Temptation
By Snare-chan

Pairings: Bakura and Shadii…kinda
Ratings: Pg-13

Category(ies): General
Warning(s): None
Status: One-shot
Summery: Shadi is about to learn the true meaning of temptation…first hand.

Notes: A gift for Bell-san, for not only hosting me but taking the time to talk to me, introduce me to the radish and making such kick ass layouts it should be illegal. She's an inspiration and truly a rose in a patch of decaying brush; angel, this is for your kind heart and effort to fly.

Disclaimer: I dun own YGO, wish I did like everyone else. They should put YGO in stock, then I'd buy it all!
Dedication: To Bell-san, because she deserves to read at least one slightly Bakura/Shadi fanfic in her lifetime.

~+~+~+~+~

It was quiet in the museum.

Though, it was to be expected, because it was far past the building's hours. Thus, if someone were to be seen walking around in this domain it would certainly, if not only, be a surprise, but also an inconvenience. Shadi would much rather be alone at this time, than be bothered with the presence of anyone from the population of Domino.

It wasn't as if he'd sunk so low as to sneak in or, heaven forbid, break in. The door out back had been quite unlocked and hanging wide open on its hinges, a good enough invitation for Shadi to take.

His dull, blue eyes slowly scanned over each glass case and artifact in deep, concentrative preciseness. Nothing was left unseen by him, no detail overlooked or piece forgotten as he glanced from one exhibit and its contents to another.

Finally he came to his true destination, pausing in the exhibit's doorway, as if hesitant to intrude. Slowly, his eyes trailed all across the room, taking it all in as much as possible. It wasn't a horribly hard thing to do; there wasn't really much there, but there was still…enough - too much.

As if his resolve had finally gotten its act together, he took his first step inside, moving towards the closest case and pausing before it, gaze flickering over what lay inside. It was long in length, as tall as him, even, and for good reason. Shadi's gaze softened as he looked upon the long-since-deceased Pharaoh's body; the mummy within was still positioned in the way it has been for thousands of years.

For some, it might seem like not a sight at all, something soiled and falling apart with age. But no…this mummy was something much more, so much more.

Shadi gently rested his palm against the cool cut glass, his sweaty palms not even marring its clear surface. As if a terrible weight had been placed on his shoulder he sighed sadly, slumping and resting his forehead against the case. The sheer anguish he felt for the poor man trapped inside pained him beyond comprehension; his own soul seemed to touch the Pharaoh's own for the briefest of moments.

But there was nothing he could do for him now; he was forever trapped within this mortal realm as nothing more then half a man, a spirit, half a soul. Unless the mummy were returned to its rightful place he could never rest again, and the fact Shadi could not do this pained him greatly. Has the world of man no respect for the dead? Apparently it did not.

He opened his eyes slowly, taking one last look at the mummy within the glass before moving on. He passed many things, vases, tools and such things as that. Nothing of great importance to him, but he didn't ignore them, but unlike with the mummy, he felt no reason to pause before them for to long.

Shortly afterward, he was greeted with a flight of stairs to his right, and without warning his Item began to pulse. Now, it wasn't everyday his Item did this, so in curiosity he pulled it out from under his robes to note it wasn't just vibrating, but glowing. It had lain dormant till now, until he'd noted the stairs, so with his curiosity still growing he moved to them.

With each new step downward his item became more active, confirming that whatever it was reacting to was just beyond the doors. He tested the handle, noting it was surprisingly unlocked, and stepped right on through. Unlike most of the other rooms and exhibits in the museum this place was very brightly lit, so lit that Shadi was almost temporarily blinded. He blinked several times till his eyes had adjusted, just now noticing he had company.

The man, however, had yet to turn around at all. His back was still towards Shadi; either he'd not heard him come in or he knew he was there but chose to ignore him. Either way, Shadi didn't care himself, but did wonder how this other person managed to get inside.

Quietly he moved towards the other person, not trusting enough to let the other out of his sight for one moment. He wore no uniform or any other indication that he worked here, so the only other possibility was that he'd snuck in. If there was one thing Shadi could not stand, it was a thief. Already the items here had been taken; he'd not have them degraded any further.

"Who are you?"

The mystery man simply shifted his eyes in his direction for a simple moment before glancing back forward, continuing to ignore him. This did not sit well with Shadi, he wasn't a man who enjoyed being ignored.

Slowly, he came up to stand next to the other, eyes trailing over the tablets laid out carefully in glass cases. With the skill acquired through sheer time, he eyed each sheet of rock, pinpointing every aspect of it.

"Interesting…isn't it?"

So the man speaks, Shadi thought to himself, inclining his head to observe the man.

It was as if he'd not spoken at all; his eyes still rested dead center on the ancient rock before him. When Shadi only remained silent, the man turned to finally face him, nailing Shadi with a cold stare. Had Shadii not been already so on guard he might have been startled by the harsh look, but as it were he was not. No gloomy facial expressions would intimidate HIM this night.

"Well, isn't it?"

Shadi snorted softly, looking back towards the stones laid out before them in the glass cases.

"You have yet to answer my own question, why should I?"

The white-haired man chuckled, his shoulders shaking lightly with the motion as he replied, "I am a stealer of souls, that's all you have to know."

If Shadi was suppose to be intimated or impressed then the other would be sourly dissapointed in knowing he was not.

"Now…" the other spoke, his voice seeming to drop an octive, "Answer my question."

Shadi turned his head back, eyeing the cases once more in slight fascination. They were…indeed, very intersting.

"Yes…," he answered slowly, eyes still trailing over the heiroglyphics chisled into the strone, "They are, indeed, very interesting."

He tilted his head, laying his hand gently onto the glass, as if to touch the rock within… He tensed, suddenly spotting a movement out of the corner of his eye, glancing in the direction he saw it.

"Wh-"

"You have one, don't you?"

Confused, Shadi raised an elgant eyebrow, and stood his ground as the other man advanced. It soon became apparant that they were about even in height [1], the man was now practically nose-to-nose with him.

"I don't know what you mean."

"Liar, " he hissed, his hot breath tickling Shadi's skin.

Without warning the other lashed out, grabbing him by the collar and shoving him against the glass wall behind him. Though the glass creaked under his weight, it did not shatter on impact.

"You have something I want."

"I believe I've heard about you…, " Shadi replied softly in kind, keeping his cool despite being an inch off the ground, "You are the one who stole Pegasus's eye, are you not?"

The man's eye twitched, his lip curling up slightly into a snarl before doing a 360 and changing from an expression of enragement to one of amusement; his sneer turning into a smirk.

"Yes…I ripped the piece out of his skull, what of it?"

"It did not choose you. You had no right to take it."

"Don't tell me…," the man drawled, his face inching closer to Shadi's own, "You've never been tempted."

"What?"

"Don't play stupid with me, " he suddenly snapped, bashing Shadi against the glass once; it shook under the pressure, "You know exactly what I mean."

Shadi winced and his hands went to the the ones grasping his shirt front as he tried to pry them loose, though this only proved to do nothing to improve his situation. The other's grip was firm and strong.

"I truly do not know what you speak of!"

"Yes you do, everyone who has one of those must know, must feel that temptation at least once in their time of holding their item. It's always there, eating you up inside, begging to be released…all that promise of power, " here he paused, chuckling to himself and licking absently at a fanged front tooth, "Even now I'm sure you feel it, whether you wish to acknowledge it or not. It wants to be free, to be used to destroy things, to kill things."

Shadi was silent the entire time the other spoke, riged and perfectly still. How could anyone even think of such things? Such bloodshed and cruelty? It was madness…the man was insane.

"You think I'm insane, I see it in your eyes, but you also know I'm right."

As suddenly as Shadi been grabbed he was released, flopping to the floor on numb feet. The white-haired man kneeled before him, purposely invading his bubble, his personal space.

"So much temptation…who would be foolish enough to resist?"

A hand suddenly shot out and pressed back agianst the wall, right next to Shadi's head. Without warning his lips were being claimed in a frigid kiss, the ice cool passions of lusted insanity and desire for domination delving into his mouth. Just as this stiffleness could be handled no longer the other man pulled away, turning to leave without another word.

The suddeness of the gesture at first left Shadi stupidfied and in a choking daze. But Shadi was not down for long. He regained his feet, one hand pressed against the wall to help support him when his legs could not. Strangely, the man paused by the doors just as he managed to get himself off the floor.

"Who…are you?" Shadi asked once more, "Who are you, stealer of souls?"

"…"

"Who are you?"

"I am Yami no Bakura."

With that…he was truly gone, dissappearing like a shadow being lead into darkness. Shadi could not help but shiver, sliding back down the wall, the others words forever echoing in his mind.

"So much temptation…"

~+~+Fin+~+~

[1] I honestly have not the sightest idea how tall either men are, so whether or not they are or are not even in height doesn't matter, they are in this fic. So there.