Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Darkness and the Light ❯ The Darkness and the Light ( Chapter 1 )

~ The Darkness and the Light ~

~ One-shot by millenniumspirit and _yami_no_marik ~

Pairing: Marik/Malik

Rating: PG-13, because there isn't any `action' or kissing, just a bit of swearing.

Brief A/N: On livejournal, one of my friends and I started our own `scenario' for Marik and Malik, and it turned into a fanfic, so… Here it is!

((We're working on a sequel))

((It's a loonngg one-shot))

((I wrote the Malik section, and she wrote the Marik section. Malik is the lighter, and Marik is the darker))

~ Marik ~

Yami Marik lounged around where he sat atop a building. He supposed his Hikari was looking for him.

'Oh well, he'll find me. Eventually, even if it takes him a few days or so,' he thought. He felt that there was no point making it any easier, besides, he was feeling lazy.

The power was running again, thankfully, without glitches.

But there was something wrong, he would usually have been celebrating by now, or plotting more, but somehow he felt.... to put it plainly, he didn't feel like cause more mayhem.

He knew why it was so, he was built on hate and anger, and his Hikari was learning not to hate that easily. In a sentence, he was fading, his power was fading, because his Hikari did not hate so much anymore. As yet, he was still a spirit with no body, he did not know what was going to happen in the future, he could disappear, he may not, he honestly did not know (perhaps the only honest thing he knew).

A few months back, he would have gladly done something to make his Hikari hate again, such that he would have the power. But now, he did not. He did not know when, but somehow, it seemed that he had made up his mind not to give his Hikari anymore trouble, and it could be that he might even have to disappear for that to happen.

~ Malik ~

Malik's eyes widened, and he narrowly managed to dodge the person that was in front of him. Letting out a sigh of relief, he watched, in the mirror of his motorcycle, as Kaiba's younger brother disappeared from view.

'Close call,' he thought, slowing down to a stop near the park. A few more seconds and Mokuba would have been a pancake, and Kaiba Seto would be after his blood.

Shivering, despite the warm air, Malik took a seat on the grass under a tall, willow tree.

What worried him more, however, were the emotions he had felt a split second before he noticed Mokuba. He was sure those weren't his feelings, so that meant it could only be one person's: Marik.

But why? Why did his darker half feel so...sad? Malik couldn't find any other way to describe it. His darker half wasn't acting his usual self...Malik was betting anything that Marik would still be laughing over everyone's panic...But he wasn't.

He had...changed. Marik wasn't the same psychotic bastard that had been born out of his hate...He was...more than that, now. Marik was...part of him, right? So...

Malik curled himself into a small ball, just lying there on the soft grass, enjoying the feeling of the soft grass dancing across his back. "So...Why does it feel like we're drifting apart?" Malik absently put one hand over his heart.

"It hurts, sometimes, when I try and contact him with out link...Sometimes I get the feeling he wants to shut me out..."

A crystalline tear fell down the side of the Egyptian's face.
He frowned in dismay. "Oh, Ra! I'm acting like a pitiful, weak mortal! I can't be seen crying! And if Marik hears about this..." Malik trailed off.

Minutes passed, but still he didn't make a move to wipe the tears away. It was only the chilly breeze that alerted him how much time had passed while he had been absorbed in his thoughts.

"Oh, crap. It's nine now, and I still haven't found Yami yet..." Malik hurried to his motorcycle, and jumped on.

'If I were Marik, and Yuugi was after my blood because I nearly killed his grandfather…, where would I go?' Malik pondered a bit, and then his eyes lit up. "Of course! That building!"

~ Marik ~

Marik suddenly looked up in shock, but his look of shock quickly turned to disbelief and later anger.

"You....Yarou, it's too early yet. You can't get me now, not while I still have a place and duty here."

The mysterious shadow chuckled.

"You put us there, now it's our turn."

Marik narrowed his eyes and glared at the shadow. Suddenly he felt something.

---

*Yami! Yami! Where are you?!*

---

Malik! His Hikari was looking for him. He couldn't, he wouldn't let his Hikari get in trouble again.

Marik turned his attention back to the shadow standing, or rather hovering before him.

"Yarou....you planned this. I won't let you hurt him! We'll deal with this later at a different time in a different place. You know what I mean, now begone."

"Of course, Marik", the shadow said in a mocking tone, in a sweeping bow and left, his chuckle echoing through the empty night, and also Marik's empty soul.

He sighed. It was inevitable, sooner or later, they would have come. He knew that they had been waiting for it to happen. He clenched his fist in anger. He knew what they were up to.

"Yami!"

Marik spun around abruptly, eyes widening. Oh shit...

Behind him, his Hikari stood wide-eyed as well.

Had he seen it all?

~ Malik ~

Malik continued to stare at Marik, but suddenly looked down, shuddering a bit. "Yami?" he asked hesitantly. "What was that person talking about?" He looked up at his darker half.

"He...seems so scary, Yami." Malik bit his lower lip.

There was no answer from his darker half.

"Um... If you want, I'll give you a ride home." Malik gestured towards his motorcycle.
*After all, it is rather chilly. And now that you have your own physical body, I can't stop you from getting sick.*

Malik tossed Marik a spare helmet. "Hop on."

It was obvious that whatever had just happened, Marik did not want to talk about it...Not yet, at least.

~ Marik ~
Marik kept silent the entire way back, his mind still dwelt on the shadow entity that came looking for him. Whatever that happened, he knew, one way or the other, he would be gone soon, this time, however, he was unsure if he would be able to return.

He looked at his hand, though it still retained it's original 'tan', it looked as if it lacked solidity. His Hikari was wrong about one thing, he had his body, but his body was not 'real'.

He was a spirit by nature, not like Bakura or Yami, his body was only fueled by his powers, which were now fading. Bit by bit, he could feel it fading. Soon, he wouldn't be able to sustain his form...

He couldn't let that happen, he wouldn't. Those shadows were ruthless, they ruled over fear, and fear is the most powerful power of them all.... they wouldn't stop at destroying him, they would get those who he lo was close too, and as of that point in time, it was definitely Malik.

He would confront them soon…very soon. He was going to disappear anyway, but if so...he would bring them down with him.

As they continued their journey home, Marik noticed that it was starting to drizzle. The dark sky was crying, but was it crying for joy or was it crying in sadness.... It was then that he realised that his Hikari had been crying.

*Hikari....why were you crying?* His 'shock' shielding out his 'concern' in his mind voice.

~ Malik ~
Malik paused, eyes widening. 'Oh, Ra, how did Yami know I was crying?' The Egyptian was sure that Marik couldn't have known...After all, he had blocked him, hadn't he?

*Um... No reason,* Malik answered, fidgeting a bit. *I just...*

A million answers whirled around his head. The main one, however, scared himself the most.

'I want to know you, yami. Yuugi and Yami get along, and even Bakura and Ryou have some sort of relation... But, we haven't really... I...used to think that I hated you... But now... Every time I'm around you... Everything changes...'

Malik mentally slapped himself. There was no way his Yami would stand for that kind of talk...Right?

'No,' he thought to himself. 'Yami...wouldn't. He'd hate me even more, and I don't want that to happen...'

Malik's mind voice suddenly became harsh.

*No reason. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to get us home and out of the damn rain. Besides, I won't answer your question if you don't answer mine.*

*******

The rest of the ride home was silent. *We're here,* Malik announced, pulling into the garage.
He went inside, and looked at his Yami, a slight smile on his face.

*Dear Ra, you should look at your hair...*

~ Marik ~
Marik stalked into the house, ignoring Malik's comment and walked right up the stairs, his left hand, well, what was still visible of his left hand, stuck in his pocket.

His mind was clouded with worry and doubt, something he was sure Bakura would have a laughing fit at if he knew. Worries about the shadows, worries about his fading power, worries about everything, but especially worries about his Hikari.

But...why was he worrying about how his Hikari would take it? Malik wouldn't care would he?

'He would be happy...that I'm finally gone...since I appeared, all I've done for him was to wreck his life...I set him down the wrong path when I came...he's alone because of me. So, he'd be happy, wouldn't he?'

Marik shut the door of his room behind him and leaned against it, shutting his eyes in frustration.

'Is everything I do wrong, I've tried to change...but still, no matter what I do...it's a failure...I am weak...I am a fool...maybe it's better if I went after all...'

And surrounded by all of his thoughts, Marik completely forgot that he had not blocked the mind link...

~ Malik ~
Malik watched as his Yami ascended the stairs, without even bothering to say anything, let alone acknowledge his hikari's presence.

The strange thing was that Marik's left hand was in his pocket, something the Yami hated doing. 'I wonder what's wrong,' Malik thought, heading towards the kitchen.

A glass of water would do his Yami good...Well, actually, a couple of people for him to torture would be even better...

Letting out a sigh of frustration, Malik grabbed a cup from the cabinet, and filled it up. He was halfway upstairs when his Yami's voice filled his head.

'He would be happy...that I'm finally gone...since I appeared, all I've done for him was to wreck his life...I set him down the wrong path when I came...he's alone because of me. So, he'd be happy, wouldn't he?'

'Is everything I do wrong, I've tried to change...but still, no matter what I do...it's a failure...I am weak...I am a fool...maybe it's better if I went after all...'

Malik clutched his head, bending over. His Yami...those thoughts... Malik suddenly realized...understood...

Wait. His Yami was leaving?! That, that couldn't happening! Marik...wasn't acting like the one Malik was so used to...The one Malik felt should be gone forever...

But now... Malik didn't WANT to lose his Yami...Marik was...Important to him...

"Marik!" Malik flung open his Yami's door, causing Marik to go staggering. "Yami!" Malik hugged his Yami, tight, burying his face in Marik's cloak.

*Please don't leave! Whatever's going on...I'll help! I'll...I'll do anything, Yami! Just don't leave me...Please!*

~ Marik ~
Marik spun around (though it was kind of hard since something was holding him in a death grip), in shock for the second time that day, looked down at the Hikari latched around his waist.

*Please don't leave! Whatever's going on...I'll help! I'll...I'll do anything, Yami! Just don't leave me...Please!*

'What is he talking about? How did he find out?!'

Realisation dawned upon him...the mind-link, he had not turned off the link...

But his mind wasn't on that anymore, instead it hovered over what his Hikari, or what he thought he head his Hikari say.

'He wants me to stay? But why...? I've caused nothing but pain to him...why?'

Absently, he put his arms around his Hikari, it felt awkward for him, considering that he had never felt the need to hug anyone.

No...he couldn't do this, if his Hikari thought that he wanted to leave, he wouldn't stop him would he? It would be better for both of them that way.

*I...you can't help me.* Marik's mind voice thought flatly, as he pushed his Hikari away. *You can't do anything for me, besides, how would you know if I wanted to leave myself? I have no obligations to you.*

With that, Marik left the room, taking the faster way by jumping out of the window. And as he disappeared into the night, he vaguely felt tears rolling down his tan cheeks.

He had to find them soon.

~ Malik ~
Malik watched, stunned, as his Yami exited the house through the window. "Yami..."

What had he done? Didn't his yami understand?! Understand that he just wanted to help, he didn't want his Yami to leave...To disappear...

And what did he mean by having no obligations?! He was the one who had banished his father, he was the one that had made everyone hate him, he had RUINED his life... Didn't that mean something? And didn't Marik know? Didn't he know how Malik felt... Towards him?

"Marik," Malik whispered, sliding down the wall in defeat. "You... You kisama! You can't just run away! You...You can't..." His voice died down to a hoarse whisper. And so, for the second time today, Malik cried.

**********

'Fine then. Go ahead. Do what ever you want. See if I care. I don't give a heck happens to you. As far as I'm concerned, you don't matter... You-' Malik choked on his tears, his heart ripping apart inside him.

'Can't you understand... That... You mean more to me than anything! You can't go and get yourself in trouble... Especially with that shadow freak! I swear..." Clenching his fists, Malik glanced, determined, at his own reflection.

'I'll find you, Marik. And I'll make sure to tell me everything...' Malik's eyes narrowed.

'Everything.'

*****

"So..." Malik thought out loud, glancing around at his surroundings.

He was back at the pier, one dock away from the place where he had forced Yuugi and Jounouchi to duel, a while back... Before his Yami had entered the picture.

Propping his motorcycle against a crate, Malik took a seat next to it, enjoying the cold, chilly breeze that blew through his hair and cooled his tanned face.

"Marik..." Malik closed his eyes, and stood up, because he felt like it. His Yami had run off somewhere, and Malik was sure that this time, Marik wouldn't give him any clue where he was... And Malik himself had run out of leads.

Malik was intent on his thoughts that he didn't notice the thing behind him... Until it was too late...

~ Marik ~
Marik sat on the same building he had been earlier on, looking up at the night sky. Usually, it was occupied by dancing stars that shone fiercely. He laughed, but his laugh was empty, hollow.

Stars were a mockery, what we see in the sky was the past. It was a ghost of the past...like him...he was made of the past, the anger of the past, the pain.

The shadows were coming. He could feel them coming, soon. Soon, he'd be gone. Then it would all end, and his Hikari would be free.

He looked at the sky, it felt wrong. It was not the passing of clouds as he had thought before...it was empty, void. Something was definitely wrong. The shadows had come...but where...they were not anywhere near him. What was going on?

Suddenly, a stab of urgency and panic coursed through his mind, embedding itself in the darkness, refusing to leave. Malik!

Something had happened to his Hikari! He tried to use the link to locate him, but something was blocking him...the shadows...the shadows had come...they were after Malik!

He had to go, but where? *where would he be?*

He searched his memories, or rather his Hikari's memories.

Battle....

His Hikari screaming while his father cut patterns into his back...

The most painful one...

Seeing his dead father...

Betrayal, turning one against another.

Learning about The Pharaoh....eternal curse...

Turning friends against each other

He winced in pain as a blinding flash of light erupted in his mind, temporarily blinding his mind-sight.

THE PIER, his Hikari was at the Pier!

Marik looked down the side of the building. It was going to hurt, but...his Hikari was in trouble..

Bracing himself, Marik jumped off the 16 story building. Heck, shadow powers were handy at times like these.

*Hikari...I'm coming...please be alright...* Marik pleaded silently as he sprinted through the streets in the middle of the night.

~ Malik ~

"Le-Let go of me! LET GO OF ME, DAMMIT!" Malik tried pushing the attackers of, but to no avail. They circled closer around of, the leader, Malik assumed, still gripping the struggling boy harshly.

The shadows' leader smirked devilishly, bringing his lips close to Malik's ear, whispering softly in it, but his voice reeked of cruelty and hate. "Now, now. You stand here quietly, and he'll come soon..."

"He?" Malik abandoned his fight for a moment. "Who's he? Oh, I know! You have a boss monkey, don't you? And here I thought you were the frickin' weirdo."

A sensation that someone had just slapped him, hard, passed on his left cheek, and it turned a slight red.

Everyone, excluding Malik, laughed harshly.

"Not quite, not quite," the leader said, twisting Malik's left arm, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Your body is just so fragile," the leader mused, repeating what he had just done, and earning another cry of pain...But this time, it was different...

"MARIK! YAMI! HELP!" Malik screamed to the sky, tears falling down his cheeks. He was so foolish... There was no way his Yami would be coming... After all, he had driven Marik away...

Wait. His mind link. Perhaps... Just maybe, Marik might be willing... Just to...
*Yam-* A searing pain flashed through his skull, and Malik fell limp.
"Yami..."

~ Marik ~
The night was silent accept for some loud music playing at a party somewhere around the area. Usually, Marik would have taken time to crash it, scare everyone out of their wits, then go on a massive torture spree. This time, however, he barely noticed the music as all that was on his mind was 'go to Malik'.

Taking all the shortcuts he knew, he ran as fast as he could to the pier. Shadow powers, he refused to use, because he needed all he could muster when he fought the shadows.

As he was running, the music faded behind him, he rounded a corner and almost crashed into boxes. Doing a somersault and landing squarely on his feet on the other side of the boxes, he kept running. Almost there...

Suddenly, a shriek pierced the sky, the birds which had settled down on their various resting places leapt up into the sky, clouding it further.

"MARIK! YAMI! HELP!"

It was Malik!

'Shit!' Marik cursed, they had gotten to him already...

'No...!Please let him be alright!'

As he reached the edge of the pier, he did not slow down, dodging all the scattered boxes and rubbish.

*Yam-* the mind link? But…it was down wasn't it? `Never mind, I'll try anything'

*Malik? Hikari? MALIK?!* No response.

No….no….what did they do to him….

He rounded another corner and finally reached his destination. The first thing that caught his eye was his Hikari, slumped, eye's open, but glazed over.

Malik…no…

`My Hikari…'

Anger flooded his body, how dare they touch his Hikari, their feud was with him, not his Hikari! He screamed into the night sky.

"YOU! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! I TOLD YOU I WOULD SETTLE IT WITH YOU! WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO MY HIKARI!?"

He focused all his anger on the shadows. There were five of them, fine, so he wanted to bring his useless lackeys along. He'd fight fear with hatred. Hatred fueled by them. They had just made a wrong move…

The shadows laughed cruelly.

"Concerned about him? You've become weak since we last saw you Marik…This time, we'll win. And you? You'd be gone FOREVER."

They laughed mirthlessly, coldly.

Marik's eye narrowed dangerously, they were up to something.

"Fine, let's play a shadow game then, it is only fitting." Holding his millennium rod out before him, he focused as a dark shroud of emptiness surrounded them. The games had begun.

He looked at his Hikari in the corner, silently promising him that he'd get him out of it. Sadly, he thought, `It's ironic how I wish I could say goodbye…'

Focusing himself back to the situation at hand, he growled. So it had begun…

The shadows each summoned a monster from the shadow realm. So, they wanted to do it the old way? Well, he had no qualms. My Hikari…. the grave-keepers.

Marik smirked. This is going to be fun.

Over ten minutes, Marik's grave-keepers were all destroyed by the stronger dark powers of the shadows, one of them had already been eliminated. But the others did not care, that was how they operated, they had no friends.

"Well Marik? It seems that you have lost your…touch? Grave-keepers? Weaklings, next one will be you!"

The four called upon their monster to attack, their powers surging and combining as it was channeled towards Marik. Ten grave-keepers, the Ten dark ones, just enough…

The shadows watched as the dark energy surrounded Marik, swirling around him. As it cleared, they watched in satisfaction. Turning, they laughed.

"I find it amusing that you think it is over." Marik's body was almost totally transparent then, he had little power left, this would be his last chance.

"Wha…" The shadows started. But their question was soon answered. A large demon hovered in front of Marik, as their monsters slowly dissipated to nothing.

"Chaos Necromancer. It draws it's power from the graveyard. It is the god of the Grave-keepers."

Summoning his last bits of strength, Marik sent the dark energy towards the shadows. A necromancer brings back the undead, but the shadows were fear, while the undead had not emotions, they over-powered fear.

The shrieks of agony echoed within the boundless walls of the shadow realm. The shadows disappeared without a trace, gone to stay.

As the Shadow left, the game ended and the surroundings returned to normal. Marik fell to his knees, he was drained. He collapsed and gave a half-smile. He was going now…as his body touched the ground, he felt power slowly drain out of him. It was only a matter of time…

*Goodbye, my Hikari…I'm sorry they had to hurt you*

~ Malik ~
'Where...Where am I?'

It was empty. Everything was empty. He could feel nothing... And nothing could feel him...

It was so cold. It sent shivers down his spine. It felt like Hell had frozen over... And a hundred times more...

Everything... Nothing... None of those mattered to him... All that mattered...

Marik.

It began as a whisper, echoing throughout his head, then increased in speed, the words coursing through his mind like a mantra. Marik, Marik, Marik, Marik, Marik...

Images of his Yami flooded through his mind... Marik smirking, cackling, wearing the same psychotic look he usually had on his face when he dueled...

Malik's eyes snapped open as Marik's thoughts entered his mind...

*Goodbye, my Hikari…I'm sorry they had to hurt you*

Hurt?... The recent experience flooded through his mind. The shadows... His call for help... How the mind link had been severed...

Turning around, he saw his Yami...smiling... For the first time ever...
It was then that Malik learned... Malik knew... He couldn't lose his Yami.

"Marik!" Ignoring the pain coursing through his arm, Malik hurried over to Marik's side, watching as his Yami's body began to fade...

"Yami!" *Yami!* Malik called, using both his mind and voice. *You...You can't! Wake up!* His Yami didn't stir.

Malik gritted his teeth, spotting the Millennium Rod. It had lost its gleam, and as Malik watched, it began to rust...

'NO!' Malik tore his eyes away from the Sennen Item to cradle his Yami in his arms.

'I have to help him! He can't... He can't disappear! But how...' Malik closed his eyes. 'Relax... Think... You must have learned SOMETHING about all of this... Something that Father taught me...'

Malik could feel the tug of his body, urging him to hurry... The mind link between the two was wavering...

Transference of energy...

That was it!
Marik was tied with the Millennium Rod, explaining why the item was also fading away. Therefore, if energy, once again, filled the Millennium Item, then it would fill his Yami too, hopefully giving enough to bring Marik back...
And then...

Malik grabbed the Millennium Rod, and focusing, allowed his energy to seep into the Millennium Rod.

Almost at once, the item began to gleam, growing brighter each passing second, and Marik's body began to grow more solid...

He could feel their link returning again... *Marik?* Malik held onto the string of hope, that was growing thicker as he watched his Yami's body return to normal... Becoming less and less transparent...

Marik let out a small sigh, and his eyelids began to open...
*YAMI!*

~ Marik ~

Marik's consciousness wavered in and out of the void, part of him was glad that he was finally released, the other wanted to go back….go back to his Hikari…

He was almost gone by then, a large hole had appeared and he was slipping further into it ever second. Soon, his soul was entering the large abyss that was nothing, closing his eyes, he waited for the end to come.

Peace and rest. At last…

Suddenly he felt a death grip on his wrist and he looked up…

What was going on?

Bright light engulfed the area and Marik blinked a couple of times to clear his vision, as he looked at the person who had held onto him.

Blonde hair came into view as his vision cleared. Malik!

*Marik…* A voice entered his head. His Hikari was calling to him…His Hikari needed him! His grip slipped a bit and he was just inches closer to falling to the void. But he felt power flooding his body as a new door opened to him…a Door of Light, a Door of Life… Smiling, he allowed himself to be hauled out of the gaping hole. To return…

Warmth clouded over him as he felt new life return to his body, his new consciousness explored the feelings of being alive again. He was a spirit no longer…Letting out a sigh of content, his allowed his eyes to crack open slowly, taking in the sweet sensation of moving.

Immediately a call of relief poured into his mind. *YAMI!* His Hikari was calling to him…and for the first time…he smiled.

~ Malik ~

Malik smiled back, tears brimming from his eyes. "Yami...Yami..." he hugged his darker half closely, never wanting to let go... He wanted Marik to stay forever, no matter what had happened in the past. Marik had risked everything to save him... That meant something...

The scent that was Marik wafted up through his nose, and Malik smiled even more. His Yami was back... And Malik had never been happier.

"I'm glad you're back, Yami. There's something I want to tell you..."

~ Marik ~

Marik's eye opened completely to see Malik hugging him tightly, as if he never wanted to let go.

"Yami...Yami..." He heard his Hikari murmur. His yearned to reply, but he couldn't he was still getting used to his new body, and the overwhelming sensations still flooded his body...it would take time before he could properly use it.

"I'm glad you're back, Yami. That's something I want to tell you..." His Hikari started. He looked at his Hikari questioningly, half dreading what his Hikari was going to say.

~ Malik ~

*I...I like you, Yami,* Malik admitted, looking at Marik and then at the ground. *I like you...Just a bit more than I should... And...*

Malik blinked questioningly at his Yami. A feeling of dread passed through his mind, coming from Marik.

Malik bit his lip, beginning to falter. Perhaps he was pushing his luck, telling his Yami all of this... After all, he didn't know why his Yami had saved him... Perhaps it was just to get rid of those shadows. After all, there wasn't any proof that Marik had destroyed the shadows for him...

*N-nevermind* Malik though quickly, making to get up. *I-I'm sorry, Yami.*

~ Marik~

Marik was shocked by what he heard next.

*I...I like you, Yami,* He felt his Hikari 'think' hesitantly, and continued. *I like you...just a bit more than I should...And...*

Marik was first flooded with shock, then happiness, then happiness turned to dread. His Hikari wasn't done yet...what if he said that he couldn't be with him, because Light and Dark should not be together...

He sensed his Hikari beginning to falter. Maybe that was it...maybe Malik had only saved him because he was a good person...more than anyone else in the world.

*N-nevermind*, his Hikari's thoughts came again. *I-I'm sorry, Yami.* He felt his Hikari work his way out of their embrace and set him gently on the floor, making to leave.

'Wait...Hikari!' Marik thought desperately...No...he didn't want his Hikari to leave.. him...

He was too weak yet, as he sought desperately for a way to tell his Hikari...to try to get him to stay. The mind-link! He could not 'speak' through it, but he could still tell him how he felt...

Weakly, he thought... *Wait...Malik...*

And he opened his heart, and let his emotions towards his sweet Hikari fill his mind and directed them to his Hikari...

He hoped that it would work...just then...he realised, how much his Hikari was worth to him...how much...how much he loved him...

'I love you, my dear Light...'

~ Malik ~
Malik paused, turning around to look at Marik. It felt like Marik wanted to tell him something... something important... He gazed into his Yami's eyes, and saw the last thing he expected...

His mind was suddenly overpowered with so many emotions from Marik to him... But mainly... Love.

His Yami loved him. Loved him! He felt the same way as Malik... And that made the Egyptian feel... Happy... More than happy...

*Y-yami...* Malik smiled again, hugging his Yami gently, so not to hurt him.

*I love you too... My darkness... Marik...*

*********

"Come on," Malik said, helping Marik stand up. "The chilly air isn't going to help you recover..." Malik looked at his Yami.

*Thank you...*

~ Marik ~
Marik waited anxiously for his Hikari to reply...if he did reply. There was nothing he could do now, it was all up to what his Hikari said.

*Y-yami...* He heard his Hikari...and hoped...Please...

Then he felt his Hikari hug him gently. *I love you too...My darkness...Marik...* Marik was clouded in joy...his Hikari...loved him...He smiled, it wasn't his arrogant, cocky smile...He was a different person, he wasn't made of anger or hatred...he was Marik...the Marik that loved his Hikari...the Marik that his Hikari loved...

"Come on," Marik felt his Hikari gently helping him to stand up. "The chilly air isn't going to help you recover..." He felt his Hikari's caring eyes on him.

*Thank you...* He managed to think weakly over the semi-working link, now strengthened by their love.

Slowly, the two of them made their way back on Malik's bike. Malik making sure that his Yami was comfortable during the whole ride.

Marik smiled as he leaned into his Hikari's back, enjoying his scent and his warmth.

Maybe...maybe Darkness and Light could be together after all.

~ Malik ~
The ride back home was a silent one, but not one of unease between the two. Malik just wanted to enjoy his Yami's presence, and allow his Yami to rest a while.

*******

Arriving home, Malik parked his motorcycle outside, and helped Marik enter the house. He had his Yami sit on the couch, and took a seat next to Marik, snuggling up to him. It felt so nice, to do this, just resting on his Yami... His love...

Malik sighed contently. Part of him still wanted to know exactly what had happened, but he decided not to push Marik any further. His Yami needed the rest, having almost lost his body and soul to the shadows, and the least Malik could do was to let Marik recover.

*Yami? Can I get you anything?*

~ Marik ~
Marik was drifting off, just about to fall asleep, as Malik snuggled up against him. His Hikari was warm...

He felt someone gently touch his consciousness.

*Yami? Can I get you anything?* Marik smiled, his Hikari was always so concerned...he was too tired to send a proper reply, so all that went across was.

*S'kay...'M fine.*

And he drifted into a comfortable sleep, leaning against his Hikari, hoping that he would be there when he awoke.
Malik watched his Yami sleep, and he smiled. Marik looked so...innocent when he slept. All traces of his usual self vanished, revealing his true self... Just a simple person like anyone else.

He was lucky, Malik was, to have such a Yami. Sure, they didn't get along sometimes, and now that they were a couple didn't mean that everything would be peachy and all of that... But now Malik knew just how much Marik was willing to risk for him... And that nothing would tear apart.

Yami and Hikari forevermore...

"Good night, Yami," Malik whispered, yawning cutely. He curled up against his Yami, soon nodding off too.

~ Owari ~

^__________^ The End… For now, at least.

Thanks, _yami_no_marik! That was fun!

For all readers… Please review if you have the time.

And, if you want to flame….

All flames will be used to burn Amelda or Anzu, take your pick, and what goes around will come around! *cackles evily*

Thanks for taking the time to read this!

-MS