Warm Embrace

Warm Embrace
(Gift for AngelDust155)

Marik winced as the swollen, ebony clouds sent a bolt of lightening plummeting to Earth, illuminating the sky and temporarily blinding him. This fantastic display was followed by a deep, menacing rumble of thunder, like the belly of a hungry beast.
He curled up under the blankets and struggled to ignore the memories that were reappearing, vividly in his mind.
A long, red hot dagger being raised…screams being ripped from his throat…blood pooling on the floor…the rough texture of the stone slab beneath his heaving chest…
A crash of lightening that sounded like the Earth splitting in two shook the house and he jumped and curled into a protective, trembling ball under white sheets.
The nightmare had been terrifying, and he wanted comfort but…
He rolled over and stared at his lover beside him, face glowing with each flash of lightening. Tangled, spiky white hair, the strands seeming to embrace each other in a chaotic mess, pale lips slightly parted, and eyes closed, niveous lashes fanning out and brushing high cheekbones.
Beautiful. He looked like an angel in sleep…probably because his lips couldn't curve into that deadly smirk, and those demonic eyes couldn't open and twinkle in a lascivious haematic.
No. There was no way he would disturb Bakura. Not when he looked so peaceful. In bliss ignorance of the raging storm outside.
Marik rolled back over and whimpered as a stunning flash of lightening lit up the sky again, as if the gloomy clouds separated human life from an alternate world behind it, and with each deafening thunder clap the sky cracked, exposing this other world for a brief second.
He shuddered. The likelihood of him getting to sleep anytime soon was reaching the single digits.
He whimpered again and froze as he felt cool lips on the nape of his neck. Sighing, he rolled over and faced Bakura.
"I didn't want to wake you." he muttered into the darkness.
The flashing light outside lit up the thief's anxious expression as he shook his head.
"The only thing I care for is your well-being. What's wrong?"
Marik rolled back over and stared at where the wall supposedly was. In this darkness he could have been staring at Mariku with a chainsaw and he wouldn't have known it…which didn't exactly help the unease that had settled in the pit of his stomach.
"Nightmare." he mumbled quietly.
He felt Bakura's hand press against his back. If anyone else had mimicked such an action, they would have received a wince and probably a punch in the face in response, but Bakura wasn't 'anyone else'.
"Was it about this?" he asked.
"Yes."
"…I'm sorry…" he leaned in and kissed Marik's shoulder. "Next time this happens, just wake me up, I won't mind."
Marik shook his head and sighed. "It happens so often, eventually it'll just piss you off."
"In case you haven't noticed, Marik, EVERYTHING pisses me off."
The Egyptian smiled at that, and then the simple curve of his lips slid off his face.
"I can't get back to sleep." he admitted, feeling almost childish.
He let out a surprised mew as his lover wrapped both arms around his waist, dragging him closer, then he gently took a hold of the back of Marik's head and manoeuvred it until it aligned with his chest.
Marik gasped as he heard the booming bass line nestled beneath alabaster skin. His heartbeat. It was a reminder of the pain Bakura went to, obtaining his own body. And he had done it all for Marik.
That thought instantly calmed the blond. He felt himself smile and snuggled closer to his boyfriend.
"I love you." he whispered. The way he said it proved that it was completely genuine, yet he said it so casually that it made it that more special.
He smiled as he heard Bakura's heart speed up beneath his cheek. He pushed himself up so the whitette's lips met his for a few minutes, then slid back down and snuggled into his neck. He felt Bakura settle his nose into platinum hair and inhale deeply.
They fell asleep in that position, wrapped in each other's arms. And in the morning, Marik could never recall having a better night's sleep.

For AngelDust155 and her inspiring artwork.