the lilac sweater in his hands and sighed. Why couldn’t he do anything right? Why could he only destroy things instead of creating something good?

Ryou squeezed Bakura’s shoulder gently before stepping closer and putting his hand on his other shoulder. He leaned in to kiss the top of Bakura’s head lightly. “Stop it. I know what you’re thinking. But stop it. I think you’ll be surprised by how much he loves it.”

Ryou felt one of Bakura’s colder hands snake up to touch his on his shoulder. Bakura grunted in response before he sighed. “You should probably head home Ryou. It’s Christmas Eve and it’s getting late. I’m sure Kek is waiting for you.”

Ryou gave him one last squeeze before he finally let him go. “You’re probably right. But if you need anything just text me ok? I’m only a few blocks away.”

Bakura nodded his head and listened as Ryou stepped away. Bakura wasn’t particularly looking forward to a lonely Christmas Eve, but he would deal with it if it meant seeing Marik’s smiling face in the morning. He softened at the thought of his blonde-haired partner. He missed those lavender eyes that sparkled like gems and soft hands that touched him so gently. Warmth and tenderness wasn’t something he really knew until he started living with Marik. For such a dickhead he could be surprisingly sweet when he wanted to be.

“I’ll see you later Bakura,” Ryou called out from the front door.

“Catch you later,” Bakura shot back as he looked up at Ryou. It was fine. Everything would be fine.

Ryou waved goodbye with mildly worried eyes but the looked was cut off as the door closed behind him. Bakura looked back to the project in his hands and scowled once more. It really was a mess. A poor excuse at sewing but it was something he made. It was soft and he had spent time making sure nothing would scratch at Marik’s back when he wore it. Not to mention he picked colors that were straight from Marik’s wardrobe. Lavender was his favorite and the color didn’t appear much in men’s fashion.

Bakura looked up and caught sight of Ryou’s tea sitting nearby, still steaming hot as he left it. He would bet that Ryou left it for him on purpose. Sometimes Ryou was sneakier than anyone gave him credit for. He reached out and took a sip of the tea only to smile as he set it down once more. It was his favorite flavor; lotus flower. Ryou would never drink that.

“That sneaky bastard….”

Bakura held the sweater to his chest and stood up from where he sat in front of the sewing machine. He stretched as he did and heard a few things pop. It felt good though. He had been sitting there for far too long. A soft noise of relief left him as he settled back before starting to turn. He could hide this in the closet or something. Maybe he could tell Marik his gift was delayed even.

Before Bakura could think of it much more he could hear the door to his apartment jiggle as if someone was putting their keys in it. He tensed on the spot as dread steeped to his stomach. Fuck no. Marik was supposed to arrive home tomorrow. He was back early?? Bakura was about to spring out of the room when the door flung open.

Marik looked exhausted and pissed off to all hell, dressed in an violet pea-coat to stave off the cold weather of Domino as well as a white scarf and gloves to boot. His golden hair was limp from traveling so long and there were dark circles under his eyes. His dark purple luggage trailed behind him as he muttered to himself quietly. “Damn keys. Fuck just— get in my pocket damn it—“ He fumbled with his keys a moment and kicked the door closed behind him until he felt a pair of eyes on him. Finally looking up, he paused as he saw Bakura standing there quietly with wide unsure eyes.

“Bakura?” The wrinkle between Marik’s brows was cute and Bakura wanted nothing more than to kiss it away. “What are you doing up?“ Lavender eyes looked from Bakura to the sewing machine, looking even more confused as he let go of his luggage. “Was Ryou here?”

“Yeah,” Bakura finally croaked out and lamely shuffled the sweater in his hand to hide behind his back. “You’re home early.”

“Yeah. Wanted to surprise you,” Marik admitted as he stepped further into their shared apartment. He approached Bakura slowly, sensing that something was off. Even so he smiled as he looked at his clearly stressed out lover. “Did you miss me?”

“….always,” Bakura replied softly, his lips ticking up despite himself. “But Ryou and Kek made sure I didn’t get too lonely. How was Ishizu and Odion?”

“The same as always. Overly worried and overly worked. But it was nice seeing them.” Marik stopped just in front of Bakura and placed his hands gently on his hips. He was so close. Just a breath away. Bakura couldn’t stop looking at his lips. “Now, are you going to show me what you’re hiding from me?”

Bakura blinked at that before his eyes snapped up to meet Marik’s. “No.” He took a step back as his face grew warm. He couldn’t let Marik see the sweater. Why did Kek convince him it was a good idea? He should have just gotten him some new earrings.

“No?” Marik frowned, further confused and annoyed at this point. “I just flew fourteen hours to get here and now you’re going to start hiding shit from me? Nuh-uh. I’m too tired for that.” He reached around Bakura in an attempted to steal whatever he was hiding.

But Bakura was quicker than him and shifted away. “Hey! I said no you fucker!!”

“And I said I don’t care! Now let me see!” He reached again, causing the two of them to start wrestling with one another. “Come on Bakura—!!”

The two of them shoved and pulled at one another until Marik finally leaned in and kissed Bakura square on the mouth. Bakura froze at the kiss, his heart rate spiking in his chest as he was momentarily stunned. It gave Marik enough time to pry the sweater from Bakura’s weakened hands.

“Ha—!!” Marik stepped away from Bakura triumphantly and held his prize up. What was it? It was…..it was a sweater? “Ah?” He lowered the piece of clothing down to look at it closer.

“Give it back—!!” Bakura reached to snatch it from him but Marik quickly stepped back. It was a soft sweater. Softer than any he had felt in awhile. And there was a cute snowflake pattern on the front. Granted the whole thing looked like a child made it, but regardless, it was surprisingly tasteful.

“….did you make this?” Marik looked at Bakura carefully though he wanted to keep looking at the sweater in his hands. This was a make-or-break moment. He knew how sensitive Bakura could be. The stitching was off and one sleeve was longer than the other, but the idea of Bakura spending time working on this was surprising. He didn’t usually do things like this…

Bakura crossed his arms over his chest and looked away from those eyes he adored so much. “Yeah? And what about it? I already know it looks like shit. So just give it back. I shouldn’t have tried to make anything for you anyways—“

“You made this for me?”

Bakura cringed as Marik’s eyes went wider at the revelation. He finally met Marik’s surprised gaze with a leveled glare of his own. Embarrassment clawed at the back of his throat but he refused to back down. “Yes. But that was a mistake.”

“Bakura…..“ Marik shifted on his feet, his tired eyes looking over him with softening fondness. Bakura spent time making this for him. Bakura was clearly stressed out about it and that only meant he put his all into this project. He cared. Bakura cared about him. “Just be quiet. This is— this is perfect.”

Marik looked at the sweater once more as a grin began to curl on his lips. He rubbed his thumbs against the fabric and felt his heart melt. “And you’re never going to take this from me. You got it? I better be fucking buried in this luxury. A handmade gift from you—? That’s worth more than a Pharaoh’s ransom.”

Bakura snorted at Marik’s words and felt his shoulders slowly relax. He let his arms drop to his sides as he stepped closer to Marik. “Oh so my work is luxury now? I better get paid like it is when I make you dinner then.”

“You know that’s not the same thing,” Marik sniffed with his chin tilted up. “Now just let me enjoy this. I’m not done basking in the glow of knowing you made this for me.”

Bakura placed his hands on Marik’s hips and pulled him closer to his chest. “Yeah well don’t bask too long. I missed you damn it and I want to give you a real welcome home.” His fingers curled into the fabric of Marik’s pea-coat anxiously, wanting to feel him in his arms now more than ever. It had been too long since they were last together. A week without him had been a hell on its own.

“Yeah?” Marik held the sweater close to his chest while his free hand reached up to cup Bakura’s face lightly. “I missed you too.” He leaned in and closed the short distance between them until their lips pressed softly against one another.

It was just as perfect as the first time they kissed; so soft and full of yearning. Marik could feel how Bakura melted against him as he clung further to him. A smile was stuck on Marik’s lips as slowly deepened the kiss. He could taste the tea Bakura had been drinking still lingering on his lips and the floral taste sent shivers down his spine. The smell of Marik’s expensive cologne filled Bakura’s senses and the soft press of his lips against his own left his mind reeling. Now this was what coming home felt like.

Slowly Bakura broke the kiss only to look deep into Marik’s eyes. Their noses brushed against one another as he spoke softly, “Merry Christmas Marik. Welcome home.”

Marik brushed his thumb lightly against Bakura’s cheek as he smile deepened. “Merry Christmas Bakura.” He couldn’t stop himself from sneaking another kiss to those lips he adored so much. Both of them were changing so much, but moments like this reminded Marik just how much Bakura meant to him.

#thiefshipping #conspireshipping #tendershipping #ygo secret santa #super secret conspiracy #chloelouygo #gift fic #ygo gift fic #holiday gift fic #jameseggplant writing

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duelpolis · 2 years ago

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Blizzard

Written for @super-secret-conspiracy’s Conspireshipping Secret Santa, for @millennial-ring! Merry Christmas!

~~~~~~~

Marik was lounging on the couch watching TV when he heard the door to his and his boyfriend’s apartment slam open. Surprised, he looked over to the door. There stood Ryou, wearing a trenchcoat over a puffer vest, face red as a tomato, carrying several grocery bags and breathing heavily. He put the bags down and started heading out again.

“What are you doing?” Marik asked, popping a piece of popcorn into his mouth.

“There’s a blizzard coming,” Ryou replied. “So I went and got groceries in case we get trapped.”

“Well why didn’t you tell me that?” the blonde prodded. “You left me all alone! I could have helped.”

“I’m sorryyyy, you were asleep and I didn’t want to wake you!” His boyfriend apologized.

“Alright, alright, stop whining,” Marik scoffed. “But take those coats off before you roast. I don’t want to deal with a corpse in front of the front door.” His lips curled upwards into a teasing smile, one that Ryou knew all too well.

“Very funny, Marik. But I still need to get more.”

“Are you just going to cook the entire storm?”

“Depends on how bad it gets.”

Marik pouted. “At least let me come with you this time.”

“Then get a coat on!”

“Mmm… Don’t wanna.”

“Marik,” Ryou sighed, “I am wearing TWO HEAVY COATS, and I’m much more suited to winter weather than you are. I am not letting my boyfriend turn into a human popsicle. So go get a coat, or you’re not coming with me.”

“Fiiine.”

“You can have one of mine.”

Bakura pulled off the trench coat and held it towards the blonde.

“Don’t you need a coat too?” Marik protested.

“I have more trench coats in my closet.”

“I- Alright.” Marik took the coat from Ryou and put it on. He stuck his hands into the pockets and grinned. “Hell yeah, boyfriend coat!”

His boyfriend giggled. “You’re such a dork.”

“But ya love me.”

“I do,” Ryou answered. “Now let’s get going, before it gets colder. Maybe there are still some food stalls out so you can eat something other than popcorn.”

“I like the sound of that. Let’s go.” Marik took his boyfriend’s hand and pulled him outside, and the two embarked on their journey for more groceries.

“Ryou, Cheesecake, Love of my life, Pasty-ass bitch, can I have the rest of your taiyaki?”

“No, you can’t have my taiyaki, because you’re a vegetarian and there’s sausage in it.”

“What kind of sadistic bastard makes taiyaki with meat in it?” Marik huffed. “I highly doubt it goes well with the bean paste.”

“Not all taiyaki has the bean paste, Marik,” Ryou giggled. “It can have other fillings. And even if my taiyaki didn’t have sausage in it, you still haven’t finished your koshary.”

“Yeah, but your food always tastes better for some reason.”

His boyfriend snickered. “Fine, you can have the tail since it doesn’t have any filling, but I get your egg.”

“Wasn’t gonna eat it anyways.”

“Then why did you order it?”

Marik smirked.

“This was your plan all along, wasn’t it?” Ryou asked. “Get an egg you wouldn’t eat on your koshary so you could steal the tail of my taiyaki?”

“Maybe.”

“You’re insufferable,” the platinum blonde laughed, using Marik’s chopsticks to take the fried egg from the dish.

Marik paused for a few seconds before replying. “W-well, we all know you’re dating me for my appearance and not my personality!” He chuckled weakly.

“Are you blushing?” Ryou asked.

“IT’S THE COLD!” Marik protested. “I’M NOT ENAMORED WITH YOUR LAUGH OR ANYTHING- fuck.”

“Sure you’re not,” his boyfriend giggled. “Let’s get home, silly.”

Marik opened his mouth to argue, but decided against it. He would just have to accept defeat this time around.

“Fine, let’s go,” he huffed.

“Is the storm over yet?” Marik whined as Ryou worked in the kitchen.

“The storm just started, dear.”

“Uggghhh,” the blonde growled. “This is stupid. I can’t believe we have to stay inside this long.”

“You say this as if you go outside oh-so-often,” his boyfriend retorted.

“Shut up!” Marik protested. “I go outside all the time!”

“Only because I make you come with me.”

“Shut UP!!”

“If you want to freeze,” Ryou replied, “then be my guest.”

“...”

“That’s what I thought. Now come over here and get your cinnamon roll.”

“You made cinnamon rolls!?” Marik gasped. “I love you!”

“Is that what it takes to get an ‘I love you?’” the platinum blonde joked. “Baked goods?”

“...If you’re going to be snarky, I’m taking it back.”

Ryou snickered. “I love you too, Marik.”

“STOP DOING THAT!” the blonde protested.

“Doing what?”

“BEING SO GOSH DARN ADORABLE!”

His boyfriend giggled again. “It’s not my fault I’m cute!

“STOP IT!”

“I can’t change my face on a whim!”

“Why not!?”

“That’s just not how it works!!”

Ryou was laughing now, completely distracted from serving. Marik saw an opportunity and took it, grabbing the pan of cinnamon rolls off of the stove.

“Marik!” Ryou yelped. “You don’t get all of those! Give them back!”

“Kiss me first.”

The platinum blonde sighed, dramatically rolling his eyes, but he was smiling. “Alright, get over here.”

Marik leaned over, and his boyfriend planted a kiss to his lips.

“There’s your kiss. Now give me the cinnamon rolls and I’ll dish one out for you.”

The blonde handed him the cinnamon rolls, and he put two of them onto plates. He then held one out towards Marik.

“Yours is slightly bigger,” the blonde complained.

“I’m the one who put the work into baking them.”

“...Touché.”

“Anyways,” Ryou said, “I’m tired. Wanna curl up on the couch, eat our cinnamon rolls and watch a horror movie?”

“Ooh, can we watch another one of those slasher films? I like the one with the dude in the hockey mask,” Marik asked.

“Alright, I’ll get it set up,” the platinum blonde affirmed. “Can you go get the blankets?”

“Fiiiiine,” the blonde whined sarcastically. Ryou could tell it wasn’t serious, since he immediately started chuckling.

“You’re a dork.”

“But I’m your dork!” Marik countered.

“You are,” Ryou confirmed. “Couldn’t get rid of you if I wanted.”

“Because you loooove me.”

“Exactly.”

Just then, they heard a loud bang from the windows, causing Marik to jump a little.

“It’s just the shutters,” the platinum blonde consoled, patting his boyfriend’s shoulder. “You go get the blankets, I’ll get the cinnamon rolls and start the movie, and we can turn the TV up loud enough to cover up the storm. Deal?”

“Deal,” the blonde responded, heading towards their bedroom.

He came back within a few minutes, carrying the giant blanket they had gotten as a gift from Joey a few years back. He plopped down next to Ryou and threw the blanket over themselves, making sure not to cover the cinnamon rolls so the icing wouldn’t get on it.

“Thank you,” the platinum blonde said.

“Thank you for cinnamon rolls,” Marik replied.

Ryou turned on the movie and shifted himself so that he was leaning on his boyfriend.

“You know what Marik? I think this is my favorite Christmas I’ve celebrated in a while,” he smiled.

“...That was today?”

“Yes.”

“Dang it, I forgot!”

“It’s fine, Marik. We can exchange gifts and everything tomorrow. It’s not like we were supposed to celebrate with anyone else.”

“I guess you’re right,” Marik shrugged. “But we’re giving each other our gifts first thing tomorrow.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Ryou confirmed. “Now, let’s get to the movie.”

He hit play on the remote and relaxed. Half-way through, Ryou heard a soft snore. His boyfriend was sleeping. The platinum blonde smiled.

“Good night, Marik,” he whispered, kissing him on the cheek.

Neither of them noticed the end of the blizzard.

#yugioh duel monsters #yugioh #marik ishtar #ryou bakura #angstshipping #my writing #i've never written yugioh fanfic before #also i really like this ship now

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steve0discusses · 4 years ago

Text

S4 Ep40: Fixing Dartz By Not Actually Fixing Dartz

Yo Merry Christmas, I’m quarantined as hell, so I’m just streaming and playing video games until my problems get vaccinated away.

So lets just write about Yugioh because hell a lot didn’t go as planned this year (can you believe my 2020 goal for this blog was to finish ALL OF YUGIOH?) but although my goals were halved and quartered--With this blog I don’t freakin care anymore, and somehow...that’s how it’s one of the few creative bastions I have left standing.

Wild.

I’m so done with the internet, I’m not even updating twitter right now.

But hell yes, lets update the Yugioh blog.

So onward, with the last episode of this season. We last left off with Yami getting devoured by a hate tornado which is just...a lot of 2020 energy. This whole season, in a nutshell is just...2020 energy, honestly. And this tornado is just twitter. It’s just twitter incarnated.

Rather than try to save himself and consequently fix his ghost problem, Yugi has decided to keep himself haunted by fixing Pharaoh’s inner emotional problems. Really is something, isn’t it? To do low key therapy for the ghost that basically...put you in therapy? Yugi can help fix his problems but like...he’s still a mess of problems because of it. Now Yugi shouldn’t walk away, of course, that’s effed up, but it is a little irony there.

Pharaoh, of course, has decided to submit to the hate tornado, and sees it as a manifestation of his own anger and bad vibes.

Isn’t that’s the real problem we have when we have to confront the feelings we don’t want to confront? Where we tend to feel guilt and hate for being upset, which is just sort of a thing humans naturally tend to do--instead of actually working on controlling what you do with those feelings so that way we stop lashing out and setting everyone on fire in the burger restaurant?

Like Pharaoh should be learning to count to 10, not trying to just remove his anger. This has sort of been his problem for a while--he assumes he can just...delete his rage. That’s not a thing. You can’t do that unless you have very specific medication through a doctor, and that’s why he keeps failing at it.

And this goes back to S1 when he “fixed” Kaiba and like nothing really happened. Pharaoh’s decided to wipe himself and like...it’s up to your own interpretation but like...in my book that Pharaoh brand clean cycle does freakin nothing. It gets reversed like constantly.

(read more under the cut)

So Yugi decides to hit up Plan B, which is, honestly? Not a great message. But it’s the anime trope that we keep going back to because it’s the catch-all to make any anime protagonist into the good guy.

Like...

...

.......Yeah I’m gonna talk about it.

this is a trope that is so common it’s sort of ubiquitous with the genre. You gotta have the protagonist give up on their own strength, and be lifted up by their pals at the very last second--it’s like the anime hero’s journey.

But I really don’t like it. I don’t like the power of freindship. I’ll say it.

Because there’s some things you have to handle on your own. And I don’t think it’s a bad thing to have your main character show strength and show character development by doing things by themselves at the last minute. We already know that Pharaoh’s a good pal and believes in his friends--but like...does he believe in himself?

I can’t tell you if he does by how this episode goes, that’s for sure.

The whole point of this tornado is to see Yami discover his own strength and overcome his weaknesses...and yet he still relies on that good ol chestnut, friend powers.

Like last episode I feel like they did this already and it was way better--other people offered their help willingly, then Pharaoh got to have a big ol fight solo in the clouds to prove he was strong on his own as well. We finished the whole season last episode, so what are we accomplishing now other than a last minute secret boss fight?

Why would Yami doubt himself now? It’s weird. Yugi’s right to have mentioned “yo didn’t we figure this all out in desert hell???” because...we did. Yami is retreading old territory.

And that’s a thing that happens when you write, PS, when Yugi was saying “we already did this!” Yugi was reminding the writers of the show “we did this already. Like guys. We did this.” and sometimes when you’re writing, your characters will do that to you, and you should always be paying attention to cues like that.

Anyway, he vanquishes the hate tornado by thinking fondly of all of his buddies, and then the storm that should have been over the Atlantic Ocean, as according to the dub, parted in the sky above California.

GEOGRAPHY, the secret final boss of this season of Yugioh. And they failed. In a big way.

Yugi holds out his hands in real life, and pretends to hold a ghost that isn’t there. Now I want all of you to do this position IRL. Like that. OK. It looks like Yugi is holding onto a pair of ghost boobies.

Meanwhile, actual and very literal ghosts with very real bodies show up and start picking up Dartz and like...

...The ending of Dartz’ storyline is a TRIP! Lets just get into it!

This cursed dog. I can’t stand how this dog is drawn. I hate it so much that I actually love it, and if I saw this in a thrift store I would impulse buy it and hang it over my fireplace mantle in a golden gilded frame.

AHHH????

WHAT????

He electrocuted you with LIGHTNING! He killed your...everyone! He killed EVERYONE!

Also girl, how are you HERE? Like Physically??? I saw you die! TWICE!!

Yugioh is on SOMETHING with this one, and I think that “something” is called “we weren’t allowed to give you a PG-13 sad ending.”

This is just the freakin weirdest thing. We have a character who is worse than Darth Vadar, and this show has pulled so many dark things in it’s history, but it just...

...it can’t punish Dartz at all, and I don’t know what they were thinking.

They have been poetic before--Pegasus got his eyeball gruesomely ripped straight out of his face, nearly got murdered by Bakura, and was not able to resurrect his wife. Noah hella died, had to give up his plan to rule the world and be a real boy, and had to murder his own Dad even, the moment he finally made a bond with his brothers. Marik had to lose all control of his body, live helplessly inside Tea’s bod for an entire season and accept the fact that he murdered his Dad and now has to live on without any of the magic that ever made him powerful in a broken world and a broken family he will never understand.

Dartz though?

If he does get some sort of poetic retribution, it will be off-screen because we don’t have time for it.

And that’s kind of a bummer because this is usually something Yugioh is kinda good at! I enjoy when this show goes dark, this is a great opportunity to do it...and they didn’t.

It was just the wettest fart Yugioh has ever played on me.

Just the wettest. Nice knowing you, Dartz. Glad you were here to murder everyone on Earth and then totes get away with it because we’ll just pretend like the Orichalcos was a totally different person--although it’s not. Because Yami JUST told us that it doesn’t work that way. Yami JUST told us that the Orichalcos was using his own pain and his own hate against him.

It’s not a separate person, it’s the same!

And to suggest that Yami vanquishing that hate tornado somehow cured Dartz of all his sins, is some upper level Jesus stuff that I don’t think this show would normally want to tread on. Straight up. Yami is a pretty poor stand in for Jesus Christ, and I feel I can straight up say that because it’s Christmas.

...what HAPPENED in the writing room with this one? Did they just run out of episodes? There are less episodes this seasons than other seasons have been.

Was it edited for the English version? Because I...kind of doubt they could edit that much to make it that drastically different.

I’m just boggled. Like usually I’m of the opinion to let the writers do whatever they do because I do not know what was going on behind the scenes, and I’m still of the opinion that they did the best of what they could do with the resources they were given.

BUT, this episode just feels...hella sus. I feel like they just had to make an ending. Any ending. Get an ending on there and finish the season before the power goes out and then run away with whatever paycheck you get (because in entertainment--you might not get one).

Seto and Joey made it completely back to the KaibaCopter before Tea was like “I mean it’s been 15 minutes, guys, you really didn’t hear him behind you? You really lost his tiny pitter patter of his little shoes? The little shoes that make a little tinkly noise like a kitty cat’s collar? A little kitty cat collar that he also wears around his neck? His neck that has a golden pyramid held by a tow chain that makes a little clanky clank when it hits his two belts covered in metal rivets that makes a little singsong clippity cloppity noise every time he so much as breathes? He’s a walking talking Bell of Notre Dame, you lost him?”

and Seto was like “Oh damn it, I know he’s the same size as Mokuba, and so I should be really good at not losing this kid but also have you noticed how many times I’ve lost Mokuba???”

Joey just looked into the distant tomb hut and said “......You’re kidding me.” and decided to immediately run back because Joey Wheeler knows what’s up.

Had Joey Wheeler actually made it back to Atlantis, he would have seen Dartz and his entire family hugging it out and would have immediately socked the guy straight in the dick and it would have been a great way to finally give Dartz just one single consequence for murdering everyone on Earth but you know, I did not write this episode.

I’m really glad that in the same episode that Yami called upon the powers of friendship, his friends hella ditched him to vanquish in a watery grave.

This is wild!

Seto’s words were “Good riddance” as the island went down, and you could not tell if he was talking about the island or about Yugi.

That and Kaiba Really Hates Islands. LOVES watching an island go up in smoke (or underwater, in this case). Loves nothing more.

Seto, your powers of friendship were just used to save the world.

Apparently the standard for friendship power is...not much. But they did just make Yami, of all people, do a literal Jesus in Gethsemane so...the bar for morality is just not very high in this anime.

Did the Great Leviathan stitch Weevil Underwood’s body back together or something? This is...

...Yo Weevil are you immortal now? Are you the big bad in S5 that comes out of nowhere and kick’s Bakura’s ass back to the Shadow Realm like Marik in S2? Because I’ll accept that.

I won’t like it, but I’ll accept that.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM

look at those toddler shoes worn by a full adult! Weevil Underwood is so over-designed for a super low-level miniboss and I low key love that they love Weevil Underwood this freakin much.

Of all people, Weevil Freakin Underwood.

Listen, listen, listen.

If Mikey was still alive, he’d be older.

He’d have been older in that Leviathan tummy, he’d be Alister’s age but he’s not. He’s uh...

Yo show that got real dark. Show this is what you should have done to Dartz. I love this sort of dark ending for a rude asshole who is going to try to put his family back together although it’s completely impossible--this would have been a good Dartz ending. But...whatever. It’s fine.

We’ll...let Dartz have his family back, it’s fine.

Meanwhile, in the first actual picture of California that really feels like California, Valon immediately accepts the fact that Mai left him.

This is also a great dark ending for Valon. To accept that the people in your life have moved on and that you, too, must move on, even if it’s alone. This would have been an excellent ending for Dartz.

And then Mai just bounces. She does not seek out Joey Wheeler, because she’s like “I have to fix some stuff, I have some serious problems, and it’s going to take a really long time before I can get over my toxic past.” and just freakin leaves us. Sorry, anyone who was hoping Joey and Mai would smooch at any point, it’s uh...it’s not legal yet.

And TBH I don’t even know if Valon is legal either, and the show decided to not reveal that to us, or allow them to smooch.

And as for Raphael? Uh...

They didn’t bother, I think. I didn’t cap it, at least. But we did get at least one person washed up on a beach.

It would be Kuribo.

I talk about 2020 energy a lot in this season but like...wild 2020 energy here, to be so freakin chill and can I say--delighted--to be stranded on an abandoned island.

The show does not elaborate any more on if the cards are dead or alive, or if the games we are playing are with actual people forced to play these horrible games for us. It’s best that they don’t tell us. Just like Mr Mime. No one wants to know.

Mr Mime as in the Pokemon Mr Mime, PS, I just realized that there is a mime in this universe and he’s just...I don’t really want to know about that guy, either. All mimes honestly, I don’t want to know anything at all about all mimes.

Luckily, for Yugi, Kaiba didn’t fly very far from this island, and so we don’t have to have some sort of weird season cliffhanger where we guess how long Yugi can live off of coconuts (2 hours. he would last 2 hours on this island)

Although it would be such a cliffhanger to wonder what Yugi’s hair would look like after that. the same, right? Like it’s the same amount of grease and nasty stuff? He’d just have his roots growing out?

And there they go--goodbye Dues Ex Machina Cards. Either the show can’t keep you on board because you’re hella broken, or the three dragon warriors died, or retired, or whatever it is when a card is like “I’m done with humanity, please leave me alone and never call me again.”

Did Seto low key just break up with his side piece just now? Tragic.

Remember that time that Yugi was so bouyant he was armpits out of the water in S2? It’s crazy how bouyant Yugi Muto is. Like if someone did one of those anime cross-sections of his anatomy, he needs like 3 or 4 duck shaped pool floaties in there.

Now, full disclosure, I have written the ending to this post 3 times because tumblr keeps deleting this post out of my drafts folder (I shouldn’t be writing this in my drafts folder, being real, it’s been really buggy lately, and I’m gonna have to make a different solution to this) So I’m just...

...gonna end on this note. This exciting note that Bakura is next. Finally, Bakura (JK of course, because apparently Bakura doesn’t show up for half the season. Bro told me this and offered that we should skip that filler and of course I told him that is not the point of this blog and we will be watching all of that gruesome filler piece by piece. Because for someone, out there--that filler is their favorite episode. I don’t know who you are--but get ready for filler.)

Now Yami could just...call up Bakura at any point at his house and make an appointment to end the world...but maybe S5 will go a different direction? We shall see.

Anyway, that’s it for this Season! Thanks all for sticking with us when I just...didn’t have an upload schedule for this entire year. It’s been a YEAR. But, I’m hoping for good things in the future, and that things will adjust back to a normal upload schedule and that...hopefully tumblr won’t die or something weird like that.

I’m gonna finish the Full Metal alchemist Live Action movie next (we’re like halfway through) and then after that--onward to to S5! See y’all there!

Stay safe!

(and here’s the link to read these in chrono order if you’re new here:

https://steve0discusses.tumblr.com/tagged/yugioh/chrono

#ygo #yugioh #Yu-Gi-Oh #yugi muto #yami muto #joey wheeler #tea gardner #seto kaiba #tristan taylor #mokuba kaiba #alister #valon #Mai Valentine #Weevil underwood #Dartz #Rex Raptor #S4 #Ep40 #Yo I cannot believe these ruthless writers just let Dartz off the hook wowowow

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