#confusionshipping

“Working on our Christmas gift,” Ryou said, smiling without looking away from his book. His matter-of-fact tone, coupled with the bizarre task he assigned himself, was endearing, or at least Malik and Yugi thought so. 

“And what is this mysterious gift that requires a summoning circle?” Malik asked and gestured to the chalk painting their high quality wood floor.

Ryou’s nose scrunched, a giggle reverberating in his throat. “I can’t tell you the details! It’s a surprise.”

Unable to deny his curiosity, Yugi frowned. “Ryou, you aren’t trying to do something crazy like summon a spirit of festive joy again, are you?”

Holding a hand to his chest, Ryou gasped, “Yugi Mutou! I would not repeat a gift one year to the next! I have integrity as a creative soul.”

Malik chuckled and prodded Yugi with his elbow. “Yeah, Yugi, don’t you know your boyfriend has standards by now?" His lavender eyes twinkled. “I did like that spirit, though. Really knew how to mix a damn good drink.”

Beaming, Ryou blew Malik a kiss. “Maybe for Valentine’s, if you behave, my lovely Malik.”

“I always behave.” Both Yugi and Ryou laughed. “What? I haven’t been a crime boss in like a decade. You cannot keep holding it over me.” 

The duo laughed harder, and Malik crossed his arms, exaggerating a pout. “I came out to have a good time, and I honestly feel so attacked right now. If you two are going to bully me, I’m going to lock myself in the bedroom.”

Returning to his book through his giggles, Ryou waved at Yugi. “Would the esteemed King of Games please dote on the renowned King of Drama?”

Clutching his stomach and gasping through the laughter, Yugi barely managed to crawl into Malik’s lap. “As you command, Prince of Darkness.”

The Egyptian huffed, though he grinned as Yugi coated his neck in kisses. “I just want to say that I am offended by this false title. I am the King of Kings, ruler of— aah!”

Malik shuddered, breath hitching, thanks to Yugi dropping his full weight into the blonde’s groin. A sly smirk across the shorter male’s lips revealed the intention behind the well-timed maneuver. 

He sucked on Malik’s jaw, dragging his tongue over the jut of the bone, and whispered in his velvetiest voice, “Sorry, what was that, your highness?”

“I’m going to remember this, Mutou.”

“Good.”

Biting his lip, Ryou tried to focus on the last symbol, but the sounds of escalating arousal were distracting him. He couldn’t be mad since “doting” on Malik was his instruction, but seriously. Did they need to dote on each other in front of his innocent summoning circle? It hadn’t even been completed yet, and they were already polluting its purity with their ragged breaths, moaning, and grumbled swears.

Rude.

He set the chalk down, closed his book, and stood. Dusting off his hands, he stepped over the circle and stared down at his writhing boyfriends. From his position on the bottom of their stack, Malik batted his eyelashes.

“Oh, sorry, were we disrupting you?” His eyes flicked down to the budding bulge tenting Ryou’s jeans. “Need a hand, sweet prince?”

Disregarding the double entendre, Ryou glanced at Yugi. “You should have gagged him if you were gonna go this far. You know he only gets mouthier when he’s pining to be fucked.”

Yugi paused the series of stomach kisses. “The benefit to a threesome, Ryou, is you can shut him up while I cure that need of his.”

The words drew a moan from Malik, though Ryou suspected it was played up to further entice him into abandoning his summoning circle for another thirty minutes or so. Not that it was necessary, since he had already begun undoing his pants while Yugi spoke. He swiped his tongue across his lips when Malik’s hungry eyes greedily fixated on his freed erection.

“Way ahead of you, Yugi. Move over.”

The shortest of the three obliged, pulling Malik by the shirt, thus allowing Ryou to slide right behind the blonde. Said male used the opportunity to shed the clothing, which Ryou rewarded with a light kiss on his upper scars. Yugi eagerly assisted Malik by removing the rest of his obstructive clothes, leaving his beautiful tanned body bare, and Ryou tossed his own shirt to the growing pile on the floor.

“Flip over, Mal,” Ryou instructed, tickling the dip between Malik’s hip and ribs. Malik growled, slapping away Ryou’s hand, and instead yanked Yugi’s shirt over his head. “Ooh, are we playing hard-to-top?”

“Nah,” Malik snickered, unzipping and shoving Yugi’s pants off his hips. “Just want us on even playing ground. I’ll be feisty another day. Right now…”

He flipped over, ass pressed against Yugi’s hardened cock, and ducked his head down to kiss the tip of Ryou’s. His eager efforts earned a needy moan from Yugi and an involuntary, pleased twitch from Ryou. The latter guided his cock to Malik’s lips, shivering when he obediently swirled his tongue around the slit.

“Nngh…” Ryou groaned, tangling his fingers in golden hair. He saw Yugi split Malik’s cheeks, eyes half-lidded as he sucked his middle finger and waited for either lover’s cue. The sight drove Ryou nuts, almost to the point of driving his swollen shaft right into Malik’s throat. 

Through gasps, Ryou tugged Malik back just enough to keep him from swallowing his cock whole. “Malik, the magic words?”

Dabbing his tongue tip-to-tip and teasing his object of desire, Malik gazed at Ryou through his flaxen lashes, passion burning through his irises. “Please fuck me, my most benevolent rulers. Use my body until you're spent.”

Being so benevolent, as Malik put it, Ryou and Yugi gladly granted his request.

***

When Malik, thoroughly fucked, and Yugi, exhausted, fell asleep, Ryou slipped away from beside them. He slid back onto the floor, cracking open his book. Mentally, he practiced his pronunciations, knowing this was a spell he could not afford to screw up. Not if he wanted to give Yugi the best Christmas present. Which he did.

A part of him always felt guilty about Yugi. After the Ceremonial Duel with Atem, when Ryou and Malik first started developing their friendship, Yugi had been alone for the first time in… who knows how long. His friends were there, of course, but they couldn’t be there twenty-four-seven. And while Ryou meant to check in on Yugi, to bond over the mutual solitude they found themselves in after losing their other halves…

He never did. He had no reason to because he found Malik. It never occurred to him during or post-Battle City that he might find a friend, let alone a lover, in the man who once used him for a puppet. Yet, the more they talked, the more Ryou realized they shared things in common. Their love of games, their snarky and occasionally morbid humor, their love of their families, their traumatic pasts. Even the things they didn’t share brought them closer together.

But when Yugi, alone and deprived, called him out of the blue one day to ask him on a date, it broke Ryou’s heart to turn him down and explain he already had a boyfriend. He thanked the gods Malik, in spite of his past feelings towards the pharaoh and his vessel, told him he was open to the idea of letting Yugi join them for a date night.

One date night led to another, then another, and evolved into a sexual threesome before any of the men knew what happened. Feelings seeped into their relationship, and the rest was history. They had been in a three-way relationship for six years, five of which involved genuine romantic feelings for everyone involved. For all intents and purposes, they might as well be married. They owned a decent-sized home together, shared a single bed despite each having their own space for personal items, spent holidays split between Malik’s siblings and Yugi’s mother and grandfather, and overall lived domestic lives.

There were unresolved feelings, however, and honestly, all three of them expressed some level of boredom with the mundane day-to-day. Life was so great, so quiet, so… average. Being with each other was the best part of the day, but compared to their teenage chaos, things were dull. And while none of them would trade their relationship for something new or more exciting, there was no reason, as far as Ryou saw it, they couldn’t add excitement into what they had.

What could be more exciting than resolving past loves and reshaping it into new love? Ryou might only have enough power and knowledge to grant Yugi’s former tenant, Pharaoh Atem, a day pass, but he knew Yugi would be over the moon. For many, many reasons.

‘Since he’s asleep, I’m going to take full advantage and make this the best surprise gift ever! He won’t know what hit him when he wakes up to Atem in our living room.’

Truthfully, he was excited for this, too. He loved Malik and Yugi, but a part of him sometimes fantasized about Atem, dressed in royal garb, seated in a chair while the three of them worshiped his body, head to toe.

Another part of him, tucked deeper into the halls of his heart, also fantasized about a man with hair the color of moonlight and eyes like the night sky. These visions usually accompanied a third, featuring a man with flaxen hair contrasted against copper skin, kohl-lined eyes and irises the color of dried Morning Glory petals.

He never confessed these desires because, given the history associated with the individuals, they were horrendously taboo. How dare he fantasize of the thief who stole and abused his body sneaking into his bed and stealing him away once more. How dare he touch himself over the man, little more than a split personality, who tortured his friends and especially Malik, regardless of how attractive his darkness was.

Keeping such secrets from his lovers left a bitter taste in his mouth, but he worried those thoughts would hurt them. Atem, at least, was harmless. Malik let go of his resentment long, long ago and even suggested Yugi roleplay as him, though the latter shot it down out of forlorn remembrance.

‘Focus, Ryou. Those sort of things are exactly why you are doing this. Malik and I might never be completely at peace with our other halves, so Yugi should get the chance. I’m going to give it to him personally.’

Double-checking the circle one last time, Ryou climbed to his feet and began to chant, funneling his focus into the words and feeling them vibrate through his soul. His magic, usually transparent white swirling around crystal blue, flowed around him in silvery gray wisps. Though it surprised him, he pushed on, refusing to ruin his gift by hesitating.

To his left, Malik and Yugi stirred, pulled out of slumber by the light shining upon their faces. Malik opened his eyes first, groaning, but he gasped when he realized what exactly woke him up. Ryou distantly recognized a poised question, likely aimed at himself, but he kept up his spell.

Yugi, rubbing his eyes, registered the scene slower. He blinked a few times, eyelashes fluttering, brain processing what must be going down. The magic spiraling in their living space intensified, a twister of Ryou’s heka tied down only by the boundaries of the summoning circle.

“R-Ryou…!” Yugi exclaimed over the roar thundering through their home. “What are you doing?”

Finishing the final declaration, Ryou beamed at his boyfriends and allowed his magic to gradually halt. They stared at him, confused and concerned, and Malik demanded, “Ryou Bakura, why did you not wait until we were all awake? You know magic is unpredictable. You could have been hurt!”

“Malik, Yugi,” Ryou sighed, contentment tempting his eyes closed. “I wanted to wake you up once the surprise was here, but I guess it’s okay that you woke up during. Guess we can wrap the gift up together, assuming he will let us.”

“What?” Yugi stared into the magic circle, trying to see past the receding silver swirls. “What is the gift, Ryou? Seriously?”

Ryou hummed and sank to his knees, exhaustion from both the sex and the spell catching up with him. “Maybe you two will have to wrap it yourselves. I’m… really… sleepy…”

Malik darted forward, holding Ryou up by his waist and shoulders. “Ryou Bakura, so help me, don’t you dare pass out until you explain yourself! That is an order.”

“I love when you’re bossy,” Ryou giggled and kissed Malik’s nose. “But, my lovely Malik, I’m tired… You two can figure it out from here, yeah?”

He leaned into Malik’s neck, closing his eyes, and listened to the magic dissipate at last. Both of his boyfriends gasped, which was the reaction he hoped for, but the way Malik began to tremble made Ryou’s emotions sour. His eyes shot open, tired though they were, and went to his summoning circle.

“What’s wrong? Did it not wo—”

His spell worked. Of course it did. He studied it over a hundred times, reciting it mentally and repeatedly confirming his understanding of the arcane symbols and words.

The problem, the one causing at least his one lover distress, was his spell worked too well. Scattered around his summoning circle, naked and unconscious, laid Atem — as intended — and two other men. The very ones Ryou privately dreamed of.

Thief King Bakhura, his former parasite, and Yami Malik, his boyfriend Malik’s sadistic alter ego.

***

“I don’t understand what went wrong,” Ryou groaned, hiding his face in Malik and Yugi’s shoulders. “The spell was supposed to bring one person — one! And I meant it to be Atem.”

Yugi smiled and rubbed Ryou’s back. “You’re so sweet, Ryou.”

The white-haired man groaned again, louder and almost angry. “No, Yugi, I’m a fucking idiot who fucked up a spell! Now, instead of a fun surprise, we have a major problem…”

“It was a sweet idea,” Malik admitted, but his voice wavered as his lavender eyes flickered to his dark personality. “What are we going to do with them? Better yet, how are we going to deal with them when they wake up? They might try attacking us and Atem.”

“Especially Atem,” Yugi agreed, face grim. “First thing’s first… Let’s put Atem into the master bedroom and lock the thief and Yami Malik in… The bathroom, maybe? Just make sure there’s nothing in there they can use against us.”

Ryou grimaced. “Like razor blades. I’ll go clear the hall bathroom. Malik, will you carry Atem to Yugi’s room? And Yugi, will you please watch them? If they start to wake up, yell for us.”

His boyfriends nodded and went forth with their plan. Malik lifted Atem up bridal style, shooting Yugi a wink as he hauled the pharaoh down the hallway. Ryou scampered after him, breaking off the shared path to dart into the bathroom and remove anything possibly dangerous. He scooped basically every item into his arms and ran it to their main bathroom, shoving it in a cabinet haphazardly so he could rejoin Yugi.

“You’re such a speed demon,” Yugi teased when he skittered to a stop beside him. “I had everything under control, Ry. They aren’t even stirring.”

Planting a kiss on Yugi’s forehead, Ryou plopped onto the couch and sighed. “Gods, I’m so sorry about this. I looked at that spell so much. I seriously don’t get what went wrong.”

“It’s fine, Ryou.”

“But it isn’t, Yugi! I’ve put us in danger!”

“You were trying to do something unbelievably sweet. Neither Malik nor I could blame you for that.”

“You might feel different if we get stabbed or murdered.”

Malik, walking up behind them, laughed shakily. “Hey, we could have loads of fun in the afterlife. Imagine all the ghost sex, Ryou. And don’t pretend the idea doesn’t get your motor going.”

Ryou pouted and crossed his arms. “Dammit, Malik, not the time for sexy talk. Especially not really sexy talk.”

“There’s our beautiful spectrophiliac,” Yugi snickered, wedging himself beneath Ryou’s arms to hug him. “Alright, if you two don’t mind, I am going to make use of Ryou’s gift and go talk to Atem.”

Waggling his eyebrows, Malik asked, “Talk or talk, Yuge?”

“I like to keep my options open,” Yugi replied just as cheekily before looking at the two unconscious men. His tone took on a more serious edge. “Do you need help getting them into the bathroom?”

Offering a shrug, Ryou experimentally lifted the thief’s upper body. Heavy, but he didn’t have to be gentle with the thief like Malik was with Atem.

“Think we can manage. Go to your Prince of Egypt, oh mighty King of Games.”

“Ooh, that’s fun and accurate. Good call, Ryou.”

The star-haired man rushed off, leaving his two boyfriends to their other halves. The two men eyed said halves, contemplating the best course of action in mutual silence.

Ryou tutted his tongue absently. “Should we stick with our own or share the burden of each other’s demon?”

With a snort, Malik slung his arm over Ryou’s shoulder. “Fuck, it’s been a decade. I can be brave enough to handle my own darkness if you can, too.”

“I’m game. Best looking between the two of us goes first.” Ryou made a show of batting his eyes at Malik. “That would be you, my king.”

“That’s subjective. What if I think you are better looking?”

“I’d argue that you have visible abs, which are worth one bonus point a piece.” He poked Malik’s stomach. “That’s six extra points.”

A grin curling his mouth, the blonde narrowed his eyes. “You’re trying to sweet talk me so you can top later, aren’t you?”

“Why, Malik! That never crossed my mind!”

“Uh-huh. Fine, I’ll go first. But I don’t take kindly to the attempted bribery, lover.”

Ryou met his grin with his own, stepping back so Malik could work. His boyfriend yanked his darker half up, arms hooked under the armpits of the unconscious lookalike, and dragged him precariously backwards towards the hall bath. Once Malik rounded into the bathroom, Ryou moved to mimic the actions, sliding the thief king’s upper body against his chest.

He barely steadied himself before he found himself flipped onto his back, a snarling man straddling him. Ryou gasped at the impact, locking onto the purple-blue eyes of his Ancient Egyptian ancestor. For a moment, he swore the man might rip his throat out using only his teeth; yet, as his heart beat into his breastbone and sweat beaded on his forehead, a flicker of recognition and disbelief graced those beautiful eyes burrowing into him.

“Landlord?”

“I, uh… prefer Ryou these days, if you don’t mind.”

The man’s hand, rough with callouses and small scars, cupped Ryou’s cheek. “You’re here?”

Swallowing the temptation to lean into the hand, Ryou exhaled a wobbly breath. “Well, yeah. This is my home, after all.”

The thief king blinked, darting his eyes around suspiciously. “...This is real? I’m in Domino, Japan?”

“Uh-huh. Could you, y’know, let me up? You’re kinda heavy.”

Considering his former host, the thief brushed a thumb over Ryou’s lips. “Why am I here?”

A blush, mainly from the caressing touch and partly from the heat building in his pants, exposed Ryou’s wandering mind and awarded him a salacious grin a la his other half. “Um, that’s because… Ugh, it’s a long story. Short version is an accident.”

Licking his lips and watching Ryou’s eyes subconsciously track the motion, the thief dropped to the side, allowing Ryou to push himself off the ground. “Yeah, it would be, wouldn’t it?” He glanced down at his nude body, and the smirk pulling at his lips doubled. “Guess you couldn’t accidentally bring me my clothes, huh?”

“I didn’t have much say in your clothing or lack thereof,” Ryou answered, averting his eyes in spite of his desire to drink in the man’s appearance. “I doubt anything of mine will fit your original body, but I could get you a towel or something?”

“My precious landlord, why would I deny you the viewing pleasure of my true body?”

Tensing, Ryou glared at the thief. “Wipe that smirk off your face. I told you, my name is Ryou. I’m not your landlord anymore.” His guest seemed unfazed by the curtness, leisurely charting every inch of Ryou’s form. “Stop that. You’re acting like you’ve never seen me before.”

“I’m not used to looking at you with my own eyes,” The thief chuckled. “So, tell me, how many years have I been lost in the shadows?”

Ryou sucked in a breath, fingers twitching as he resisted the urge to bite his nails. “Ten years.”

“Seems fitting.” The thief’s eyes betrayed no annoyance or shock. “Considering how long I hung around your neck, I mean. Where’s the ring?”

“Buried in Egypt last I saw of it.”

His smirk dropped, transforming into a more sardonic grin. “That also seems fitting. How are you these days, Landlord?”

“For the love of… My name is—”

His complaint was shut down by a pair of plump, dark lips sealing around his mouth. He couldn’t pin down what emotions coursed through his veins; they were jumbled and criss-crossed too many times. All he knew was his feelings drove him to return the kiss with little regard for who or why.

When the thief pulled back, licking the remainder of the kiss off his lips, he shot his former host a wink. “Ryou. I know.”

The other stared, wide-eyed and heart racing. “What was that for?”

“Felt like it. Why? Should I not have?” The man, on his hands and knees, crawled forward until he bumped his nose against Ryou’s. “I’m a thief. I steal what I want, consequences be damned. But if you dislike my affection, I’ll try to contain my instincts.”

“Bakhura…” Said man tilted his head, lids sliding to half-mast. “I said it right, didn’t I?”

“Perfectly.”

“Then, Bakhura, answer my question. Why kiss me? Be honest.”

Laughing softly, Bakhura nudged his face closer, mouth hovering over Ryou’s. “Such a demanding request. Honesty doesn’t come naturally to me, you know, but for you I can at least make an effort.” He brushed their lips together, crawling further so he could straddle Ryou again. “Do you know what I remember most from our final days together, Ryou? The one thing that stuck out to me amidst Zorc’s influence?”

Eyelashes fluttering, Ryou mimicked the ghost of a kiss, moaning when the thief king rewarded him by dropping into his lap, grinding their groins together. “W-What?”

“I remember you. My beautiful, mistreated host who, even after all I did, spent his last waking moments trying to get through the demon and speak to the man.” Bakhura teased his lips against Ryou’s jaw and neck. “You always held out hope for me, determined I could be saved. Right up to the last second where you were proven wrong.”

“I never fully stopped believing that,” Ryou murmured, angling his head backwards. “And look at you now. This is the real you. You’re free.”

Bakhura’s laugh vibrated on his clavicle. “By accident, right?”

“It was, but accidents don’t have to be a bad thing.”

“You’ve been thinking about me, haven’t you?” His words weren’t quite an accusation or taunt. “Thinking about us? About those few moments we stole together?”

Ryou sighed, both at the firm kiss on his pectoral and the memories floating around his head. “Sometimes the good ones get buried beneath the bad. It’s not always easy separating the ‘Zorc’ you and the ‘real’ you. Even just before you woke up, I was antagonizing myself for my mistake, trying to figure out how to deal with you being here.” 

A kiss on his sternum served as his only response. “But I couldn’t forget you, Bakhura. We shared too much together.”

“Remember the first time we met? Before Battle City…” Ryou smiled at the recollection and nodded. “That was the longest we ever truly saw each other. I remember thinking to myself how lucky I was to have such a beautiful host.”

“You never said anything. You acted like you were annoyed to be around me.”

“I’m shy.”

The deadpan statement broke Ryou’s lustful haze, his lungs convulsing with laughter, making him gasp for air. “You idiot…! How can you say shit like that with a straight face?!”

 Bakhura pulled back, a crooked smile replacing his usual smug expression. “How hurtful. You aren’t even pretending to buy that excuse.”

“That’s because I don’t, dummy. Gods above…” Ryou shook his head, clutching his ribcage. “Aah, now I have a cramp, you asshole. I thought we were having a heart-to-heart.”

“Too much honesty makes me jokey,” Bakhura replied and snuck a quick kiss. “Guess we’ll have to finish our talk another day.”

Laughter faltering, Ryou smiled, eyebrows bunched above his nose. “About that… This spell isn’t supposed to be permanent. It’s meant to last for a day.”

The thief king hummed thoughtfully. “You said this was an accident?”

“Bringing you here was an accident. The spell itself wasn’t. I was trying to surprise—”

“R-Ryou…!”

Jolting, Ryou spun around, clambering to his feet. Behind him, Bakhura climbed to his feet, tentatively testing his joints, and asked, “Was that Malik Ishtar’s voice I heard? What’s he doing here?”

Rather than respond, Ryou leapt over the couch and rushed to the hall bathroom. The moment he tilted his head in to see what caused Malik to cry out, he realized the thief king was not the only one awake.

Malik, trembling despite his attempt at a fierce expression, sat in the bathtub, legs flung over the side like he had stumbled into it. Above him, looking more bemused than murderous, was his darker half.

Without thinking, Ryou lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Yami Malik’s waist, tugging him backwards with all his strength. For his part, the alter ego blankly stared and allowed himself to be dragged clumsily out of the bathroom.

Ryou shoved Yami Malik out of the hall, guarding the path with his body. Catching sight of the scene, Bakhura jumped the couch and approached the blonde, curiosity not outweighed by distrust. With a whimper, Malik heaved himself out of the tub, moving to stand behind Ryou.

“Oh, hey,” Bakhura grinned, keeping one eye on Malik’s alter ego. “Man, this is familiar. Feels like a Battle City reunion, eh? How’s it going, Ishtar?”

“I’ve been better,” Malik grumbled and shot his glare directly at his other half. “You look different, Bakura. That the original ‘King of Thieves’ body?”

“Firstly, it’s Bakhura. Get it right. Secondly, not sure. If it is, magic did a hell of a restoration job, ‘cause three-thousand-years should have left me a lot more skeletal.” He flexed his muscles, winking at both Ryou and Malik. “But yes, I did look this good back then. Feel free to agree.”

Yami Malik glanced between Bakhura and Ryou, but his eyes settled on the latter. “...Bakura? I killed you.”

“Yeah, but the pharaoh and Yugi killed you. And him.” Ryou gestured to his Egyptian counterpart. “Welcome to Domino. Death doesn’t follow nature’s laws here. It’s as much a curse as a blessing.”

The blonde yami nodded, looking around the living area. “I remember dying. I remember walking the shadows, alone. Then there was light.”

Eyes hardening, the thief king tucked his arms behind his head. “Yeah, I saw that, too. Guess that was you, eh, Ryou? Our hero.”

Rubbing his head, Ryou offered a half-smile. “Guess so? Like I said, it wasn’t intentional.” His brown eyes traced over Yami Malik, who stared back, still completely withdrawn and uncharacteristically calm. “Let’s get this out of the way right now. If you try to hurt anyone in this household, I’ll do everything in my power to send you back to the shadows early.”

Smirking, Malik coiled his arms around Ryou’s ribs and rubbed their cheeks together. “What a Prince Charming.”

Bakhura cocked a silvery eyebrow at the show of affection, and Yami Malik shrugged, taking a seat on the back of the couch. “I’m tired. Too tired to hurt or kill.”

“The shadows do that to you,” the thief king muttered and yawned. “Come to think of it, I’m wiped. What’s the point of having my body back if the batteries are already dead?”

 Malik frowned, flicking his eyes between the two of them. “So… You two are going to behave? We don’t need to tie you down?”

“As if that would accomplish anything,” Bakhura sneered. “Have you forgotten who I am, bitch?”

Opening his mouth to respond, Malik’s retort was cut off by both darker halves jerking to attention, staring farther down the hall. He and Ryou followed their gazes and saw, to their dismay, Yugi ambling down the hall.

“Hey!” The shorter man waved. “I heard a shout, but Atem woke up right then. What hap—”

“Atem?!” Bakhura’s body posture and tone flipped. “The pharaoh and the mini pharaoh are both here?!”

Ryou, seeing Yami Malik stand back up and Bakhura fix him with an accusatory glare, sighed. “Both of you, calm down. What did I literally just say? Hurt anyone in this household. And that goes for you, too, Bakhura.”

His darker half bared his teeth, vibrating with rage and muscles bulging with tension, but he remained where he was.

Yugi poked his head around Ryou, purple eyes wide. “Oh, shit. Sorry, I didn’t realize they woke up, too. Suppose that explains the shout.” He peered up at both his boyfriends. “You guys okay?”

“We’re fine, Yugi,” Malik answered, ignoring Yami Malik’s seething gaze and hissing breath.

With a clenched jaw, the blonde yami spat, “Traitor! Choosing the pharaoh over our victory wasn’t bad enough? Now you’re friends?”

“I’m the traitor?” Malik growled back. “You tried to cast me into nothingness, wipe me off the face of the earth so you could keep my body! My body!”

Nerves unraveling, Ryou frantically motioned to the dining table tucked into its alcove. “Okay, everyone, please. Can we sit down and take some breaths before things get more heated?” 

He gave Bakhura an especially pleading look, which seemed to work since the thief dragged his feet towards the table. Yami Malik hesitated, meeting Ryou’s doe-eyed gaze with an arched brow, but he too complied. Bakhura sank into a corner seat, crossing his arms like a pouty child, and Yami Malik took the next seat over at one end of the table.

Knowing Malik and Yugi would be far less comfortable sitting beside Yami Malik, Ryou seated himself across from Bakhura, knee to knee with the spiky-haired blonde. Malik slid in beside Bakhura, leaving the seat next to Ryou or on the opposite end of the table from his alter ego for Yugi.

Nervously, Yugi scanned the table. “S-Should I get Atem or no?”

The darks immediately glared at him, snarls curling their lips, but Ryou replied, “He needs to be aware of what's going on, too. He can sit as far as possible from these two.”

Malik chuckled humorlessly. “Good call for that one, Ry.”

Acknowledging Ryou with a nod, Yugi dashed off and came back after a moment with a perplexed Atem in tow. The fireworks exploded immediately, voices crescendoing over one another.

“I don’t want the fucking pharaoh here, Landlord!”

“I’m going to rip his body and soul apart!”

“Partner, why are those two here?!”

Slamming his hand on the table, Ryou shushed the group in a hiss. “Enough! Atem!” The pharaoh jumped at Ryou’s harsh tone. “Please. Sit. We’re going to explain what happened, but I need you three to not act like bloodthirsty barbarians for a minute!”

Yugi and Malik laughed, amused by Ryou’s commanding presence over the three other halves, each of whom looked taken aback by the control he somehow commanded of them. Bakhura, being most familiar with Ryou, recovered the quickest and whistled.

“You’ve changed, Landlord. Beneath that pretty pale skin is a real pair of brass balls, huh?”

“Bakhura, if I have to correct you one more time…”

“My bad, Ryou. Please, good sir, don’t kick me out on the street. I am a humble bandit king at your mercy.”

Huffing, Ryou chose to ignore the last taunt and focus instead of the group as a whole. “Alright, I’ll cut right to the chase. I was trying to perform a spell to temporarily bring Atem back as part of my present to Yugi for Christmas, and it went wrong.”

Cheeks flushing, Yugi beamed and clutched Ryou’s right hand atop the table. “I stand by what I said. You’re so, so sweet for even trying something like that.”

The show of affection drew three pairs of eyes, each with more suspicion than the last: lavender, mauve, and midnight blue.

Continuing his confession, Ryou said, “I have no idea why, but the spell brought back Yami Malik and Bakhura, too. It was only supposed to be for one person. One person, one day. Simple.”

Atem cleared his throat. “May I see the spell, then, Bakura?”

Ryou’s lips barely parted before Yugi corrected, “Oh, Atem, call him Ryou, please. Less confusing that way.”

Shoving back his chair, Malik snorted. “Besides, after all this time calling him Ryou, hearing him referred to as Bakura sounds wrong.” He waltzed around Atem’s side of the table, ruffling the pharaoh’s hair absently as he went, much to the other’s chagrin. “I’ll fetch the book. Give me a second.”

As he said, Malik returned in less than a minute, flinging the book carelessly onto the table. “Have at it, Pharaoh.” Instead of returning to his seat, Malik slid halfway into Yugi’s chair, leaning on the table with his elbow.

“Mal, you’re going to shove me into the floor,” Yugi complained, using one leg to keep himself from tumbling. “Scoot over, would ya?”

“Bite me, Mutou. I wanna sit with my prince charming. Just be glad I’m not making you sit next to Bakhura.” Malik flopped his head onto Ryou’s shoulder, smiling as his boyfriend, with a sigh, relented and stroked his hair.

System overloaded by the latest display, Bakhura couldn’t contain his words further. “Ryou! Are you fucking Ishtar and the pharaoh’s vessel?”

Choking on air, Atem pounded his chest through a coughing fit. Yami Malik, wordless and emotionless, observed the way Yugi, Malik, and Ryou’s faces turned varying shades of ruddy brown and pink depending on their individual complexions.

Glaring at the thief, Ryou muttered, “Was it necessary to put it out there so crudely?”

“So I’m right? I mean, I can give you Malik. He’d make a pretty bedmate for a few nights before his bossiness got on the nerves. But the shrimp?”

Before Yugi or Malik could protest, Ryou again slammed his hand into the table, a rage burning behind his chocolate brown eyes. “Touzoku-Ou Bakhura. The three of us have been in a happy, committed relationship for five years. Malik and I dated for three more before that. I will not have you reduce their worth to casual sex partners, nor will I tolerate insults. Am I clear?”

His other half gawked silently, while Malik, with a Chesire grin curling his lips, fanned himself. “Man, I love it when you get protective, Ryou Bakura.”

Yugi sighed dreamily. “Same. Could make a guy swoon.”

Atem tapped the table, pulling the group’s attention back to him. “Ahem, not to interrupt, but… Ryou, the point of this spell was to bring me back?”

Brow furrowing, Ryou nodded. “Yeah? I know the spell had the right purpose, so don’t tell me that’s wrong.”

“But it… It’s meant to call forth someone the caster desires?”

Unwavering, Ryou stared right into Atem’s eyes. “Yes…? I’m aware.”

“B-But… But you cast it.”

“Uh-huh?”

“To bring me back…?”

“Yup.”

Yugi giggled at the lost expression the pharaoh wore. “Atem, the Christmas gift wasn’t only for me. It was meant to be a shared present.”

Shaking his head, Malik mumbled, “Seriously. We literally just went over how the three of us are in a relationship, and you’re sitting there wondering how it’s possible Ryou’s open-minded enough to be attracted to you?”

On the other hand, Bakhura glowered, nose scrunching. “Ryou! Have you no shame?! The pharaoh, really?!”

Banned from his pharaoh aggression and disinterested by the conversation, Yami Malik yawned and rested his head on his arms, hair cascading onto the tabletop. “Your other half has poor taste, thief.”

“Okay…!” Atem interceded, face notably more red despite his silt-colored skin. “S-So you meant for me… I got it… But if your intention was to only summon me, you should have chosen a different spell.”

Frowning, all three lighter halves gazed at the pharaoh, and Yugi asked, “What do you mean, Atem?”

“Well…” Atem toyed with one of his blonde bangs, avoiding the three pairs of eyes burrowing into his head. “The spell’s intended purpose is to summon a single person, the one the caster desires. The problem is the caster in this case didn’t have a single person they desired.” His mauve eyes flickered over to Bakhura and Yami Malik. “The reason those two are here would have to be because, to some degree, Ryou also wanted them.”

“W-What?!” Ryou’s face turned crimson, and the blush spread down his entire body as Bakhura howled with laughter and even Yami Malik chuckled at the reaction. “That’s not true! I didn’t want them here!”

Clearly doubtful, Atem shrugged and ran his fingertip along the grain of the wooden table. “Maybe having them here wasn’t the goal, but somewhere inside, you wanted them back. The same way you wished for me to return.”

Malik and Yugi whipped their heads around, meeting Ryou’s scandalized stare. It only took them a moment to process Atem’s words.

Exhaling, Malik patted Ryou’s shoulder, a gleam of mischief in his eyes. “Ryou Bakura, why am I not surprised?”

“B-But Malik…!”

“We should have known there was more space in his heart than we could fill,” Yugi solemnly whispered, wiping away fake tears. “Ryou, Ryou. Your love knows no limits.”

“He has the biggest heart I’ve ever known,” Malik agreed and leaned to hug Yugi, dramatically burying his face into the man’s shoulder. “Whatever shall we do now, Yugi?”

Ryou slapped a hand over his face. “You two, I swear…!”

“There’s only one thing we can do, Malik.” Yugi clapped his hands together, positively giddy. “It’s Christmas, after all, so let’s unwrap our presents and enjoy them.”

His words pulled Ryou out of his moment of embarrassment. The other men tuned back in, though only Malik matched Yugi’s sly enthusiasm. Narrowing his eyes, Yami Malik deliberately scooted his seat further back while Bakhura’s face contorted in disgust.

Eyes wandering, trying to find an escape, Atem mumbled, “Er, Partner, you realize your ‘presents’ might not all want to be ‘unwrapped,’ right? Certainly not in a collective group.”

A devious grin hooked the corners of Malik’s mouth. “Are you saying you don’t want to show Yugi how much you’ve missed him, Pharaoh?”

“I-I have no qualms about Yugi specifically, but…” Atem gulped as both Malik and Ryou’s eyes locked onto him, and he remembered the only form of clothing he had was a thin blanket Yugi wrapped around him. He clutched it tighter, hiding himself in it.

Malik leaned back over to Ryou, cupping a hand to the white-haired male’s ear, though his voice carried across the dining nook. “Ry, I think the pharaoh is feeling overwhelmed.”

“If the spell duration stays true to the book, we only have one day.” Ryou tapped his chin, drifting his gaze over the multiple beautiful men surrounding him. “Yugi, bringing Atem here was first and foremost a gift to you. Why don’t you lend him some clothes and go visit Grandpa? Let him breathe a bit.”

Yugi contemplated the advice briefly before breaking into a huge smile. “That’s actually a great idea! We can grab a few card packs, maybe duel a bit?”

Without waiting for his other half’s input, Yugi dragged Atem back into the hall, down to the master bedroom. Even from their spot in the nook, they heard the rapid rustling of clothing and chattering of one very excited Yugi Mutou. He darted out of the hallway past them, Atem in tow, and threw open the front door.

“Call me if you need anything! Love you, bye!”

The door clicked closed, leaving Ryou and Malik with their other halves. Malik tutted, shaking his head, and murmured openly, “Think we’ll see him again before the spell’s over?”

Ryou, seemingly pleased, beamed down at the tabletop, eyes lost in thoughts beyond their cozy dining room. “Hard to say, but I’m happy my gift, despite some unforeseen complications, was a success.”

“Oh, I’d say it was a fucking success.” Ryou snorted at Malik’s waggling brows, and across the table, Bakhura mirrored the action.

“So, Ishtar One and Two, Ryou… What shall we do with ourselves?” He looked pointedly into Ryou’s face, impish grin back in its place now that the source of his fury was gone. “Surely you have some ideas, dearest other half. Since you wanted us back so much…”

Interest piqued, Yami Malik also glanced at Ryou, gaze half-lidded and seductive — in Ryou’s perspective at least. Malik, much like his counterpart, eyed Ryou curiously, waiting to hear more about the untold affections his boyfriend harbored.

The white-haired man gulped. “U-Um… First of all, let me say… I am holding a grudge against Atem for outing me like that.” The Maliks, regardless of their bitter relationship, chuckled in sync. Though silent, Bakhura’s leer carried amusement and, unsurprisingly, a provocative glint.

“I can’t believe you never told me, Ryou. I guess Bakhura doesn’t surprise me, since you mentioned a few cuddling sessions with his human side—”

“Whoa, Ishtar, slow your roll. We did not cuddle. We sat together, chatted—”

“Held hands, spooned, napped together…” Ryou supplied, cutting his counterpart off. The dark-skinned man frowned, a hint of red rising to his cheeks. “Look, I already lost face. Don’t expect me to protect your ego.”

Malik barely hid his laughter behind his palm. “Pre-marital hand holding and spooning? You filthy sinners.” Bakhura replied promptly with a middle finger, but the blonde ignored him. “My point… I kinda suspected Bakhura meant something to you, behind all those bad memories, but my other self? Really?”

Ryou peeked over to Yami Malik, catching the amethyst eyes. “I… I don’t know how to explain that one. I mean, obviously, he’s attractive. Like you.”

“I am quite attractive,” Malik agreed and combed a hand through his hair.

“Uh-huh… And, you know, he never really scared me…”

“‘Cause you’re a kinky freak,” Bakhura quipped, winking when Ryou shot him a glare. “Big bad wolf was right up your alley, huh? Just like me: sexy man plus a sense of danger and tabooness.”

Utterly lost, Yami Malik scowled. “I killed you. How can you not be scared of me?”

Pulling his venomous gaze off his darker half, Ryou met Yami Malik’s eyes, much calmer and gentler. He bit his lip and twiddled with his thumbs, mind searching for the right words. “After dealing with Bakhura and the demon for so long, I lost my fear of the shadows. It sucked, sure, but it wasn’t the end of the world, so to speak. Plus…”

He sighed and averted his gaze, writhing as heat bloomed under his pale skin. “...Bakhura’s not wrong… You were sexy partly because of the danger.”

His other half exploded with laughter, and Malik nudged him. “And my body?”

“...Yes, Malik. And your body.”

Grinning, Malik slung his arm around Ryou’s shoulder. “Pays to be honest, Ry. While I don’t necessarily agree with your analysis of his danger factor, I can appreciate your attraction.” He stuck out his tongue at his darker half. “Since, again, it was my body at the time. Don’t go getting a big head just because Ryou thinks your sexy.”

“I don’t understand…” was the only response.

Eyes shining, Bakhura snagged Ryou’s hands, bringing them to his lips. “So, Ryou, since the cat is out of the bag and we’re working against the clock…”

Malik reached across the table and flicked the thief’s forehead. “Ah-ah! Don’t be grabby!”

The other Egyptian tightened his grip on Ryou’s wrists, baring gritted teeth when he hissed, “Fuck you, Ishtar.”

Suddenly, Malik’s expression shifted. His mouth morphed into a chaotic, wicked grin. “Well… It would be a shame not to take advantage of the opportunity, wouldn’t it, tomb-robber? You are here, after all. Flesh and blood for a day.”

Narrowing, Bakura’s eyes flitted between his previous host and his previous partner-in-crime. “You’re Ryou’s boyfriend. I’m not going to hurt him by fucking you, and you shouldn’t even suggest such a thing.”

Ryou pulled his hands free enough to rub circles on the back of the thief king’s hands. “I think Malik was suggesting more of a collaborative experience, Bakhura. Though… I wouldn’t mind if you two wanted to test the waters with each other.”

“No, no, no,” Malik chided and leapt to his feet, tugging Ryou up without warning. “He’s your secret crush. You aren’t sitting it out.”

Tucking his face into his arms, Yami Malik grunted and mumbled against the table, “You just want to watch him fuck the thief.”

Malik, shielding himself with Ryou, glared over his boyfriend’s shoulder. “You weren’t invited into the conversation, asshole.”

“Oh, Malik, we can’t leave him out here all alone,” Ryou pouted and caressed the spiked mass of hair, surprising both Bakhura and Malik when the yami allowed the soft touch. “It’s not fair to him, bringing him back and then ditching him.”

“Ryou, I love you, but I’m not fucking him.” Malik spun on his heel, marching out of the alcove. “He’s me. It’s weird.”

Bakhura cackled. “Is that your only hang-up? I figured it was the history between the two of you, but it’s only because he originated as part of you?”

“You wouldn’t get it, thief,” Malik snarked back. “You and Ryou may have shared a body, but you were never the same person. He is literally me. A split personality given way too much power by the Millenium Rod.”

While the blonde continued quipping with Bakhura, Ryou contemplated his boyfriend and potential lovers, pondering over the predicament. With Atem and Yugi out of the picture, Malik and Yami Malik were the only remaining source of hostility, and truthfully, the latter seemed more interested in taking a nap at the table than participating in arguments. On second glance, he saw Bakhura, too, sported dark circles under his eyes, though he hid his exhaustion behind overly animated banter.

He sighed because, of course, he knew the right move, his physical desires be damned. Pushing on Yami Malik’s shoulder to stir him, Ryou announced over Malik’s latest scathing remark, “Hey! I’ve got a better idea.”

“Better than sex?” Bakhura asked, exaggerating the surprise on his face. “Impossible.”

Malik gazed curiously at Ryou. “What’s the idea? Like I said, I’m not fucking him, but if you want to…”

Laughing, Ryou shook his head. “No, different plan entirely. Why don’t we go take a nap together?”

His boyfriend’s eyes widened. “Uh… You’re joking, right?”

Snorting, Bakhura tugged Ryou to him and wrapped his arms around the skinnier male’s waist. “You little lovesick pervert. Why is it that even after so much time has passed, you continue to meet my expectations?”

Yami Malik side-eyed the white-haired pair. “You’re confusing me again. First you want sex, now you want to sleep?”

“You two,” Ryou motioned to the blonde yami and poked Bakhura’s cheek for emphasis, “look absolutely drained. Whatever else I may want to explore with you two, I’m not putting it above your obvious need for sleep.”

Catching on, Malik sighed. “And you want to nap together for emotional intimacy.”

“I also just enjoy napping with other people,” Ryou shrugged, causing both Malik and Bakhura to snicker, and the thief purred beside his head, “You’re so raunchy.”

Ryou swore he could see his brain with how intensely his eyes rolled. “Shut up. Mal, will you please take this loudmouth to the bedroom? And you.” He offered his hand to Yami Malik, who stared at it blankly. “Would you please come with me?”

For a heartbeat, the lavender-eyed yami gave no indication of complying. Neither Malik nor Bakhura dared leave Ryou behind with the unknown element, so they waited, much like Ryou, for any acknowledgement. Finally, while staring into Ryou’s determined eyes, Yami Malik rested his palm upon Ryou’s.

Smiling, Ryou led the group down the hall.

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This is going to be a background project for when I need a break from In Another Life. There will NOT be regular updates to this - it will be more of an update-when-I-can situation. It's also my first time trying to write Yuumeishipping. Wish me luck.

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AO3 Link: 3 x 3 - Chapter 1 - LiteraryAngel - Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga) [Archive of Our Own]