He purposefully avoided the question. “Jou? He’s decided to quit his wandering ways and find a guy he likes to settle down with a little?” Hon-da smiled slightly. “Hardly. Jou, settle down and leave Seth unconquered? You must be joking.” Devin gave him a matching smile. “How stupid of me.” He leaned causally back against the wall and looked at him blandly. Hon-da groaned, realizing what he was doing. “You’re killing me, beautiful. Would you answer the question already?” Devin broke into a grin. “You already know your answer, Hon-da.” The guard grinned himself and wrapped his arm around Devin, pulling him into a deep kiss. ~*~ Duke murmured something and tightened his arm around Joey. The sleeping blond replied in kind, pulling him closer and wrapping both arms around him, holding him tightly. They slept that way until morning. ~*~ “So’d you tell your parents?” Joey asked as he and Duke met up with Tristan on the way to school. Duke kissed him before he could answer, then set him free and walked between them, one arm around each of them. “Yeah…” Tristan said, putting the arm that wasn’t encircling Duke up to scratch at the back of his head. “They didn’t take it so well… I think my mom’ll speak to me again in a few days…” Duke leaned up to kiss him. “Sorry, Hon-da… Do you think it would help if Jou and I talked to them?” “No.” The answer was immediate, and followed by a little laugh. “No, that would definitely not help. But they’ll get over it. And now I have you two…” He grinned, and leaned in front of Duke to kiss Joey. “Actually,” he continued, “my life’s pretty good right now…” He smiled. Yugi grinned as well when he saw the three of them walk in together, though it looked as though they had decided to keep it quiet, at least at school, and weren’t holding hands or kissing or anything. Then he saw Seto Kaiba glaring at them and remembered his plan. He had to tell Joey… He also saw Ryou and Marik speaking quietly together. Scheming, he had no doubt. He had no idea what they were trying to plan, but Ryou was looking much better than he had been, so he decided to leave them alone. Plus, lately, he had become a great fan of scheming. He’d come to find that it was fun to pull the wool over people’s eyes, at least when it was in a good cause. He’d never do it maliciously, after all, and he was sure that they wouldn’t either. It was probably just something fun and harmless. Then the bell rang, and Yugi's people-watching activities were quickly halted as he ran for class with his friends. ~*~ “Will it work?” Ryou asked nervously. Marik smiled reassuringly. “Sure it will. Of course it will.” “You don’t sound very sure of yourself…” He shrugged. “It might not work, but I’m hoping it will. Okay?” Ryou nodded, forced to be satisfied with that. They were hoping it would work, they were praying it would work, but that had absolutely no guarantees. “I’d better go then…” he said, looking down the street. “He gets suspicious if I’m late coming home from school…” “All right,” Marik said, and kissed him. “If all goes as planned, I’ll see you in about an hour.” “All right.” Ryou quickly ran off down the street, hoping his yami wouldn’t be angry with him… Bakura was waiting for him as he got home, glaring at the door from his position sprawled on the couch with his arms crossed. Ryou didn’t quite meet his gaze, still afraid of him. “You’re late,” was all Bakura said. “I’m sorry,” Ryou told him quietly. “I was talking to my friends.” Bakura said nothing, just glared at him unblinkingly as he hurriedly took his school bag to his room. Ryou could feel his eyes boring into his back as he climbed the stairs and fought the urge to flinch guiltily. He returned to find Bakura still staring angrily at him. He took a deep breath and tried to put their plan into action, though he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach that told him that it wasn’t going to happen. “Marik and I got paired together for a project in school…” he began. His yami’s eyes narrowed, and he hurried on. “I have to go to his house to work on it with him…” “No.” Bakura’s voice was cold and hard, brooking no argument. “His yami will be there…” he pleaded. “We won’t be alone…” “No.” “Please, my grade depends on it! You can come to and keep an eye on us –” Bakura stood up and hit him, knocking him to the floor, his hair falling over his face. “Do I look like I care about your pathetic grade, baka? I said ‘no’ – what part of that do you not understand?” His eyes were angry, cold, far away where Ryou felt that he wouldn’t be able to reach him… His hikari just looked up at him. “Please… I won’t even leave your sight…” Bakura just glared at him, and Ryou panicked; it wasn’t going to work. All of their planning and work would be for nothing… “Please…” “Until you can prove your loyalty to me, you won’t see him.” He stepped around his hikari and walked away. Ryou turned to follow him, still on his knees. “How am I supposed to prove my loyalty to you if I’m not allowed to leave?” Bakura looked down at him over his shoulder. “That’s your problem.” The pale hikari suddenly stood up and showed an uncustomary amount of initiative by kissing his yami passionately, holding onto him almost desperately and pressing his body to his. “I am loyal to you, Bakura,” he said earnestly, looking up at him, still holding onto him. Bakura looked down into his wide, honest eyes, not entirely certain when his arms got wrapped around him but content to let them remain that way. He saw no lie in those eyes and slowly let him go, considering. “You’re not leaving my sight,” he said dismissively. Ryou smiled shyly at him in gratitude. “Thank you, yami.” Bakura waved him off, and they soon left, Ryou walking nervously beside his yami. Marik answered the door and let them in without a word. He looked warily at Bakura and barely looked at Ryou at all. He was just as nervous as Ryou; if they messed this up, they probably wouldn’t be spared this time. Marik wordlessly handed Bakura a soda and his yami a fresh one, a well-trained little hikari, and sat with Ryou on the couch to pretend to work. Malik was about to take his first drink from his fresh bottle, but stopped and sniffed inconspicuously at it. He detected a very faint odor that he recognized immediately; he had told Yugi that the aphrodisiac was nearly undetectable unless one was intimately familiar with it – but he was intimately familiar with it. ::Foolish hikaris:: he sent to Marik. ::What made you think I wouldn’t know?:: Marik turned paler than Ryou under his tanned skin. He looked at the other hikari and mouthed ‘He knows…’ Ryou flinched, his eyes darting toward the yamis. Malik started to warn Bakura, so that they could punish their Lights together. “Don’t –” he started, but Bakura was already drinking. Malik paused, then smirked slightly, a smile that would have frightened most who saw it. Bakura removed the bottle from his mouth. “Don’t what?” he asked somewhat combatively. Malik smiled slightly. “Never mind.” Bakura looked at him warily and took another drink, looking back at the hikaris on the couch, glaring slightly at them. They continued pretending to work, though they couldn’t concentrate. Ryou kept looking up at Bakura through his hair. “I don’t think it’s working,” he whispered. Marik just shook his head; he was wondering why Malik wasn’t killing him right now. Bakura took another drink and looked at Malik. The Egyptian yami grinned a little evilly at him. Bakura lunged forward and tried to kiss him as the aphrodisiac suddenly kicked in, but Malik pushed him away. Bakura growled dangerously low in his throat and tried to grab him again. Malik grabbed his wrist in one hand and buried the other in Bakura’s hair, pulling his head back and biting at his throat. He growled again. “But Malik didn’t drink any…” Ryou said quietly as he watched him force his yami into submission, bending him backward over the table and still biting at his neck. ::Don’t worry,:: the yami said in Marik’s mind. ::You will be punished, little hikaris… after this…:: “He said we’ll be punished…” Marik said quietly. “…I know…” Ryou told him. “I heard him…” Marik looked at his pale companion, startled, but Ryou’s eyes were glued to the scene in front of them, half in fear, half in… fascination? Bakura growled again and tried to shove Malik over so that he could be dominant, but Malik, his mind unclouded by the potion, managed to keep him down, and kissed him roughly, forcing him to submit to him. Bakura gave in, the aphrodisiac in his blood forcing his body to seek out sexual pleasure any way he could get it, though he would despise both himself and Malik later for putting him in this position. Malik invaded his mouth, holding his wrists down with his hands pressed against the table and holding his body immobile with his own, making sure that Bakura couldn’t fight him. Bakura wanted to; he  didn’t want to give in to the bigger, stronger yami on top of him, but his body had its own ideas, as it arched against Malik's, pressing their erections erotically together. The bigger yami growled quietly, dangerously, and ripped his shirt off. Bakura pulled his hands free of Malik’s and pulled the other yami’s shirt off as well, but before he could do more Malik trapped both of his hands again, pressing him into the table beneath them. He bit at the junction of Bakura’s neck and shoulder, drawing blood that he licked away slowly. Bakura growled and struggled against him, but Malik just bit him again to silence him. He moved to his neck, biting and sucking to leave a dark mark on his paler skin. Bakura tilted his head back again his will, giving Malik access. He took it, biting at the pulse point, making Bakura growl again. His goal was to make Bakura make a less aggressive noise, but he doubted Bakura would moan for him, even under the influence of his powerful aphrodisiac. He had always wanted Bakura, since Egypt, wanted to take that arrogant, unyielding little prick and make him submit to him; he was pleased, secretly, that his hikari had taken it upon himself to be so devious. However, there would still be punishment to be dealt later for trying to manipulate him, simply on principle, even if he was satisfied with the results. Bakura growled and pulled against him, trying to pull his hands free. Malik growled at him threateningly, drawing blood as he bit his collarbone. Bakura unwillingly arched against him again, making Malik smile, not kindly at all. He pulled Bakura's arms over his head to hold both wrists with one hand. Bakura pulled against him, but Malik bit him again to still him. His other hand fell down to open Bakura’s pants. Bakura moved against him, not really trying to pull away from him right at that moment. Malik pushed his pants and underwear down to his knees, and they slid to the floor. Bakura suddenly pulled against him, trying to pull out of his grip again. He did not want to be submissive to Malik – he would rather forego the sex altogether than be submissive to Malik. The other yami wouldn’t let him go, however, though he pulled with al of his not-in formidable strength against him. He glared and snarled at Malik and pushed against him with his Shadow Magic, but Malik stifled his magic as well. Then it hit Bakura: Malik was not playing. He was going to o this whether he wanted it or not, and there was nothing he could do to stop him. Malik could just overpower him, and if he tried to fight him, he would just force him. He had never hated anyone more in his life. Malik kissed him again, and Bakura saw very clearly with a sudden flash of insight that he had a choice; he could either fight and have Malik rape him against his will, or he could go with it and be Malik’s willing partner in this. His body, the utter lust clouding his mind, chose for him, as Malik rubbed against his body. His growl of lust was almost a moan, and he arched against him with no conscious thought. Even if he’d decided to fight, he couldn’t have. The feel of Malik’s bare chest against his sent fiery shivers racing through his body. The dull pain and the smell of blood from the bites Malik had given him sent his arousal up another notch. Even Malik’s kiss – he very rarely allowed anyone access to his mouth, but now he had no choice, and his body refused to hate it. Ryou could vaguely feel all of this going through Bakura’s mind, and he felt the absurd urge to try to protect him. Marik put a hand on his, though, and he stayed put, his eyes glued to the scene after a quick glance at Marik. The yamis were completely unaware of their hikaris in a position to watch them, and they wouldn’t have cared if they had. Malik opened his pants, biting at Bakura’s chest, and pulled out his rock-hard erection. Bakura fought back again as he felt it touch him, snarling, and pushed up against him. He would not allow Malik to be inside of him – he had never been entered by anyone, and he intended it to stay that way. He would never allow that indignity. Malik growled and bit him, hard, drawing more blood and causing a sharp spike of pain to shoot through him. It was at that moment when he was briefly immobilized that Malik entered him, forcing his way inside him. Bakura silently threw his head back, teeth clenched tightly together in pain. Malik didn’t give him time to adjust, immediately thrusting in and burying himself within him. The pain was unbearable for Bakura, and the humiliation, but he gritted his teeth and tried to convince himself that this way by his choice. Malik bit at him again and repeated his thrust. Soon the pain faded and Bakura found that the sensation was actually pleasurable. He thrust down against Malik, forcing him to go deeper. It hurt, but it also felt good. He silently thrust down against him, matching his quick rhythm as best he could. He needed more… He moaned quietly as it became too much and he came. Malik bit into his neck as he released into him, a couple thrusts later. He still didn’t let him go, even after they were finished. :: What do the Lights have to do with this? :: Bakura asked Malik, looking up into his face, not even entirely realizing that he was speaking telepathically. :: Why do they deserve punishment? :: :: They planned for this to happen, :: he told him. :: They engineered it, by putting an aphrodisiac in the sodas. :: Bakura’s eyes narrowed. :: You didn’t drink any. :: Malik smirked a little evilly. “That is neither here nor there.” Bakura angrily shoved him away. “Get off of me.” He winced slightly as Malik pulled his slack member out of him, then reached for his clothes. Ryou looked away, blushing furiously. “That was hot…” he admitted in a hoarse whisper to Marik. The Egyptian was a little surprised to hear that from Ryou, of all people, but he couldn’t help but agree that it had been, indeed, hot, and kept both his surprise and his opinion to himself. Bakura touched the last deep bite on his neck and licked the blood away from his fingers as he buttoned his shirt halfway up, then turned angrily to Malik. “That will never happen again,” he said harshly. Malik smiled slightly, sitting in his chair again. “Of course not.” He seemed disconcertingly as though he knew something Bakura didn’t, which irritated the paler spirit. Malik went on to say “You and your hikari should move in here.” “I don’t think so.” The Egyptian jerked his chin toward the hikaris. “Look at that.” Bakura did as he was instructed, looking over to find Ryou blushing, Marik looking at him with one hand on one of his. “I assume that’s why they manipulated us into doing that.” “Me, not us. You did that by choice.” Bakura’s voice held a slight undertone of anger, beneath the cool calmness, and Malik smiled a little, though Bakura couldn’t see him. However, this time, Bakura was not consumed with rage at the sight of the two hikaris like that. Actually, they looked quite cute, in a very sexy kind of way; it seemed… right. “Ryou,” he snapped, walking toward the door. Ryou immediately hopped up and followed him, letting go of Marik without a second thought, and they left. Malik turned to his hikari, still sitting at the table. Marik flinched away from his gaze. “Come here, Marik,” he said, his voice almost kind. The hikari was terrified, but did as he was told. “Down.” Marik obediently sank to his knees in front of him and looked up into his face. “You should know better than to try to manipulate me, little Light. That was very foolish of you.” Marik swallowed around a hard lump in his throat. “But, since it didn’t work and I approve of the results, I’m going to go easy on you.” He looked calmly down at Marik. “I want you to take a vacation in the Shadow Realm now and think about what you did.” For a split second, Marik’s eyes got wide with fear, then his face went completely blank, his eyes dull. Malik smiled slowly, then stood up and stretched, He was tired. He slowly climbed the stairs to his room, leaving the soulless body of his hikari kneeling there. ~*~ Baku kicked Raio in the face as he knelt in the sand. “You are MY slave!” he yelled at him. “You have no business consorting with some half-trained sorcerer! I should kill you for this – you and the sorcerer!” “You will not touch Marik.” Baku looked up to find a tall white-haired sorcerer materializing out of the night. – the mentor of the little magic-user he’d found Raio with. “In fact,” the sorcerer continued, “I don’t think you should kill your slave, either, though that’s entirely up to you.” The thief sneered. “Where’s your little shadow – afraid I’ll kill him anyway?” “He’s being punished,” he said. He snapped his fingers and the boy walked out of the night, his eyes blankly staring at the ground before his feet. “Marik - !” Raio said quietly. Baku kicked him in the face again. “Why are you here?” he demanded. “I’m proposing an alliance,” the sorcerer said. “A good thief is always useful – and two would be even more so.” He indicated Raio. “Whereas a good thief is only made better by the addition of magic. Imagine the places you could get into with our powers.’ Baku paused. He was right – he and Raio could do so much more with a sorcerer by their side. “What are you getting out of this?” “A share of your profits, of course. Half.” “Half? That’s unrealistic, sorcerer. We’ll be doing all the work.” “But you need us more than we need you.” Baku thought it over. “Fine,” he said finally. “Do you have a name?” The sorcerer smiled thinly. “Malik.”     ~*~ To Be Continued...