Tipping Point

“You always think you’re right when you do things like this,” Ryou argued, tears coming to his eyes as he shook with frustration. “That doesn’t change anyth-” He took a step back as his twin snapped his head in his direction, his cruel eyes narrowing.

The Bakura twins had changed schools again due to Chikara’s delinquency. Ryou had finally had enough, to the point he was willing to actually confront his sibling.

“Lighten up,” Malik sighed, sprawled on their couch, idly playing with the gold scepter or whatever it was that they had stolen together. The blonde punk with dark eyeliner sat up and shrugged. “You freaking out over this isn’t going to change what happened.” He twirled the rod a few times before menacingly pointing at the other. “Your brother promised me you wouldn’t rat us out.”

Ryou grit his teeth and closed his eyes as he shook his head lightly. He was trying so hard to keep from crying, but this was just so unfair! He forced himself to breathe in deeply before opening his eyes again, his resolve keeping him from shedding a single tear. Glancing from Malik to Chikara, he bitterly said,“ I wish there was nothing to rat out! You gave me your word that you would stop stealing, Kara!”

Chikara echoed his partner’s shrug and grinned,” I never promised that, Ryou. You only heard what you wanted.” He placed a hand to his chest in mock-betrayal, as he pouted and said,” And you accuse me of twisting your words!”

“You do twist my words,” Ryou protested, not amused by his brother’s act.

“Your brother is laaaame, Chi,” Malik complained, his bored look evaporating as Chikara sent him a look of murder.

“No one speaks ill of my brother except me,” He warned, still glaring daggers at Malik. “Understood?” Malik’s pull with the neighborhood made him a good partner when he wanted to get away with some larger crimes, but Chikara didn’t need the other like Malik so desperately needed him. Malik did help him get into the museum to steal the artifact they were so hotly arguing over, but Malik had just eased the process. Chikara had the natural skill of a thief, whereas Malik only had influence.

“I could care less what either of you have to say about me,” Ryou huffed. “How long before we have to move because you’re about to be found out, huh? When will you slip up and get a liiitle too close to getting caught, and we have to change schools again?”

Anger giving him courage like nothing else could, Ryou marched up to his brother and jabbed him in the chest as he accused,” It’s because of you that I can’t keep a single friendship to save my life!”

Malik almost quipped something rather cruel, but he thought better of it as he looked to Chikara. He just had to put up with this alliance a few more weeks, and then that rare card that belonged to the Mutou boy was his. “Put up with” wasn’t exactly the right way to phrase it. He actually liked working with Chikara. Having such a strict family as he did, he relished the freedom he and Chikara shared as they took what they wanted whenever they wanted. Malik mused asking Chikara to join his gang. The Rare Hunters pretty much ran this side of town, and Chikara would be a good fit…

Chikara scoffed and batted the hand away from himself. “It’s not my fault you suck at keeping friends. I’ve tried to help, but you don’t want my help,” he dismissed.

“You’re help?! You call bullying my friends until they’re afraid to speak to me ‘help’?!”

Chikara bristled and spat,” I made sure they wouldn’t betray and bully you! You’re so weak and pathetic, it’s only natural that they would-”

Their heated debate was interrupted by the doorbell. Chikara glared at the door then at Malik. “I told you to wait before ordering pizza,” he sighed. “We have to properly hide our catches and-”

Malik stood up lazily, stretching and spinning the golden rod a few more times before slipping it in his belt loop so it lined up with his spine. Walking up to Chikara, he coyly smiled and leaned in close, daintily plucking the artifact Chikara had stolen for himself with one hand and using the other to hook onto the collar of his shirt. Tucking the ring through the neck hole and dropping it so it fell against the other’s chest, he said,” There, out of sight. Just don’t be suspicious.”

Chikara growled in annoyance but accepted the gang leader’s words. “Ryou, sit with Malik and look comfortable. We’re all good friends having a good time,” he instructed, placing a hand against the hidden ring and feeling the dangling prongs dance under his fingers.

“Kara-” Ryou’s protest was cut short by an intimidating glare. Sighing and resigning, Ryou sat on the couch. He uncomfortably let Malik sit close to him, the other completely comfortable with draping himself across the whole couch and propping his legs on Ryou’s lap. Disgust curled in his stomach as he just wanted to get away from this… this whole situation. He hated his brother: what he did, who he hung out with, everything!

Chikara sourly opened the door, slightly surprised to see a face he recognized. It was the girl Ryou had started to hang out with, the one who hung out with the nerds.

“Oh, Bakura Ryou! I thought the address seemed familiar!” Anzu cheerfully greeted. She’d gotten a new part time job delivering pizza. Anything for her dream of studying dance in New York.

He brusquely held out the money, declining to comment on her misidentification.

Her smile fell as she awkwardly realized her mistake. “Sorry, Chi...Chikara, right?”

“Just give me the damn pizza,” he gruffly ordered.

Her customer service smile came out in full force, hiding rage in her eyes. She didn’t get paid enough to deal with how rude customers were. “The total is one thousand two hundred yen. Sorry... am I interrupting something?”

Looking at his single bill and single coin, Chikara sighed and excused himself. “Malik give me a hundred yen. You’re the one who ordered the stupid pizza, why do I always pay?”

Malik flipped a silver coin over and laughed.

Returning with the full amount, he exchanged the money for the pizza and stared at Anzu in thought.

Rightfully creeped out, she shrunk away slightly, reaching in her apron for the pepperspray they gave all the employees since the Rare Hunters had moved into town.

“My, uh, brother,” Chikara started awkwardly, keeping his voice low so only she could here,” is pretty much useless, but he’s a good guy.”

“...Y-yeah,” she said with a quick nod and small, concerned laugh.

“Just, you know, keep including him. He seems to like you losers.” He finally broke his stare as he realized just how anxious she was getting.

Ryou looked over curiously, wondering what was taking so long, butterflies rising in his stomach as he saw Anzu and how clearly uneasy she was. Fed up with both Kara’s and Malik’s antics, he roughly pushed Malik’s legs off himself and came over, sighing with exasperation. Placing a hand on his twin’s shoulder and pulling him out of the way enough to be seen, Ryou smiled softly and said,” I’m sorry for my brother. He can be a bit much sometimes.”

“It’s no trouble at all, Ryou! I just, I should really, uh…” She stashed the money in her pocket and waved. “I need to get back to the shop! Nice seeing you!” Her voice sounded off, a little high pitched.

Ryou looked accusingly at his brother. “Kara, just what were you saying all quiet so I couldn’t hear you?”

With a humpf, Chikara pushed Ryou out of the way and said,” Nothing!” He brought the pizza in and set it on the coffee table, not in the least bit surprised when Malik dug in right away. His Japanese manners were awful.

“Hey now,” Anzu called after him, her apprehension shifting to bravery when the safety of her friend was put into question. She’d scared off more than a few bullies for Yuugi, and she was prepared to do the same for Ryou. “You okay,” she asked gently, looking to her classmate who seemed a little winded from hitting the wall.

“I’m fine,” he assured her meekly, afraid of how his brother would react to her challenging display.

Malik smirked as he saw Chi’s eyes sharpen, knowing that look meant something was about to go down. “Excuse you,” Chikara calmly said, turning back to the delivery girl with disdain.

“Just who do you think you are, acting all creepy and then pushing Ryou around?” She confidently asked. Her stomach turned, and she felt a lump in her throat, but she wouldn’t betray that to this bully.

“Who do you think you are, delivering my food and then daring to question me in my home?” Chikara asked, strutting back over with a dangerous look.

“This is what I’m talking about, Kara,” Ryou said, stepping in between his brother and his friend. “Leave my friends alone!”

Chikara was surprised the boldness of his twin, and actually stopped in his tracks. Sneering, he said,” She’s lucky with that tongue of hers she has friends. Be gone!”

Before he knew what was happening, Ryou felt his hand be grabbed and stumbled along with Anzu as she pulled him out of his apartment. He didn’t have time to ask what she was doing, barely managing to keep upright as they cleared the hallway and and started racing down the stairs. His mind was reeling as he thought about how his brother would react. Oh, higher powers above, his brother was going to flip.

He saw a bike leaned up against the building once they were outside. It had a rack behind the seat that was clearly meant to hold the thermal bag she delivered pizzas in. “What are we doing?”

“Bakura,” she cried with urgency,” he had a knife!”

Ryou realized he had been vaguely aware Chikara had brought out his switchblade. It was a gift from Malik from their first job together. Ryou hadn’t even noticed; Chikara played with it all the time. It didn’t seem out of the ordinary.

“But what am I…?” He heard a door slam from up on third floor where he lived and flinched at the sound.

“Get on the bike!” She directed as she mounted it, keeping the bag slung over her shoulder so that the rack was still available.

Ryou wanted to ask if she was even sure it could support his weight; it was meant to hold pizza. Ryou wanted to ask why she was even thinking to help him- why she had been foolish enough to say anything at all. All that Ryou could articulate was,” It won’t be safe for you.”

He could hear the pounding footsteps on the stairs. Tears that he had been working so hard to hold in all day long finally fell.

“Who the fuck cares! Get on the damn bike!” She called, fear pushing her phrasing to be a little more aggressive than usual.

He nodded with wide eyes and sat on the rack, placing either foot on the pegs of the back wheel and hugging close to her. She tore away from the building quickly, peddling harder than she even thought possible, motivated by the blood curdling scream behind her.