Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ I Do Love You ❯ I Do Love You... ( Chapter 1 )

Bakura sat on the couch waiting for Marik to come back home; Malik and Ryou were staying the night at Yami and Yugi's, which was actually good considering what Bakura was about to do. He felt horrible, his stomach was tied up in knots, he almost felt sick… and it hurt; he never thought that Marik could ever hurt him like this yet he had.

 

Bakura had stopped by Marik's work earlier that day only to find out he was cheating on him with one of the coworkers there. He didn't work there he was just using that as an excuse to be with this other person. And it actually hurt Bakura it felt like someone had just drove a knife deep into his heart pulling it out so he would bleed freely. Marik had lied before but he never had been with anyone else before. Bakura had considered confronting Marik about it, but decided against it. If Marik truly loved him he wouldn't have done it in the first place…and while Bakura wasn't really a person you would peg for commitment he did want a meaningful relationship where he could at least trust his partner.

 

Honesty was very important to Bakura and now he felt as if he could never trust Marik again. Without trust Bakura felt they had nothing, so he had decided once Marik had gotten home that he would break it off, he would leave Marik as simple as that. Yes it would hurt but if Marik couldn't be honest with him and had to find sexual satisfaction with other people why were they together in the first place? But the worst part about this situation is that Bakura actually loved Marik very much, Marik made Bakura feel things he had never felt with anyone else before. They loved each other in the past and for over 3000 years they maintained that love for one another and now this happened. Bakura buried his face in his hands as he waited the silence of the house becoming slightly eerie as he simply sat an waited for possibly the worst moment in his life to date, Marik wouldn't take this easily and Bakura knew that…but all he could do for now was wait.

 

“I'm hooOOOOoooomme!!!” Came Marik's unmistakable bellow, followed by the slam of the door. And a moment later Marik himself waltzed into the room, dropping his jacket over the back of the sofa, something that had always pissed Malik off.

 

“What's for dinner?” Marik asked, hardly sparing Bakura a glance before heading into the kitchen. “Hey! Where's dinner?! Where's Ryou?” He walked back into the room, popping open a soda since Malik and Ryou did all they could to keep Marik and Bakura's alcohol intake to a minimum.

 

Bakura sighed “They are at Yugi's place tonight some sort of sleepover thing the Hikari's are doing, Yami is with Ahmose.” Bakura stood up and he was trying to scrunch up the courage to say something about what he saw earlier and he felt Marik's arms wrap around his waist. Bakura pulled away from him instantly. He didn't even want Marik touching him at the moment.

 

Marik blinked. “And what's up with you? That time of the month?” He asked, cocking his head and chugging down some root beer (which he was convinced was the divine drink of the gods).

 

Bakura glared at him. “How…how was work today? I stopped by earlier you know…” Bakura managed to say noticing Marik instantly stop to look at him. “How is that working out for you, getting along with your coworkers well enough?” Bakura asked feeling anger and not pain for the first time since he found out.

 

Marik instantly looked like a deer caught in headlights, but quickly covered up his `oh shit' look. “What do you mean by that?” Marik asked slowly. “Why did you stop by?” He slowly put his soda down, the condensation dripping down the side of the cold beverage and onto the wood surface, which would leave a ring for Ryou to find and throw a fit about later on.

 

“Don't play stupid, I stopped by to tell you Ryou and Malik weren't going to be home and to see what you would like me to order for dinner, lord knows we can't cook…” Bakura looked at the ground. “You have already lied to me for the past month trying to hide this form me, just stop already I've had enough.” Bakura said through gritted teeth as he looked anywhere but at Marik, he couldn't even look at him right now.

 

Marik sighed and nodded, folding his arms and looking at the floor. “So you've had enough.” He stated simply, not really knowing what else to say. `So you caught me cheating on you. I'm so proud, what do you want from me' wouldn't cut it…

 

“Is that all you can say? For fucks sake Marik!” Bakura yelled gripping the bridge of his nose tightly “I don't want to sound like some sentimental bitch about this but why the hell did you do this? Just curiosity I guess.” Bakura said.

 

“Oh, for Ra's sake, Bakura! What do you WANT me to say?! Why did I do it? I don't fucking know! It was hot ass and I wanted to fuck it, okay?!” He gestured wildly with his arms. “Maybe it was the rush I got from the idea that it was something that I would get my ass kicked for if someone found out! I fuckin' like trouble, Bakura, why the hell do you think I'm so attracted to YOU?!”

 

“I don't know Marik, maybe I'm just a hot ass you like to fuck too…I obviously can't mean that much to you…3000 years I guess isn't enough.” Bakura said “I'm not going to kick you ass for it, Malik and Ryou might but I won't, there's no point it won't make me feel any better and it certainly won't redeem you.” Bakura said

 

“This is…” Bakura swallowed the lump in his throat. “Over…Marik.” Bakura looked at him for a moment “I can't be with you any longer…I may not be like Ryou but I would like to think I could trust you.” He said shaking his head.

 

Marik narrowed his eyes. “Excuse me?!” He blurted. “Over?! Just like that? After 3000 years you're just going to end it?! Just because I banged some little shit?!? What the hell is up with that?!”

 

“Don't pull that shit on me Marik, you caused this! Not me!” Bakura screamed straight back “You fucked up, you fucked some little shit for over a month! Not to mention you fucking lied about it to me, Malik, Ryou, if was a one time thing I could possibly try and forgive you but…” Bakura calmed a little “It doesn't matter…whether you did it one time or one hundred times, just like that I'm ending it.” Bakura was about to leave the house he couldn't very well kick Marik out, he wouldn't leave but Marik grabbed his elbow preventing him from getting to the door. “Let the fuck go Marik.” Bakura growled.

 

“Like hell…” Marik hissed, his eyes burning. “You are NOT walking out on me like that, Bakura… There's no fuckin' point… you'll just come back.” And he smirked and backed Bakura into the wall. “You love me. And we both know it, so why even bother with the dramatic shit. Let's just skip to the make up sex, eh?” And he leaned in to kiss Bakura.

 

Bakura turned his head to the side so Marik only caught his hair. “This isn't like a stupid fight we had Marik, this is different. Do you think I'm joking with you or something? I'm not, I'm dead serious about this.” Bakura said trying to move away but Marik's arms were on either side of him and he didn't seem like he would move them any time soon. “Also yeah I do love you, more than you could ever fucking understand or return and that's why this hurts so fucking much…” That sounded so lame in Bakura's head and he was doing his best not to give Marik any type of upper hand on the situation but right now it didn't seem to matter. “The only reason I would come back here would be for my things, not for you… not again.” Bakura said turning equally angry eyes to Marik.

 

Marik glared. “Like hell…” He spat. “You are not coming back for your things because you are NOT leaving!” He gripped Bakura's upper arms and slammed him into the wall. “Don't be an idiot.”

 

“Idiot?” Bakura said as he shoved Marik into the back of the couch “I'm the idiot?! You're the one who has been fucking around and lying to me for over a month! Call me crazy but I find that much more idiotic than leaving the bastard that did that to me!”

 

“Oh, fuck off, Bakura! Like you haven't screwed around behind my back!!! Do I care? NO!! Because I know that when it comes down to it, I'm the one you love and I know that! And that's all I NEED to know!!!”

 

Bakura's eyes almost went blood red as he tackled Marik, both of them flying over the back of the couch and landing on the floor barely missing the glass coffee table. “I NEVER CHEATED ON YOU EVER!!! I fucking loved you Ra Damnit! I would never ever do anything like that to you!” Bakura was so angry he barely registered he had just slammed his fist across Marik's jaw.

 

It took Marik a few moments to recover from the blow, but it took longer to recover from what Bakura had said. “Are you trying to tell me that in 3000 years, you have NEVER fucked anyone else?!” He challenged, not believing this.

 

“I had no one else you idiot…I was alone every moment of my life since my village was massacred until I met you in that tomb one day…” Bakura closed his eyes “I was alone in the Ring until Ryou released me but I never had a relationship with him because I was still in love with YOU!” Bakura screamed. “I guess I loved you more than you loved me.” Bakura said about to get up and leave but again Marik seized his arms and flipped them over so now he was on top of Bakura “What more do you fucking want from me Marik?! I can't fucking stay with you any longer, god damnit don't you understand that?!”

 

Marik stared at Bakura, baffled. He really didn't understand Bakura's faithfulness… or the fact that Bakura said he loved him, but was still leaving him.

 

“If you love me, you won't leave me.” He said after a moment. It wasn't a threat, it was a statement. It was literally what Marik believed.

 

“You don't get it Marik…I CAN'T stay with you, I can't wake up every day and look at you like I used to, I'm sorry that this happened…why the fuck I'm apologising I don't know but…it's just not the same anymore I can't trust you and I can't be with someone I can't even trust.” Bakura said.

 

“What do you mean you can't TRUST me?!” Marik howled, and in his frustration backhanded Bakura. “You can't trust me to love you?! I do!! When it all comes down to it, I love you, and you love me, and that's all that matters!” He struck Bakura across the face again. “You don't believe I love you?! Is that it, you bastard?!”

 

Bakura shook his head a bit dazed, Marik was a lot stronger than he gave himself credit for…and he gave himself a lot of credit. “Obviously you don't love me enough! If you thought I was fucking around behind your back why didn't you say anything, wouldn't that bother you?! It sure as hell bothers me! So NO I don't fucking trust you!” Bakura yelled trying to get away from Marik but failing in that aspect when he was backhanded again by Marik.

 

“Yes, I thought you were fucking around! And Yes, I STILL TRUSTED YOU!!! Is that so hard to understand?! Fucker!” He screamed and grabbed Bakura's throat, slamming the other yami's head into the floor. “How dare you treat me like this!” Marik was starting to loose his temper, and that was a very dangerous thing, and Bakura once again found himself thinking how glad he was that the hikaris were not around for Marik to possibly turn on.

 

Bakura couldn't retort due to Marik's hands around his throat that were becoming tighter as he began to claw at his hands although he didn't lessen up his hold it was becoming almost impossible to breath as he bucked forward causing Marik to fall to the side knocking over the coffee table which shattered on the hearth glass spreading everywhere. Bakura took this as in opportunity to scoot away from Mairk as he sucked in much needed air into his burning lungs.

 

“I'm…not you…Marik…what you did…hurt me…and I won't forgive you…for it…” Bakura started to stand up…

 

“Damn you, Bakura…” Marik hissed, also getting to his feet, a shard of glass in his hand. “I fucking LOVE YOU!” He whipped the shard out and Bakura gasped as a trail of fire licked across his cheek as Marik sliced him open. “And you're just… Dropping me?! Just like that?!”

 

Bakura held his cheek which was now bleeding but not badly. “God Marik…I didn't come to this decision lightly.” Bakura said slowly backing away from the enraged Yami.

 

This is what Bakura feared the most that Marik would become so angry that he wouldn't realize what the hell he was doing until he really hurt someone, and Bakura was currently the only person in the room. Thankfully Marik dropped the glass shard so he didn't have a weapon at the moment but that didn't mean he wasn't fully capable of hurting Bakura.

 

“You don't trust me to love you?!” He screamed, furious beyond the point of rational thought… not that Marik was a rational person anyway… He backhanded Bakura, and when the other yami stumbled, he gripped the collar of his shirt and flung him into the wall before kneeing him in the stomach and finally striking him to the floor. “You selfish BITCH!!!”

 

Bakura slumped to the floor holding onto his stomach the wind having been knocked out of him he managed to block the next hand that rose to hit him but that only seemed to piss Marik off more as he simply hit him across the face with his other hand instead.

“STOP!” Bakura yelled slamming his foot into one on Marik's shins causing the other to fall. “It's not your love I question! Your faithfulness! How the fuck am I being selfish!” Bakura yelled holding his jaw where Marik had repeadidly backhanded him.

 

“Does my love mean nothing to you?!” Marik screamed right back, getting up and lifting a foot up under Bakura's ribs, then grabbing a handful of white hair and jerking his head back. “Dammit, I can only be how I know HOW to be!! I'm not fuckin perfect, Bakura, what do you WANT from me?!”

 

“I want you to let me go Marik.” Bakura said simply

 

Marik glared at Bakura, a crazed look in his eyes. “I can't do that…” He hissed, and advanced on the other yami, threateningly.

 

Bakura shielded his face to the best of his ability from the other yami, and granted he fought back but Marik was better at fighting than Bakura was. Not to mention he was out of his mind and angrier than Bakura had ever caused before. He's seen him angry like this before but that anger was never directed toward him. Marik's knee once again connected with Bakura's midsection and Bakura couldn't stop himself from doubling over his arms instantly going around to hold his stomach in pain leaving his face completely open for Marik to assult, which he did. Before Bakura even had a chance to see the hit his face was slammed to the side by the force of Marik's fist. Marik grabbed a fistful of Bakura's hair bringing their faces close to one another.

 

“If you think I'm just gonna let you walk out on me, you are dead. Wrong.” Marik hissed in the most deadly tone Bakura had ever heard him use. He looked like he was going to kill Bakura where he lay. “You don't want me fucking someone else? Fine. I won't. I'll just fuck you. Day and night Bakura. Is that what you want? Sure sounded like it. And what my lover wants…” Marik dragged Bakura up the stairs by the hair and flung him into his bedroom. “My lover gets…” And Bakura heard the lock click.

 

“Marik…” Bakura said absentmindedly rubbing his scalp noticing the blood on his fingertips from where Marik had practically ripped open his scalp. Either that or broke the skin by slamming his head against the floor so many times. “Stop this now…this isn't going to help anything I…” Bakura stopped noticing Marik wasn't even listening to him any longer. “Marik?”

 

Bakura swallowed a bit unnerved by the current situation he found himself in. Marik had turned on the radio loud rock music now blaring around them, Disturbed. Marik obviously didn't want to hear anything Bakura had to say… 'No' Bakura thought. He had to at least try and reason with him, truth be told he didn't want to fight with Marik any more than he already had, it wasn't fair to either of them because it wouldn't change anything.

 

"Marik please just listen to me for a moment!" Bakura yelled over the music turning it off so Marik couldn't ignore him. "This isn't going to change anything, and it's definitley not going to help matters any…please Marik…I don't want to fight you anymore."

 

At the moment Bakura didn't get the severity of the situation. Bakura heard what Marik said before dragging him up the stairs, but didn't honestly believe him, he had never ever before forced Bakura into something he didn't want…Marik was many things but what he suggested just wasn't him, so Bakura didn't take it literally, he honestly thought that they would fight more and hopefully it would end soon.

 

But Marik was completely serious, unlike him or no...

 

"Now Bakura..." He said in a calm, eerie tone. "I obviously need to rectify a mistake here..." He advanced on Bakura. "Let me set the mood..." And he turned the radio up again and shut of the lights, before flicking on the strobe light that Ryou absulutely hated and constantly bitched about, saying that it gave him a headache.

 

"You're not listening to me." Bakura gritted out managing to wrench away form Marik "Is this all some sort of fucking game for you?" He asked not really expecting an answer. When Marik advanced on Bakura again he moved out of his reach, talking wasn't working, it usually didn't. "I don't wanna fight you."

 

"And you won't!" Marik snapped, seizing Bakura, who was still off balance, and flinging him face down onto the bed. "You'll just lie there and take it!"

 

Bakura threw his leg back managing to kick Marik while off guard, and elbow him stright in the jaw giving him a chance to be off balance as he fall off the bed. Bakura moved to place the bed between them, he glanced at teh door knowing it was locked although he wasn't sure if he could get to it and unlock it while managing to keep Marik away from him...he oculdn't even belive that Marik was considering him into somehting like this in teh first place and the more he avoided Marik the angrier he got and with that the more desperate his position became.

 

"Dammit Bakura!" Marik seethed. "Get your ass over here... OBVIOUSLY you want me to fuck it, but I can't when it's across the Ra-forsaken room! Don't MAKE me get out the Rod!!"

 

"Are you completly oblivious?!" Bakrua yelled at him "I'm trying to get away from you! I've been trying to since you came home." He gritted out

 

"And you think I'll just LET you?! Hell no! You are the best thing to EVER happen to me and I'll be damned if I let you get away!!" And the blonde reached under the pillow of the bed and pulled out the Millennium Rod and pointed it at Bakura. "Now... are you going to be good? Or will I have to make you...?"

 

"So you would actually use that damn thing against me?" Bakura kept his eyes on the rod that glistened slightly between flashes of the strobe light. "We have killed people with that thing...together...and you would use it on me?"

 

Marik narrowed his eyes. "I think you know the answer to that..." He hissed. "Now lie down on your chest, Bakura... I promise you'll enjoy this..."

 

"No." Bakura said simply "If you want me to so terribly bad, make me, force me, that would be the only way I will let you touch me." Bakura was a bit surprised at the coldness in his own voice but wasn't about to let it show or let it be known he cared.

 

Marik's eyes widened briefly, then narrowed. "Fine..." He snapped, and the Rod glowed. "Have it your way..." Bakura found himself moving against his will, stripping himself and facing Marik.

 

Bakura tried to speak, tried to advert his gaze but he couldn't do anything, for a moment he marveled at how truly powerful the Rod was but also marveled at how incredibly helpless and powerless he felt `so this is what it must feel like' he thought wanting to sling curses or the nearest object at Marik for doing such a thing to him of all people.

He could feel Marik's hand run down his bare chest stopping just above his waistline and tilting his face so their lips would meet and he responded although it was like someone on the outside was controlling his body and he could vividly hear Marik whispering in his head, sweet nothings and reassurances that they would never separate from one another that they were meant to be forever yet Bakura didn't believe that.

 

“You see?” Marik purred, releasing Bakura's mouth for the time being. “I can be so much nicer when you co-operate…” and he caressed Bakura's cheek with one hand and rubbed his hip with the other. “I'll be nice if you be nice…” The yami “reasoned”, and gave Bakura a slow sensual kiss, moaning into his mouth and wrapping his arms around him, pulling the smaller yami into his chest. “So… Will you be nice?” And he gave Bakura momentary control over his mouth and then smirked at him, awaiting his answer.

 

“Controlling my mind and body with damn thing was crossing the line Marik. No was my first answer and it still is.” He practically growled before he fell silent locked back inside the confines of his mind able to feel and experience everything yet unable to do anything about it. He gave a mental sigh as wanting to close his eyes as he was pushed rather roughly to the floor before being yanked to his knees by his hair. His scalp hurt as well as he sore knees from them hitting the stairs and the floor so many times. Marik sat upon the bed calmly pushing Bakura's face in-between his thighs. Bakura mind screamed as he pulled together all his willpower trying to pull away but his head only gave a small movement to the side barely noticeable. Never before in his life did he feel more venerable and exposed as he did now.

 

“Shhh… Stop resisting. You know it won't do any good… and you've always been so good at doing this… come on…” Bakura could soon feel and taste Marik in his mouth but there was nothing he could do, despite the burning desire to bite Marik right now. But Marik was in control, and from Bakura's point of view, Marik was loving it.

 

But he wasn't. Try as he might, he could make Bakura perform as well as the pale yami had in the past, of his own will. And this frustrated Marik. Bakura's body gagged, and his mind screamed as he choked on Marik, who in his frustration had forgotten that Bakura needed to breathe…

 

Bakura's gag reflexes wouldn't relax, it was something he had to force down and he wasn't able to do that in this state and the few short breaths he got were becoming harder and harder to get and his lungs began to burn. His face was suddenly pulled away as his numbed body began to suck in the much needed air before he was plunged back down on Marik's shaft like nothing was different as if everything was as it should be. He screamed inside his mind at Marik for forcing him in doing this, nothing was going to change and he was tired of trying to explain that to Marik for the hundredth time that night.

 

Marik just wouldn't hear Bakura's reasoning… he didn't want to, and had no intentions of accepting Bakura's decision.

 

“Gods, Bakura…” Marik groaned. “You were always so good at this. If I be nice and release you, will you repay the favor and be nice to me? Or do you need more convincing?”

 

Bakura would growl if he could, he was already practically doing him a favor but he wanted to be released if even for a moment he could at least pull away from Marik. His position was degrading enough as it was it wouldn't get him anywhere to piss Marik off further by continuing his rebellion. He swallowed what little pride he had left and agreed to be `nice' as Marik put it, although he did pull away once he was back in control.

 

Marik smirked. “That's better.” He said, stroking Bakura's face and leaning over, kissing him, and before Bakura could even THINK of a response, Marik shoved his tongue down his throat, groaning and grinding against Bakura, pulling his body hard against his own.

 

Bakura pushed against his shoulders pulling his face away from Marik's “S-stop for a second…”

 

Marik whined. “But, but, but… awwww… What for?! Come on, don't start bitching again!”

 

“I'm not bitching.” Bakura growled struggling with the hold Marik still had around him “Just stop already, I can't do this.” Bakura said trying to pull away but a violent jerk to his hair stopped him from doing so.

 

“You said you would be nice…” Marik growled in his low, deadly tone. “You had better be true to your word if you don't want me to HELP you…”

 

“I am being nice, I'm telling you I don't want to do this.” Bakura said as he was violently shoved to the floor as Marik raised the rod but instead of taking control of him again the rod came crashing across his face knocking him to the floor.

 

“I warned you…” Marik hissed, and raised the Rod again. “I fuckin warned you… I tried to be nice, and I tried to be civilized, but you obviously want to do this hard way. So fine. We'll do this the hard way…” and he brought the Rod down in a glancing blow across Bakura's shoulders.

 

Bakura cried out as he scrambled away from Marik trying to avoid the blows but only succeded a few times in doing so and he ended up backing himself into a wall.

 

Marik's eyes burned with insanity as he struck Bakura, over and over and over again, a maniacal laughter growing and beginning to echo throughout the house and frightening an elderly man walking his terrier down the street.

 

Marik finally stopped his assult and Bakura lay bruised shuddering on the floor. He looked up pathetically at Marik before his hair was grasped painfully and he was brought to his knees again. He gripped Marik's hand trying to release the hold but it wasn't going to lessen.

 

“Have I convinced you yet?” Marik hissed. “Are you going to be a good boy? You have to be a good boy… you're mine, Bakura… you're MINE! And that will NEVER change, do you hear me?! You… are… MINE!!!” And he harshly backhanded Bakura who crashed back into the wall with a pained yelp.

 

Bakura pushed himself up with his hands using the wall for support and he unsteadidly brought himself to his feet to face Marik actually look him in the eye and see if he was really even dealing with the same man or if all his efforts from the beginning were in vain. Bakura opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out, he wasn't even sure what to say in the first place, getting angry would make things worse and giving in was not an option he cared to take.

 

“What do you want from me Marik?” He said lowering his gaze to the floor.

 

“That's more like it.” Marik said cheerfully. Then he shrugged and said simply “I want you to stay with me, we've been together for three thousand years I'm not going to let you walk out on me now.” Marik said

 

“Does it really matter that much to you? If I stay or if I go…you've walked out on me countless times and I let you go, why can't you grant me the same.” Bakura said.

 

“This is different!” he said pointing a finger acussingly at Bakura. “I may have walked out on you but I never LEFT you, I never said it was over bastard!” He yelled

 

Bakura closed his eyes “If I wasn't going to leave before…I sure as hell would leave you after this. Nothing has changed except the fact I've never been angrier with you in my entire life…you've done things to me that I never would have ever dreamed of…unforgivable things.”

 

Marik blinked for a moment a look of bewilderment crossing his features. But then his face hardened and his face hardened at Bakura. “You brought this on yourself! I'll show you unforgivable!” He raised the blood smeared rod.

 

He saw spots before he fell again to the floor, he could vaugly hear the dull humming of the rod as his body was taken from him and once again found himself moving against his will every nerve screaming against the movement and he soon found himself lying face down on the bed. Marik growled from behind him, and began to roughly tie him down in place, before releasing Bakura from the Rod's control.

 

Bakura of course struggled with his bonds, how could he not, but stopped at the feel of Marik's warm hands running down his sides gently. It was okay for a moment but when the cold touch of steel came in contact with his bare skin he thrashed his upper body trying to shrug away his hands...he didn't want this and he wasn't about to give in to petty desire and let Marik prove him wrong. He wanted to leave, he had every right too.

 

"You know..." Marik hissed, trailing the tip of the blade of the Rod over Bakura's back, "You'd be hot with something... carved into your back like Malik and me..."

 

Bakura pressed his chest into the mattress as much as possible trying to retract from the touch, not really being able to get away from it. "I swear to you Marik if you so much as break my skin with that thing..." Bakrua said trialing off he was in no position to make threats especially one to where he needed the use of his limbs to stop Marik from doing anything.

 

He looked up at his bounds, they were not simple knots but that wasn't the problem he had ot find a way for his fingers to reach them first. Bakura had played this game before enough struggling would bring the knot as high upon the wrist as possible and then you could use your fingers to untie it...however he ahd to distract the party responsible for them in the first place long enough to get a hand gree before the revised the knot completly...a slight sting of pain in hsi shoulderblade brought him back to reality as he jerked away again and began to struggled with teh bonds more twisting and pulling his arms in desperation to get away.

 

"Shhhh... easy Bakura..." Marik cooed. "If you struggle, I'll mess up..." And to Bakura's horror, the saddistic fuck began to cut into his back.

 

He felt Marik's knee press into the small of his back to keep him from jerking but he still pulled at his restraints hissing when the blade dug into his skin once again. "STOP!" he yelled his voice sounding more pleading than demanding , Marik honestly haden't cut into him that much but Bakura wanted it to stop before he did.

 

"WHY?!" Marik snapped harshly, and continued to carve into Bakura's back, what he was carving, Bakura was unable to tell. But affter a bit, Marik stopped, and then Bakura shuddered when he felt Marik licking up the blood on his back.

 

"You taste... SO good..." Marik groaned.

 

It stung when Marik licked him, and at that moment and he could feel the heat of his own blood trickling down his back as he cared more the blade cutting into his skin over and over making him cringe and gasp. It hurt more than he thought it would, he halfway hoped he would never find out what it must have felt like for Malik and Marik...now fully belived this kind of pain no one should endure. "P-please Marik...stop." Bakura said hating pleading with the other but hating the pain even more.

 

Bakura's back felt like it was on fire, it hurt like knives and he was doing everything he could not to scream out in agony even now that Marik seemed to be finnished he wanted to yell. He glanced at his restraint which was close enough but he felt a bit weaker now, he didn't think Marik had any plans on bandaging up his back.

 

Bakura's back felt like it was on fire, it hurt like knives and he was doing everything he could not to scream out in agony even now that Marik seemed to be finished he wanted to yell. He glanced at his restraint which was close enough for him to work at it with his fingers but he felt weaker now, he didn't think Marik had any plans on bandaging up his back in favor of letting him bleed, he was angry right now and wasn't finished. Although Bakura hated it, he knew Marik wasn't finished with him yet, he glanced at the restraint and thanked Ra it was dark except for the flashing light as he began to pull at the knot shifting his fingers around and under the complex knot…it was taking time and Bakura didn't have to much of that.

 

"Enough of that..." Marik crooned from overhead, his hands squeezing and kneading the other yami's buttocks. "You love it when I fuck you like this... This time will be no different."

 

Bakura's brow furthered, it woudl do little good to answer the other he wouldn't listen. But Bakura continued to work upon the knot trying to ignore Marik's touches. He had loosened it although it wasn't enough to wriggle out of yet, not to mention his shoulder had begun hurting from all the movement. Bakura tensed when Marik kissed him on the neck crooning softly in his ear as if anything he said would make him feel batter, he felt like hell and his back burnt like it as well…one's body could only take so much abuse and he already has fought with them yami having his cheek sliced open, fair share of bruises and now his back sliced and enflamed.

 

Marik's hands gripped the flesh he had been fondling and spread Bakura open, nibbling on his earlobe as he moved himself into position. "Kuraaaaaa...." He sang in a deranged tone. "Wanna play?" He poked him, teasingly.

 

"Don't." Bakura said visibly tensing "Please Marik just stop, no more please." Bakura said he wasn't sure if pleading worked on the other, he never had to do it before and if he did it was playful banter nothing more, this time Bakura was serious.

there was a pause, and for a moment, Bakura thought that maybe he had reached Marik. But then, the larger yami chuckled. "Did we decide on a safe word?" He asked. "No... oh well!" and he thrust into Bakura without another word.

 

Bakura screamed into his pillow giving the restraint an almost violent pull his arm coming free as he elbowed Marik straight in the jaw using the newfound freedom and stunned Marik to free his other arm It gave him the opportunity to pull away from Marik completely. Although in the haste he ended up falling off the bed, hitting his back roughly making him cry out again. He wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear even with his bounds released Marik still had the advantage.

 

"Fucker!" Marik snapped and pounced Bakura. "Oh wait... that's me..." He and Bakura began to struggle with each other, but Marik eventually got Bakura on his back with his legs over the larger Yami's shoulders, and Marik used this position to his advantage, re-entering Bakura. "Like that?!" He spat, groaning as he pumped in and out of the smaller man's body.

 

Bakura struggled as much as he could slinging curses at the other in-between the pain in his back from being held against it his wounds being pulled further open than they already were and the pain between his legs, they didn't prepare each other often but Marik was trying to hurt him and was doing a good job. Bakura felt his wrists slammed down next to his head as his struggles slowed somewhat although eh had the will his body wouldn't respond to his wishes, he closed his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth to keep himself from screaming.

 

"You like that?!" Marik shouted at Bakura, forcing his knees to his chest, making it difficult for the other to breathe. "STILL WANNA LEAVE ME?!? HUH?!?" Marik screamed, spittle flying from his lip as his eyes burned in rage.

 

If Bakura thought speaking would help him with the other he would have answered him, but he wouldn't tell Marik he was going to stay…he wasn't and he wasn't about the verify that fact it would only make the other angrier. He felt Marik grip his hair in both hands and in reaction, Bakura grabbed his arms digging his nails into Marik's biceps until he bled although he didn't seem to notice. Marik kissed him but Bakura kept his lips lax he wouldn't kiss the other back…it was the only thing he had control over at the moment.

 

Marik finally threw his head back and bucked forwards, yelping out his quick release, then collapsed onto Bakura, which was none too comfy. A moment later, he slowly got up and pulled out of Bakura before staggering to his feet, groaning about needing a beer. And he left the room.

 

Bakura rolled over on his side to release the pressure on his back as he curled up slightly. He glanced up using the bed for support as he managed to sit up using it. That little movement taking so much out of him. He glanced at the phone considering calling someone but he didn't want Malik or Ryou getting involved too much in this especially with Marik still in the house. Granted they would know something happened considering the state of the living room and the bedroom.

 

Bakura grabbed his pants pulling them on with much difficulty…still set on leaving no matter how painful it had already become giving up was not an option he cared to take. He stood up slowly his legs feeling almost numb while the rest of his body burnt. He quietly made his way out the door about to go down the stairs but was grabbed from behind before he reached the first step.

 

"and where are you goin?" Marik hissed. "You weren't actually considering LEAVING, were you?" He shoved Bakura forwards and sent him hurtling down the stairs. He sneered at a sickening crack coming from the other yami's body as he fell to the bottom. Marik descended the stairs, grabbed a handful of Bakura's hair and dragged across thr living room and into the kitchen. "Or maybe you're just hungry... Here... let me make you something..." And he shoved Bakura into a chair and turned on the stove, going to the pantry and grabbing a can of Minestrone soup.

 

Bakura cradled his now broken arm as he leaned forward feeling somewhat sick from the lack of blood among his various injuries. He slid from the chair which now had blood all over it, granted he wasn't bleeding as much but his cuts kept on re-opening. It was strange being so close to the door yet not able to actually reach it, he was so tired, hurt, and he just wanted to get away from Marik but every time he tried it only placed him at the receiving end of a lot of pain.

 

Marik began preparing the soup, humming a bizaar tune as he brought the soup to a boil. Then, he slowly turned with a maniacal grin.

 

"Hungry, dear?" He hissed, walking over to Bakura with a bowl of scalding soup.

 

Bakura swallowed, he already felt nauseous as it was and shook his head 'no' slowly eyeing the soup. "I…I'm not hungry…right…right now." Bakura managed out.

 

"of course you are!" Marik cooed, seizing Bakura's hair and jerking his head back. "Eat up!!" And he poured the scalding soup into Bakura's mouth. The pale yami howled and gurgled as his mouth and lips were burned by the soup, and then the soup overflowed from his mouth and splashed down his chin, neck shoulders and chest, burning as it flowed.

 

Bakrua knocked the bowl from Marik's hand it scalding the other, as Bakura coughed, some of the soup going down the wrong tube. He only had one good arm and the other was now burnt. He instantly felt Marik's hand around his throat cutting off his air supply, cradling his other hand somewhat it obviously burnt as well.

 

"You ungrateful bitch!" He snapped, cracking Bakura's skull against the tile floor before jerking him to his feet. He looked around, then grinned and dragged Bakura over to the stove, the burner still glowing hot. "This is what ungrateful bastards like you get!" And he shoved Bakura forwards, then forced him to bend backwards, and his back came in contact with the burner.

 

Bakura screamed and tears breaching his eyes and he kicked Marik directly under the ribs forcing the other back into the counter as he himself fell to the floor. This all was becoming to much as he slowly crawled away back to the living room. The phone ringing immediately caught his attention and Marik pressed his foot in the small of Bakura's back, his heel digging into the seared flesh on his back. Bakura's eyes blacking out somewhat between the rushes of adrenaline and blood loss…he knew his consciousness was slipping.

 

Marik snatched up the phone. "What?!" He snapped into it, as always when he answered the phone.

 

Malik frowned at Marik's tone. “Me and Ryou were gonna go ahead and come home, I was just ask you to turn on the porch light so that I can see to get in the house.” Malik said his brow furthening as he did so.

 

Marik scowled. "Whatever." He snorted.

 

Malik looked at the phone a little irritated. “Geez, he seemed in a particularly bad mood…wonder what the hell's wrong with him.” Malik said looking at Ryou as he hung up the phone. “Wonder what the two of them have fought about this time.” Malik said referring to Bakura and Marik, the two of them fighting was a weekly thing it's just what they did sometimes and it never got serious but it left both of them in a bad mood. It was probably best he and Ryou were there to play referree, they were less violent with them around.

 

Marik slammed down the phone. "We'll have to continue this later, love." He hissed, and grabbed Bakura's hair, dragging him to the basement door. He opened it, and hurled Bakura down the stairs. "Take a breather... I'll be back." And he closed the door and quickly left the house. Ryou and Malik were quiet annoyed when the got home and porch light wasn't on...

 

Bakura glanced up at the phone which was attached to the wall at the bottom of the stairs, he couldn't stay here, yet he didn't have the strength to leave on his own…granted Malik and Ryou were coming home but he needed to get out of the house as soon as possible, he more feared they wouldn't belive him or he wold be unconsious by the time they got there. He sat up using the wall to supporrt his weight and knoked the phone off the wall and dialed Ahmose's number. He knew he wasn't on the sorceress favorite list or anything but there wasn't anyone else he could really call.

 

A few rings sounded, and then the phone was picked up. "Hello?" Came the deep voice of the Pharaoh, and Ahmose could be heard cursing at his dogs in the beckground for chewing up his shoes.

 

If Bakura cared enough he would have groaned at the sound of Yami's voice but didn't have time for petty differences the two of them had. “I hate…to ask but…I need you…or Ahmose to…to come by…” Bakura managed out, his voice sounded so terrible in his own mind and prayed it souned like that to Yami too.

 

There was a long long pause on the other end of the line. "Who is this?" Yami finally asked.

 

“Bakura.” He gritted out through the pain.

 

"Bakura?! Great Ra, what's the matter with you?! You sound like shit!" Yami blurted.

 

Bakura grimanced at the tone “...Just…please Yami…” Bakura siad sliding down on his side.

 

"We'll be right over!" Yami exlaimed, and slammed the phone down. A moment later, Bakura heard the front door opening and Ryou and Malik entered, bitching about the porch light not being on.

 

”FUCK!” Malik yelled as his foot hit something sharp on the floor. Turnign on the livingroom light “Ra…” He siad noticing the broken coffee table…not to mention the blood.

 

Bakura simply closed his eyes and let himself slip off into unconsiousness.

 

Ryou gasped and his arms flew up to his mouth. "Oh my God!" He cried. "What happened?! Marik?! Bakura?!?" He called, running into the room and looking around, frantically. "Is something burning?!" He ran to the kitchen and cried out at the mess he found in there, too.

 

Malik followed and turned off the stove, the spilt soup and even more blood, and it did smell like something had been burnt. Malik run up stairs calling for Marik or Bkaura reciving no answer he went into Marik's bedroom turnign off the strobelight and the radio switching on the normal bedroom light. “What the hell happened?” Malik asked as he walked downstairs “Ryou?!” He called not really knowing if it was relaly safe to stay here or not.

 

"Where are they?!" Ryou cried, running to Malik. "where are Marik and Bakura?! Did THEY do this?! Were they up stairs?! Malik?!"

 

“They're not upstairs…it looked like they were, but…Ryou they ave screwed up the hosue before and it sounded like they had a fight when Marik answered the phone but…they have never done anyting like this before…we need to find them.” Malk said as Yami all the suddenly walked in without so much as a knock with Ahmose Malik blinked.

 

“Why are you two here?” He asked.

 

"Bakura called Ahmose's apartment. He told us to get over here. He sounded REALLY bad. He's hurt." Yami said, and Ahmose looked around silently at the mess. "Where's Bakura?" Yami asked.

 

“We just came home a seond ago, evrything looks like hell…I don't think there home.” Malik said.

 

"Well, Bakura called us from here." Yami said, and moved into the house, looking around. Ahmose follwed, eyes taking in everything. They walked into the kitchen. "Ra..." Yami gasped, and Ahmose snorted, following a blood smear to the basement door, and eyeing the blood on the knob. He grabbed it and rattled it. The door was locked.

 

"Can you get it open?" Ryou gasped. Ahmose stepped back, and with a bang, kicked the door in. "... That'll work..." Ryou mumbled.

 

“BAKURA!” Malik yelled flying down the stairs but not before Ryou did. “Marik!” Malik said leaivng Bakura's side for a moment to turn on the lights in the basement not seeing him anywhere.

 

Yami and Ahmose both knelt beside Bakura, looking him over.

 

"Merciful Isis..." Yami gasped. "Bakura... gods... who DID this?!" Ahmose frowned and looked Bakura over.

 

"He's been burned... on the stove." The sorcerer said, pointing at the burn marks on Bakura. "And he was... raped."

 

Malik pulled a sheet from the closet and placed it over Bakura. “That doesn't make any sense though…I mean any normal guy Bakura could more than easily take down, couldn't he?” Malik asked.

 

Ahmose looked up. "Any normal guy, yes. But Marik?" He pointed out, and Ryou looked at Ahmose, shocked.

 

"No... he... he wouldn't!!" He gasped, shaking his head.

 

“Marik may be a bastard sometimes but he wouldn't rape Bakura! He…” Malik was practically outraged at the sugesstion yet…Marik did answer the phone and sounded fine if not angry, and now he was gone. Bakura had been like that for a least a little while. “We…we can figure out who later we need to get Bakura some medical attention, he's hurt.” Malik siad not wanting to contemplate his own Yami would do something so horrible to his best friend and lover. Ahmose moved to pick Bakura up his arm supporting his back and although unconsious Bakura gasped his back arching slightly to get away from the touch.

 

Ahmose winced sympathetically as he carefully carried Bakura up the stairs and to the kitchen. He narrowed his eyes at the kitchen table, and everything that was sitting on the surface flew off, and he laid Bakura down, looking over all of his injuries.

 

"Hot water, antibacterials, ointment, wash cloths and bandages." He ordered, and Ryou ran off to get the requested things with Malik and Yami.

Malik's mind at the moment was elsewhere…particulary on Marik and where he was, he was hoping againt hope that mairk wans't the one who had done this to Bakura it was to much for Malik to comprehend…what could Bakura have done to trigger such a response?

 

”Ryou…” Malik siad wlaking up to him who was currently in the medicine cabinet. “I need to find Marik, I'm going out to find him okay.” Malik said as Ryou gave him a concerned look but let Malik go anyway.

 

Yami put on the tea kettle for the water before ging over to Bakura with a cool wet rag as he wiped some of the blood off is face and chest. Yami frowned “We should turn him over…looks like he's bleeding really bad from his back more than anywhere else.” Yami noticed.

 

Ahmose nodded. "Use the cold cloth on his burn." He said, heaving Bakura over and looking at Ryou. "Do you have some aloe?"

 

"Yes!" Ryou gasped, scurrying off and returning with some aloe. Ahmose handed it to Yami.

 

"Put this on his burn when you're done cleaning it." He said, and looked at Ryou. "where's Malik?"

 

"Looking for Marik..." Ryou said softly.

 

Yami didn't comment on that, unfortunatly Marik was really the only one strong enough to do this to Bakura and him having dissappeared did not help the situation. Yami cleaned off some of his back revealing the hierolglyphics. "Ahmose..." Yami said with a heavy sigh as he placed a clean washcloth on Bakura's burn. "What do you make of these?" He asked

 

Ahmose frowned and wiped a bit more blood away. "Three Thousand years will not be forgotten." He read down one side of Bakura's back, then turned to the other. "You belong to me." He looked up at Yami, then Ryou, then back down to Bakura. "Marik DID do it..."

 

"What the hell for?!" Yami yelled "Grante di've seen them pissed at one another before but never lke this, nothing Bkaura could have done would merit this kind of abuse!" Yami elled

 

Ahmose looked at Ryou.

 

"What?! you think I know?! Ask Malik!!! It was HIS yami!" He moved over to Bakura and rubbed his nose, sniffling as he pet his hair. "Oh God... he tore his scalp..."

 

“Is it safe to keep him here then?” Yami said calming down a little. “Yes me and Ahmose can protect him but maybe we should take him back to your apartment, just a precaution.” Yami said.

 

Ahmose nodded. "Yes... But we shoudl get Yugi. If Marik comes back looking for Bakura and finds him gone... he'll head straight for the Game Shop... I don't think we should let any one stay alone until we locate Ishtar."

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Malik had checked a few of the places Marik would normally go when he was angry but had yet to find him. If his anger had finally subsided he would have a whole different string of places he would go and Malik running out of options decided he might as well check them out before returning. Ryou had called him on his cell telling him he would be at Ahmose's apartment with Bakura and basically everyone else and to not tell Marik anything about Bakura's whereabouts. When Malik reached a small bar he stepped inside with little difficulty, he never had problems getting into places Marik visited because they either thought, he was his yami, or they didn't want to provoke his wrath by deny his Hikari.

 

Malik was slightly relieved to find Marik sitting alone in the corner absentmindedly circling the rim of his full drink with his finger. He seemed lost in thought and even though he had a drink on his table, it didn't seem that he had been drinking.

 

Malik however cautiously approached him with the slim chance of him having been drinking "Marik?" He asked standing close to the table but not sitting down.

 

The yami slowly lifted his eyes and they burned into those of his lights.

 

"Hikari..." He said slowly, before lifting the drink and sipping it. "What are you doing here?" He asked, going back to staring off into space.

 

"Looking for you…" Malik trailed off slightly giving his yami the benefit of a doubt "Bakura…Bakura's been hurt really bad." Malik said gauging Marik's reaction.

 

Marik snorted. "Stupid bastard..." He growled. "What did you do with him?"

 

"So you did do that…how, why the hell would you do that!" Malik yelled. "I don't care what he did or said nothing could have merited you doing that to him!" Malik yelled quieting down a little and glaring ant anyone who dared stared at them.

 

Marik's eyes flashed and they snapped up to meet Malik's. "He knew better than to fight me..." He hissed. "and he knew better than to try and leave me. He's mine. He always has been, he always will be. He just needed a bit of a... reminder."

 

Malik frowned "Leave you? Marik, Bakura wouldn't leave you. You two don't say it often but I know you love each other…I don't know what went on between you two while me and Ryou were gone, tell me what happened." Malik asked

 

"I came home and he said it was over, that's what! Sounded like a woman! Whined about committment!! Like HE doesn't fuck around..." Marik snorted.

 

Malik frowned he had to think for a moment befor ehe connected the dots. "You cheated on him? And he wanted to leave you?" Malik asked not wanting to say further by the chance he was wrong.

 

Marik snorted. "Of course! I've been fucking around ever since the beginning! And he says that he never slept around! BAKURA! Ha!"

 

"Bakura doesn't lie!" Malik yelled right back "He has no reason too! Especially if he figured out you were sleeping around, what the hell did he have to hide? Why would he lie about it?" Malik glared at Marik "Did you even stop and think for one second that he was telling the truth? That you sleeping around wasn't okay with him?" Malik shook his head at Marik at least he now had something to tell the others but if Marik was bent set on finding Bakura he wouldn't be safe at Ahmose's forever but they couldn't move Bakura around to much in his current state. "Don't try to find him Marik, he's not at the house…you hurt him pretty bad he needs time to heal so please just…leave him alone." Malik said simply wanting Marik to lay off for once.

 

Marik snorted. "He's mine." He said simply, but firmly. "I'm not letting him leave me. And if he didn't want to sleep around, fine. But that's something one has to expect from me." the yami said, before tipping his head back and finishing his drink. He stood and turned on Malik. "Now... where is he?"

 

Malik shook his head at Marik taking a step back "Maybe he should have expected it but he didn't and apparently he didn't like it either. Ryou's the same way, we don't sleep around and stay committed to one another…wasn't having him enough? You were enough for him." Malik paused "I won't tell you where he is, for the simple fact the only thing you will do is hurt him more and I'm not so sure he can take much more."

 

Marik nodded. "I see." He said, but then seized Malik's collar and jerked him forwards until they were nose to nose. "Do we have to find out how much YOU can take, hikari?!"

 

Malik jerked away from him and ran. Thankfully there was enough people in the bar so it kept Marik's advances to a minimum and hid him from view as he slipped out of the door before Marik caught up with him. He ran down the alley and was out of sight and didn't stop until he was a few blocks from Ahmose's apartment. He needed to make sure Marik haden't followed him and thankfully his yami had lost him or didn't even bother to chase him. Malik frowned though, he couldn't risk Marik knowing where Bakura was so decided that it would be best for him to stay away from Bakura just in case his yami was following him and he just didn't know it. He called up Ryou telling him he was going to stay at Joey's considering he couldn't very well go home. He also told Ryou of what Marik had said and to be careful should he run into him.

 

"How is Bakura doing?" Malik asked as he slowly made his way to Joey's apartment.

 

"I think he's okay. Yami and Ahmose are doing pretty good with him, I guess..." He said softly. "They've got him all bandaged up and he's sleeping well... I can't beleive Marik did this to him... I can't beleive that Marik cheated on him like that, either! Oh Malik... what are we gonna do?"

 

"I don't know…I can understand Bakura wanting to leave him but where is he to go?" Malik sighed heavily "Besides he's really in no condition now to move or be moved…and Marik's out of his mind right now he doesn't seem to care who or what he hurts as long as Bakura stays with him. I guess the best thing we can do right now is just to keep the two of them separated. Hopefully Yami and Ahmose can provide enough protection if Marik decides to show up there." Malik paused "I'll try and make it over there in a day or so I just don't want to risk Marik having followed me." Malik explained "I'll call you tomorrow to check up on you okay?" Malik said as he reached Joey's doorstep.

 

"Sure Malik. "I'm sure we'll befine here... you know Ahmose. As long as he's protecting someone, he's happy." Ryou giggled and Mikado was heard in the background blurting a loud 'ain't THAT the truth!' Ryou laughed. "Be safe Malik. We're all fine. Marik knows better than to pick a fight with Yami and Ahmose both."

 

"I will." Malik said hanging up the phone and a few moments' later waking up an unhappy Joey.

 

 

***

 

 

Bakura blinked a few times before his eyes focused on the ceiling above him. He licked his dry lips and looked around the unfamiliar room. The last thing he remembered was being thrown in the basement…and calling Ahmose. He sat up unsteadily hissing in pain from his back…it still hurt. His throat still felt sore and decided to rely on a different communication for the time being.

 

//Ryou?// Ha asked through his link

 

/Bakura?!/ Came the excited answer, and a moment later the door was flung open by the boy. He ran in and leapt onto the bed, hugging his yami gently. A moment later, Ahmose and Yami walked in, their hikaris peering in the door behind them.

 

"Bakura. Are you alright?" Ahmose asked, feeling his forehead.

Bakura brushed Ahmose's hand away but without malice, he knew he wasn't completely well yet and was probably running a fever but at least he was awake.

 

"Fine." Bakura answered his voice hoarse and strained "How long…have I been asleep?" He asked while gently rubbing Ryou's back reassuring him that he was all right.

 

"Nearly twenty four hours." Ahmose said. "Malik called Ryou and Ryou told us why Marik did this. We never thought he'd be capable of something like this, especially to one he claims to love..."

 

Bakura looked away it stung slightly to hear the words he had played over so many times in his head, it shouldn't have but it did. "Neither did I." He sighed heavily before releasing Ryou who sat at the foot of the bed. "He didn't hurt anyone else did he?" Bakura asked worried by calling them he set them up for a world of pain.

 

ahmose shook his head. "No. Everyone is safe. He threatened Malik, but the hikari is resourceful. He got away and is hiding with Joey for a day or two. He didn't want to return here in case Marik followed him. Marik wanted to find you. But it's only a matter of time before he realizes where you are. He will come... eventually. Mikado!"

 

"Eep!" The boy squeaked. "Uh, yeah?"

 

"Warm that medicinal tea I made this morning for Bakura and bring it here."

 

"Right!" And he ran off to the kitchen.

 

Bakura released Ryou and softly asked him to leave for a moment so he could talk to Yami and Ahmose without upsetting him.

 

"I know he'll come Ahmose, but I never intended to be brought here in the first place. I didn't call for myself, I called you because Malik and Ryou were on their way home and I didn't know if Marik would still be there when they arrived. I don't want him hurting anyone else." Bakura paused "I don't mean to sound ungrateful, I'm glad you helped but I can't rely on this and I need to leave as soon as possible." Bakura frowned.

 

Ahmose nodded. "Agreed." He said. "You are not safe here. As powerful as I am, even I do not wish to meet Ishtar in a rage. We have to get you somewhere else. The question is where...?" He turned and looked at Yami for any ideas.

 

"No." Bakura said shaking his head "WE isn't an option, i need to go alone, make sure he has no idea where i am...make sure you don't either." Bakura siad

 

"You're in no condition to go anywhere alone right now though...and what about Ryou?" Yami asked as Mikado brought in the tea handing it to Bakura before realizing it was probably best he leave.

 

"Ryou is all the more reason i leave without anyone knowing where i am. He would have no reason to hurt anyone of you guys if you have no clue where i am...it would be fruitless...even he would realise that." Bakura said.

 

"So you would completly shut out your own Hikari?" Yami asked disbeliving.

 

"To protect him? Yes."

 

Ahmose frowned. "I cannot let you do this. Let me help you. I have the funds to get you set up in an apartment. And I can pay a full six months in advance." He said, but sighed at the look on Bakura's face. "Then... at least let me get you the cash so you can get yourself set up. You and Ryou don't have it and you're in no condition to be up to your usual theiving tricks."

 

"I don't intend to go back to my 'thieving tricks'. I don't need your money regardless of what you think, I have money, and I'm not completely incompetent I can get a job on my own and survive just fine." Bakura grimaced at the taste of the tea setting it away from him.

 

"You know Marik better than any of us…can't you talk to him? Wouldn't he be cooled down by now?" Yami asked trying to think of other options.

 

"I tried that already, and honestly I don't know when or if he'll cool down…I've seen him this angry before but that anger has never been directed toward me. He insists on the prospect that if I loved him I wouldn't leave him." Bakura said.

 

Ahmose frowned. "Bakura, drink the tea." He ordered firmly. "As for Marik... if he is as out of control as he seems... attacking his own hikari... he would not hesitate to attack Ryou... We must take precautions to protect him. Perhaps Ryou should stay here with Mikado and myself for a few days..."

 

Bakura nodded rubbing his neck knowing Ryou wouldn't take this easily. "I need a shower…" He said softly before opening his mind to Ryou

 

//Ryou, could you do me a favor and help me shower?// It wasn't as if they had anything to hide from one another and he wasn't sure if he could get to his back…"My back…" He said softly. "I was curious…what did Marik cut into my back?" He asked

 

Ahmose sighed and glanced at Yami, then looked Bakura straight in the eyes. "Three thousand years will not be forgotten... You belong to me." He quoted.

 

Bakura's fists tightened into the sheets "I don't belong to anyone…" He practically growled as Ryou walked into the room with a few towels.

 

Once Bakura and Ryou were occupied, Yami turned to Ahmose. "Even if Bakura does leave and we don't know where he is, Ryou would still be in danger if Marik is serious on finding him. I'm not so sure if Ryou would be safe with or without Bakura." Yami sighed. "He's sacrificing everything, His life, home, friends, there has to be a better way to resolve this then him leaving everything behind." Yami said, he and Bakura were not good friends or anything but that wasn't the point.

 

Ahmose nodded. "I think it is a good idea to lay low... I will keep an eye on Ryou in his absence. Mikado can handle himself. He cannot FIGHT Marik, but.. if need be he has the ability to escape him. But I don;t like the idea of Bakura being... alone. True, if none of us know where he is we may be more safe from Marik but then again... should Marik somehow FIND Bakura we would not be able to get to them because we would not know where Bakura was."

 

"How do we convince him otherwise though? He experienced Marik's rage first hand and no doubt he doesn't want to be subjected to it again or for anyone else to face it either. Do you think that Marik would listen to me or you?" Yami said but seeing Ahmose's expression he simply shook his head "Besides Bakura who would he listen to then?"

 

"Malik is all I can think of. And he tried to attack Malik..." Ahmose sighed, leaning back. "Ishizu or Rishido? I doubt it... The only other would be... Ryou."

 

"Bakura's not willing to put Ryou in that kind of danger and frankly neither am i…" Yami sighed "We should let him go, the only reason Marik was able to do what he did was because Bakura probably didn't have an escape route or was trying to reason with him, Bakura's smart enough to elude Marik for as long or as little as he wants, if he's willing to take the risk to leave on his own we should at least respect it." Yami said

 

Ahmose sighed and nodded. "I know... I just don't like it..." He said.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Ryou sighed and gently washed Bakura's back.

 

"I can't beleive he did this to you..." He said softly. "Oh Bakura... what happened?!"

 

Bakura arched a little as Ryou washed his back sighing slightly at Ryou's question. "I'm sorry Ryou , I didn't intend for it to go like this…this was the last thing I intended to happen." Bakura sighed "Ryou…" He said stopping him for a moment "Please don't be mad at me but I need…I have to leave, and I don't plan on telling anyone where I'm going."

 

Ryou stopped the gentle washings and looked up at Bakura. "W.... what?!" He gasped, then turned Bakura around. "Yami, no! You can't just leave!!!" He cried, shaking his head in denial. "You can't leave me!! You're... you're my yami!!"

 

"I know that…but until I know that Marik won't hurt you or anyone I don't want you to be put in that kind of danger." Bakura sighed "You can't come with me Ryou, you have school and Malik, everything you need is here." Bakura said.

 

Ryou's eyes widened. "Whah... how far are you going to go?! How LONG?!?!" He cried, getting quite upset now.

 

"Out of town…months…I'm not sure…" Bakura sighed wrapping a towel around his waist and hugging Ryou strongly. "It's not as if I won't ever see you again Ryou, just until this whole thing blows over…it's not as if I could ever forget you, you're my Hikari." He said softly kissing Ryou on the forehead.

 

Ryou sobbed and clung to his yami, breaking down into tears. "No! I wanna go with you! Bakura, please! You can't leave me! You can't go!" He wailed into the yami's chest.

 

Bakura closed his eyes and hugged the youth to his chest lovingly. "Ryou…" He lifted Ryou's face "Look at me, I'm not going to try and convince you that this is for the best or that it's for your own protection although it is…but there is no reason to leave everything and everyone you love behind because of me. I'm not leaving you, I intend to come back but I have to go…it's not safe for me to stay." Bakura explained the tears running down Ryou's cheeks pulling at his heart.

 

Ryou shook his head. "I wanna go with you... you can't leave me..." And when Bakura shook his head, Ryou turned and ran from the room in tears, ending up on a very confused Mikado and Yugi on the sofa. There was a knock at the door, and a moment later, Ahmose stepped in.

 

"I take it you told him?" He asked softly, turning Bakura away from him so he could check and disinfect the carvings in his back.

 

"Hopefully this is one of those situations where he'll understand in time…Am I still bleeding?" He asked changing to topic.

 

Ahmose sighed. "A bit. But I'm not seeing any signs of infection." He said as he finished cleaning them. "Turn around and let me see your front." He said, and Bakura obeyed. Ahmose inspected Bakura closely, then nodded. "Lift you arms, if you can, and I'll bandage you." He got bandages out of the cabinet. "How are you going to care for your back when you leave?" He asked.

 

"I'll manage." He said wincing a bit as he tried to lift his left arm but lowered it almost immediately. It didn't hurt so much to extend his arm or anything but lifting it wasn't very pleasant. "It doesn't feel like my arm is broken but it still hurts like hell." He said.

 

Ahmose nodded. "Come on. Let's sit you down and prop it up on something so you don't strain yourself. Look... why don't you get a hotel for a couple of days here in town. I can tend to your injuries until you're in traveling condition." The sorcerer offered. "I can get to you without being seen if I must."

 

"I think that would be for the best…thank you." Bakura sat back down on the bed "You didn't bring any of my clothes with you did you? I need something to wear." He said.

 

Ahmose shook his head. "I'll get you something to wear. Do you want to leave immediately?" He asked, propping Bakura' arm up on the back of a chair and bandaging him before gathering a pair of jeans, boxers and a t-shirt

 

"The sooner the better…if he does come here Yami should be able to keep the Hikari's out of harms way and he won't find me so hopefully he'll just move on." Bakura said lowering his arm and slipping on the boxers and jeans as Ahmose helped him into the shirt.

 

Ahmose nodded. "I don't think we wear the same shoe size... I'll go to your house early in the morning when Marik will be alseep and get your things. Where can I find them?" He asked.

 

"Second door on the left upstairs, in the closet…but, Marik's not a light sleeper I don't think that's really wise." Bakura said, the whole point of this was to keep others from getting hurt as well, Ahmose going to his place was like him going into enemies territory.

 

Ahmose smirked as he helped Bakura up. "It will be a peice of cake for me. Besides... I need something like that to make sure that I'm not getting rusty." He winked at Bakura. "Come on... let's go."

 

 

"There's a shoebox on top of the shelf in the closet, it has…other things in it…could you also grab that?" Bakura asked letting go of Ahmose not needing his support to stand.

 

Ahmose nodded. "Of course. As soon as we get you into a hotel." He frowned and thought. "Marik would NEVER think to look for you in a high class hotel... an expensive one..." He said, walking out into the living room with Bakura. "Mikado. I need your credit card."

 

"Oh gods, what now?"

 

"I'm putting Bakura up at the Domino Ritz Plaza." Yami choked on his soda when Ahmose announced that, and Yugi and Ryou eyes widened.

 

Bakura pushed his shoulder but with no malice intended "Your right high class hotel he wouldn't think of but you shouldn't be thinking of one either, not to mention your generosity is a bit extravagant…and besides if you use that credit card which has Maho as the last name, if he does decide to look he'd find us easily." Bakura said, this whole thing was making him uncomfortable.

 

Ahmose turned and looked at Bakura. "The hotels will need a name. And we can afford it. We won't even notice. I think that it's the best option we have at this point since you are refusing to stay here." He sighed and looked down, thinking. "But if you have any other ideas? I want to send you someplace where the hotel is busy. A place that's always active and has proper security. Marik will shy away from that." Ahmose smirked. "And he knows that you would, too. Which is why we should stick you in a nice hotel with good security and plenty of eyes around."

 

Bakura sighed defeated, "Fine…" He wanted to protest but it wouldn't do him much good in all honesty. It was fairly foolproof and all he needed was time to heal before he would go on his marry way…alone. "We should go then." He said giving Ryou a sympathetic look hoping that at least in time Ryou would understand why he was doing this.

 

He slipped the ring off from around his neck and handed it to Ryou who gave him a confused look. "I can't keep it on me, to much energy is around it he'll look for the ring because it's easier to track…keep it safe for me, I'll come back for it." He kissed Ryou's forehead gently

 

Ryou slowly looked down into his little tea cup and sniffled, hanging the Ring around his own neck and Mikado flipped Ahmose his credit card, which the yami pocketed.

 

"Car keys?" The sorcerer asked, and his apprentice replied "My coat pocket." So Ahmose went fishing in Mikado's leather jacket and pulled out the keys. Ahmose ighed and looked back at the sofa, chewing his lip. "Mikado."

 

"Hmm?"

 

"Erase their minds. They cannot know where Bakura is. I will do you when I return." Mikado sighed and nodded.

 

"I can't even know where my yami is?!?" Ryou cried.

 

"Ryou please…" Bakura tried "It's only a matter of time before he comes here and you refusing to tell him won't do, he'd use the rod without thinking twice, if you know where I am so will he. It's safer for both of us this way, he would have no reason to hurt you if you honestly know nothing." He said.

 

Ryou sniffled and looked down.

 

"Don't be too sure..." Mikado said slowly, frowning, and Ahmose nodded, agreeing. "If Marik nearly attacked Malik, his own light... he may possibly try to hurt Ryou in order to lure you out of hiding, Bakura."

 

"That is why we will keep a close eye on Ryou." Ahmose said, turning to Bakura. "Ready?"

 

Bakura glared slightly "You know your not helping me by pointing out the obvious, could you just humor me for a few moments?" Bakura said with an exasperated sigh, he was trying to calm Ryou and that little bit of information didn't help him or Ryou any. "Let's go." He said as they walked out the door.

 

Ahmose led Bakura down the hall of the Apartment building and to the elevator. They got in and rode it down to the parking garage and headed for Mikado's black SUV. They climbed in and Ahmose drove out of the parking garage and headed down town, constantly looking around for a possible tail.

 

"If he's following us Ahmose he would be on his motorcycle, he likes the attention." Bakura said looking out the window absentmindedly rubbing his scalp where Marik had torn his skin. He felt tired already which was rediculious in his mind although there was nothing he could do about it.

 

Ahmose nodded. "But he also claims to have friend's on the streets. It's possible that he has someone watching the apartment, so...." He shrugged and sped up a bit, getting on the high way.

 

"No." Bakura said "This is something he want's to do on his own...not to mention he would never admit to losing anyhting least of all me."

 

Ahmose sighed and nodded, driving a few miles before getting off the highway and heading for the hotel. He pulled up in front and tossed the keys to the valet, then accompanied Bakura in to the front desk.

 

"I need a room for at least a week." He said to the woman.

 

"I shouldn't stay here that long..." Bakura said but stopped when Ahmose gave him a look. He stayed quite, there was a reaosn he avoided places like this. He hated the people, the surrounding staff, the managers, not to mention the diserable itch to rob everyone blind. He was brought out of his thoughts when Ahmose motioned him to follow him to the elevator.

 

"I know what you're thinking." Ahmose said as the elevator closed. "You don't wanna stay that long. You don't like being in such a public place. And seeing all the wealth around you is driving you mad." He turned and fixed an unnerveing glare. "You had better keep your nose clean, Bakura. Do NOT leave your room. At least... not without me." His face softened and he smiled slightly. "I know you won't stay in that room 24/7. So for Ra's sake, if you MUST go down to the bar for a drink wait for me." He chuckled to himself. "We'll do some jell-o shots together and play poker for peanuts."

 

Bakura looked at him curiously "Do i honestly look in the condition to steal anything? If i was i wouldn't be here at all...i thought you were leaving anyway, don't you need to erase Mikado's memory?" Bakura asked

 

Ahmose nodded. "Yes. I'm going to go home and erase their memories, and then head to your place." He sighed and walked out of the elevator when they reached the thirtieth floor. "I got you a full suite with a seperated bedroom and living room, full bath and a kitchen area complete with bar. It's supposed to have a nice view, too."

 

"I'll be here a week Ahmose...i'm not living here." Bakura said shaking his head as they entered the room. Bakura settled down on the couch. He noticed Ahmose getting ready to leave once again. "What will you do if you run into Marik?" He asked.

 

Ahmose sighed and handed Bakura one of the key cards to the door and pocketed the extra. "Try to talk some sense into him..." He said, and headed for the door, calling over his shoulder, "And try not to get killed without killing him!"

 

Bakura frowned and looked at the blue plush carpet on hsi feet. He didn't want Marik to be killed, he wanted him hurt but not so much in a physical way and a part of him wanted Marik to regret. Regret what he had done and say he was sorry, to not sneak around and sleep with others and...Bakura stopped going over to the mini-bar. That wasn't Marik he wasn't that kind of person and Bakura knew that, it was just wishful thinking and he wished their relationship was more than that but Marik would ahve to change for it to be so and it was wrong to ask anyone to change. He took a small bottle of vodka out of the cabinet grabbing a shot glass...he earned a few drinks for tonight.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Ahmose returned to the apartment to find that Mikado had kind of overdone it with the memory erasing. Yugi and Ryou and Yami were all sitting around looking about the place in confusion and couldn't remember their own names. But they would be fine by morning. After giving Mikado a slightly annoyed, slightly amused scolding, he wiped Bakura's location out of Mikado's mind and drove to Bakura's house. He frowned and eyed it as he drove by, noting a light on down stairs. That room had been dark when they removed Bakura from the house earlier.

 

Ahmose drove on and parked around the corner and block away and darted down the street, staying in the shadows, thought he nearly tripped on a cat in one yard. He slipped up the front walk and tried the front door. It was locked. The yami frowned and laid his hand on it, muttering under his breath, and it clicked. He slowly slipped in and closed the door behind him. His eyes glowed as he sensed the power of the Rod in the house; Marik was here. He headed for the stairs.

 

Marik opened his eyes almost immediatly sensing the magic that Ahmose used. He smiled slightly hearing him come up the stairs and into Bakuras room. He shrugged his shoulders and followed Ahmose into the bedroom, Ahmose knew he was there but didn't acknowledge him so Marik took the opportunity to speak.

 

"Here on Bakura's behalf?" He asked calmly, no note of emotion in his voice.

 

Ahmose tensed slightly, but quickly relaxed and went into Bakura's closet, pulling out a duffel bag that turned out to be full of Bakura's... loot. Ahmose quirked an eyebrow, then sighed and rolled his eyes, dumping out countless watches, necklaces, and what not, and began filling it with clothes.

 

"Why did you do it." He said calmly, eyeing a pair of boxers that did NOT seem like Bakura at all... SpongeBob SquarePants. He made a mental note to ask Bakura about them later.

 

Marik frowned "I wasn't about to let him leave me, talking to him wasn't going to cut it....he didn't belive i loved him so i intened to prove it to him." Marik closed the door to the bedroom. "He obviously doesn't understand just yet...tell me Ahmose are you willing to fight me just to keep his whearabouts a secret? How long are you and Yami willing to protect the one's he loves, he can't hide from me forever and neither can they." He leaned against the door lazily

 

Ahmose took a deep sighing breath and turned to face Marik. "Are you really willing to fight me to find someone who wants nothing to do with you? Are you willing to hurt Bakura's hikaru, and your own, just to find out where he is? Because they don't know. No one knows." He frowned and got right up in Marik's face. "No one but me. And we both know that I sure as hell won't tell you."

 

Marik smiled, he knew better than to fight Ahmose, and his rod was in the other room at the moment, and he wasn't even sure if it would be able to effect him. "Nothing to do with me? He carries me everywhere he goes, he won't be forgetting me and by the name of Ra i won't be forgetting him either...sooner or later he'll come to terms with that. Those scars on his back are ment to last, i'll be with him for eternity. Keep your secrets and protect the Hikaris as long as you feel you must from me...He's the one i want in all this and willing or unwilling he still belongs to me."

 

Ahmose glared. "You of all people should know that marks on your back don't make you someone's property. You lost him the moment you raised your hand to him, Marik. You're the only one who can't understand that. He won't forgive you for what you did. None of us will." And he turned to the closet and opened it up, looking for the shoebox Bakura had wanted. He flicked his fingers and it flew down to him (since he was too short to reach it) and he stuffed it into the duffel bag along with Bakura's mismatched socks. He went back to the closet for Bakura's shoes.

 

Marik frowned; even now, he refused to believe that he had lost Bakura. "I know him better than anyone in the world, he may not realize it and apparently neither does anyone else but he will come back to me…it's inevitable because I know he still loves me." Marik walked away at the point leaving Ahmose to gather Bakura's things, he couldn't follow Ahmose the sorcerer wouldn't allow it so for now he would bide his time.

 

Ahmose finished gathering Bakura's things and followed Marik. "Of course he still loves you." He said, pausing on his way to the front door. "But that doesn't change the fact that you have hurt him deeply. Hurt him enough that despite loving you, he no longer wants to be with you. And, in fact, fears you. Think about that." And Ahmose left. Half an hour later, he unlocked Bakura's hotel room with the key card and walked in, eyeing Bakura staring at the television which was showing a porno. But even though he was staring at the screen, the wounded yami obviously wasn't paying any attention.

 

Bakura turned his attention to Ahmose simply to acknowledge his presence, you would think after half a bottle of vodka and a few Malibu's one would feel better but he didn't. It usually made him feel better, although the obvious fact Marik wasn't with him, it was a normal past time watching television and drinking, it never took much to amuse them a good reason why they got along so well, their life was never this complicated before. He sighed turning off the television.

 

"Was he home? Did you talk to him?" Bakura wasn't quite sure why he was asking and blamed his curiosity on the fact he was probably very drunk at the moment, if he wasn't he needed to get to work on that.

 

Ahmose sighed and set the bag down. "He was home. He still insists that you love him, and that you belong to him and that you will see the error of your ways and return to him. I told him he was a moron without actually saying that." The sorcerer summarized.

 

"I'm not so sure he's wrong…" Bakura said looking away yes, he wanted to get away from Marik but he wasn't so sure he could stay away from the other.

 

Ahmose sighed. "What you do is your choice." He said. "I just hope that a settlement between you two can be reached peacefully without harm coming to anyone." He sighed and bowed slightly to Bakura, probably out of habit. "Is there anything else you require of me tonight?"

 

"I'm not Yami, you don't have to act like that around me...and weather you mean to, or not it's kind of creepy." Bakura took the duffle bag and thanked Ahmose before going into his own bedroom.

 

He took out a few things before he got the shoebox. It was dull thing's money, pictures, and a few bracelets that were old and tattered. He needed the money but that's wasn't why he wanted the shoebox he wanted the pendent inside, Marik had gotten it for him…one of the few things that Marik actually bought for him, he even had their names engraved upon it. Bakura never wore it but it did mean a lot to him, and Marik knew it did too…a simple silver chain with their names on either side of the jewel, he loved it and always had it close by. Bakura shook his head putting the pendant inside an envelope and in a last ditch effort to make Marik understand. Yes he loved him, but there were still matters to be resolved between them and he couldn't return to him just yet it would be some time before he would even humor the idea of coming back.

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

Bakura walked through his neighborhood slowly. It had been almost six months since he left Domino. He had a simple job, simple apartment, even a simple boyfriend…. Ahmose kept in touch and more often than he used to which was a good sign that things were okay with everyone in Domino. No one had really heard form Marik in a long time, he moved out and refused to communicate with Malik and no one else really made the effort to speak with him or find out where he went…not that Bakura blamed them, he wouldn't have searched for him either. However, he hated to admit it, he was concerned for the other and there was really nothing he could for him.

 

 

He wasn't far from home, he lived in walking distance of practically everything he needed, work, groceries, even a small mall which he was currently on the way home from it being his day off and having nothing better to do. He took a detour through the park, he usually did on his days off to simply clear his head or just for the silence. He leaned against a park bench looking into the water and running a hand through his hair which and gotten longer in the past few months he had been away. So much had changed and currently he was contemplating returning but at the same time he had a good life going for him here.

 

A sudden tingle ran up Bakura's spine, and his raised his eyes only to see the last person he had expected to see. Marik. He was several yards away, walking in Bakura's direction with his eyes to the ground and clutching a leather leash in his hand, attached to a large rottweiler calmly walking by his side. While the dog was glossy and healthy looking, Marik looked thin and worn, and his clothes were faded and thread bare. The usual gold jewelry that adorned Marik's body was gone now, and the Egyptian looked odd without them. He slowly drew closer, but then twitched and stopped. And slowly, he looked up and met eyes with Bakura.

 

Bakura stood up straight when they met eyes. This was the last thing he expected to happen…apparently Marik had moved somewhere close by which was an unbearable coincidence, Marik couldn't have been looking for him after all they would have met already if he had and right now Marik was just walking his dog not on the prowl.

 

Marik looked just as dumbfounded as Bakura felt at this unexpectedness and Bakura was at a total loss of words for several moments before he finally spoke up.

 

"So this is where you moved too…Malik is worried about you." It was easier to shift a comment about someone else into conversation rather than talk about them.

 

"He's better off without me, I'm sure..." Marik mumbled, lowering his gaze to his scuffed and worn sneakers, which was odd in itself. Marik always wore nice leater boots. But sneakers, torn faded jeans and a t-shirt that was stained and too big for him was... definitely not Marik. Even his hair looked thin and limp, and difintely hadn't been washed in a day or two... But one thing that really caught Bakura's eye was a familiar silver chain around Marik's tan neck.

 

Bakura's gaze softened, obviously Marik had gone into a depressed state of mind and if his appearance wasn't proof of self punishment the pendant was. He hadn't forgotten about him and by wearing the necklace he refused to allow himself too do so. Bakura almost felt guilty that he was doing so well while Marik simply wasn't. Even though he could leave without another word and leave Marik to his misery in contempt he didn't want to.

 

"Why here? You could have stayed in Domino, the other's would have gotten over what happened in time." Bakura said knowing the subject was unavoidable and he felt as if he didn't speak of it now they never would.

 

Marik shrugged. "Uddunuh..." He mumbled to his feet. He was unable to look Bakura in the eye. Over the past six months he had slowly come to the realization that he really had hurt Bakura deeply. He never thought that he and Bakura would split up, and when he finally realized that Bakura had actually left him, it hurt him. His lover didn't trust him... his hikari feared him... and his friends avoided him. Unable to see it day after day, he had left Domino behind, hoping to leave the problems behind. But he knew it would never work. Now he lived in a tiny apartment with his dog as his only companion. He had no friends in this town, and his only aquaintences were his landlord and his boss at the convenience store. And his job barely paid for his apartment and expenses. Once all that was paid for, all he had left was enough money to feed his dog. He himself just ate at the convenience store where he got the food for free... when his boss wasn't looking...

 

Bakura took a step closer to him. "Please Marik…don't be like this, it's not you at all." Bakura said shaking his head seeing Marik like this was almost painful for him someone so proud and arrogant, although it used to be part of his charm, reduced to this. "You don't have to do this to yourself."

 

"Do what?" Marik asked. "It's no less than I deserve, for what I did to you." He said, and the dog, seeing that they might not be going anywhere for a bit, lay down by Marik's side. "I... How have you been?" Marik mumbled.

 

"Don't give me that, and don't change the subject either, there is no need for you to live like this. I'm living a fine life, a job, a purpose even in it's slightest from, and I want you to have the same. I don't…I don't want you to be unhappy…especially not on my account because you regret what happened." Bakura said.

 

"I did something that can't be forgiven." Marik said, finally looking at Bakura. "I'm living the life I deserve. I'm living the best I can...honestly and without being a theif. Beleive me, if I went back to the old ways, I'd be living much better... or I'd be behind bars..." He shrugged carelessly. "Whatever..." He looked away and nothing in particular.

 

Bakura saw so much emotion in Marik's eyes when he finally looked at him in was enough to make him cry…he saw more in that one moment than he had ever seen before in all their times. He walked up to Marik and hugged him; an incredibly strange thing for him to do but it seemed appropriate. "You really are insane Marik, you don't honestly believe I could stay mad at you forever do you? Even if I wanted to I couldn't." He sighed pulling away "Try apologizing and see what happens." Bakura said

 

Marik shook his head, trying to fight back his own tears. "I AM sorry..." He breathed. "And I don't deserve your forgiveness. At all... You deserve so much more than I have given you..."

 

"That's for me to decide, and like I said I can't stay mad at you and I do forgive you Marik. You gave me more than 3000 years of your life, that has quite a bearing on any other relationship." Bakura tilted his head to catch eyes with Marik again and this time they held their gaze.

 

Marik stared at Bakura. "I don't deserve you..." He gasped, unable to accept that Bakura was actually forgiving him! "I don't... I never did... I'm so sorry... I can't beleive I hurt you... and took you for granted like I did... Bakura..." His fingers twitched as he ached to touch his old lover's face.

 

Bakura gave him a gentle smile and took Marik's hand in his own pressing it to his cheek softly. “I missed you…I didn't think I would, but after the first month, I for the first time knew what it was like to be without you, I missed you a lot.”

 

“I missed you too.” Marik said softly trying to hold back a sniffle. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times but nothing came out. After a few moments Marik looked up “What have you been doing?”

 

“Working…I've moved up to a manager's position in a restaurant, it's not much but it's a living.” Bakura knew his outside appearance suggested more but it was the truth. “I live in a little apartment not far from here with my roommate Asami, he works at the restaurant too.” Bakura said Asami was more than his roommate but right now was not the time to bring up such a matter, he wanted to reestablish a relationship with Marik.

 

“Oh.” Marik said after a moment “That's good.” Marik glanced away and fidgeted awkwardly before he straightened up “I still love you.”

 

Bakura's face fell as he let go of Marik's hand but it stayed against his cheek Marik's thumb gently caressing him as his other hand reached up to cup Bakura's face as he gently pulled Bakura closer to him and pressed his forehead against the other's. Bakura placed his hands against Marik's he could easily hear the other's heart racing. He wanted to kiss Marik but he wouldn't, he wouldn't be the one to cheat on his boyfriend especially not with Marik.

 

“I'm sorry.” Bakura said pulling away. “I do love you, I love you so much but I can't just…” Bakrua stopped seeing an expression of understanding crossing Marik's features.

 

“I know… I understand. I want to be with you again, but… I know that you will need time.” He smiled and stepped away from Bakura, giving him his space. “I'll give you as long as you need, Bakura. You know I will. I'll wait as long as I have to and…hope that some day you can find yourself ready to consider giving me another chance…”

 

Bakura smiled “Things have changed.” Bakura stated simply and sighed “Let's get a drink.”