Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Yami Virus ❯ Explore ( Chapter 52 )

WARNING: MARIK X RYOU, MARIK X MALIK X RYOU, AND MALIK X RYOU LEMONS!!!!! YAOI! GAY SEX IN THIS CHAPPIE! WOO-HOO!

Mariku 182: I can try to use that song in a future chapter. Some names? What about The Crusaders or name yourselves after a cool animal like Eagle, Hawk?

lost light: Feel free to email me. Yeah, I've been burned by religion, but that wasn't my reason for putting that in there. Marik feels like the gods betrayed him.

Valea: Bakura and Ryou will be together soon.

Kura Magician Girl: Yami will get punishment badly from Yugi. Yugi's gonna get him back.

Broken Time: Yami is heartless….but Yugi is going to deal the worst punishment of all.

Lady Elfskye: *hugs* Just felt like it!

Shadow of Light: For Bakura, I guess no one feels pity but Marik.

Explore

Ryou sniffled in Marik's arms, the blond yami stroking his hair gently.

"Ryou….It's going to be okay, baby."

Ryou buried his face in Marik's chest. "I love him more than ever, Marik. It's so hard to be away from someone you love so much."

"I know, Ryou. It is hard. It's hard on all of us to have Itemri away."

"I'm trying not to give up hope. It's so hard sometimes."

Marik sighed and gathered Ryou closer to him. He placed a kiss on Ryou's forehead. "I know, angel. I've been searching with Malik and we haven't found anything. I don't know where to go from here."

Marik blinked and thought about what he had said.

Maybe the answer wasn't in Domino at all.

Maybe when he and Malik were in the library at the Cairo Museum, he missed something.

Something important.

All three yamis originated in Egypt. Maybe the literature on the existence of yamis remained in Egypt.

"I was so angry at finding our bodies in brown boxes, I think we left prematurely. Malik and I should have stayed there."

"But you were in pain, Marik. Bakura was very sick."

Marik bit his lip, his eye twitching as he thought. "I feel like we left before we could investigate that library. If it isn't in the library, Malik and I have to go to the only other place where the scrolls would be located."

Ryou looked up at the yami. "Where would that be?"

Marik took a deep breath. "The RoyalPalaceof the Pharaoh. That is where I need to look, even if I have to break into the palace again."

Ryou's hand reached up and pressed against Marik's chest. "Are you sure? Do you think you can do that in your condition?"

Marik took Ryou's hand and kissed it. "I'd have to tap into the magic of my Rod to sneak past the guards. I'd have to rest. It would take a lot out of me, but----." Marik closed his eyes, tears running down his face as he thought about his former lover tied to that bed. "But I'd do anything to get Itemri back."

Ryou brushed a tear away from Marik's cheek. "I miss him, Marik."

Marik looked down at Ryou sadly. He loved Ryou. He promised Bakura he would care for Ryou.

Marik leaned down and kissed Ryou's lips gently. Ryou reached up and stroked the yami's face gently.

The yami shifted closer to Ryou, his arousal already prominent from watching Ryou's solo-performance and from being in close proximity to his body.

The couple kissed, stroking each other's hair and pressing their bodies closer.

Marik's hand drifted to Ryou's back, feeling the scars from a whip that Bakura had used on his back. They were the reason that Ryou never walked around shirtless. Marik's fingers drifted lightly as a feather over the crevices on Ryou's back.

A quiet sob and a shudder shook Ryou's body against him.

"I'm sorry, baby. I…I haven't explored your body in a long time. And I……….. miss it."

Ryou wiped away a tear. "You can explore me if you want, Marik. I'd really like it…..I mean, I really need you, Marik."

Marik's fingertips traced Ryou's jawbone and slowly slipped down Ryou's neck. Marik's fingers moved across Ryou's collarbone.

The white-haired man closed his eyes as the minute touch of the yami sent pleasure spreading through his body.

Marik's hands traced over Ryou's scar from his heart surgery. A faint brush of a nipple sent Ryou moaning.

The yami leaned over and took Ryou's nipple between his lips and suckled. Ryou wrapped his arm around Marik's blond spiky hair, burying his fingers into it.

Marik's tongue attended to the tiny bud, lapping at it and circling it.

"Marik, baby……feels good, angel," Ryou moaned.

Marik gently leaned forward, putting Ryou on his back. The yami rolled over on top of his lover and continued to suckle on his budding flesh.

The yami rocked his hips against Ryou's, rubbing his arousal against him.

Another moan escaped Ryou as he rocked against the blond on top of him. His face regained the red color it had while he was touching himself.

His body regained its glistening from the sweat forming on his body.

'I have to remind myself I'm with Ryou. He can't take me like Malik can,' Marik reminded himself. Malik could take rough sex.

Ryou could not.

'It would cause him to go into a flashback about his father, Tim, and Jessica.'

Marik pulled back and looked into the chocolate brown eyes below him. "Does this feel good, baby?"

Ryou nodded. "Marik, gods, I need you."

Marik reached into the drawer by Bakura's side of the bed. He knew that's where Bakura always kept his 'toys.'

He reached in and grabbed a bottle of strawberry scented oil.

"I never thought Itemri would be a 'berry man.' Since when did he get into Strawberry Lube?"

"He was into using berry lube for years, Marik," Ryou said with a slight smile.

Marik shook his head. "You think you'd know a guy after five thousand years, you know?"

Ryou grinned. "You're trying to make me laugh, aren't you?"

Marik smiled and leaned down to Ryou. "I hate seeing you cry, my angel. I love to hear you laugh."

Ryou's hand brushed Marik's cheek. "I love that smile."

Marik kissed down Ryou's body, taking care to kiss each rib and inch of skin.

Marik arrived down to Ryou's twitching member. He flipped open the cap and covered his fingers with it. He squeezed some onto his own hand. He snapped the lid closed and leaned on one elbow to support himself.

He took Ryou's hardening flesh into his mouth, feeling Ryou squirm under him.

With his other hand, Marik stroked his own arousal. Ryou moaned as the yami spread some of the oil around his entrance, teasing him.

"Marik….please."

Marik pulled back for a moment to look at Ryou arching and writhing on the mattress.

"Ryou, baby, are you ready?"

Ryou reached down and Marik offered him the hand that he was using on himself.

Ryou gripped Marik's hand and nodded. "Okay, baby."

Marik swallowed around Ryou's length and slowly pressed his slicked finger into Ryou's body. The yami was met with some resistance from Ryou's body, but soon surrendered to Marik's gentle intrusion.

Ryou squeezed Marik's hand tightly and gave a little whimper. He closed his eyes tightly and took several deep breaths.

Ryou slowly released his grip on Marik's hand, allowing the yami to continue his actions on his own manhood.

Ryou gripped Marik's hair and sifted his fingers through the spiky blond hair.

The yami moaned around the flesh, making the other man shiver with pleasure. Marik withdrew and teased the head with his tongue, dipping into the slit and tasting Ryou's essence.

He teased the flesh with his tongue, tracing the veins pulsing with blood, he licked the underside of the length, watching it twitch and throb for more contact.

The yami withdrew his finger, only to bury it deeper into Ryou's body.

"Wider, baby," Marik whispered.

Ryou shifted and spread his legs farther apart. Marik buried his finger inside Ryou deeper, allowing him to almost touch Ryou's prostate.

Marik felt his arousal becoming uncomfortably swollen. He stretched Ryou's inner walls gently. The tunnel of flesh stretched for him obediently.

Marik crawled up and positioned himself at Ryou's entrance.

"Ready, baby?"

Ryou shifted himself closer to Marik and gripped Marik's shoulders. The yami gently pressed himself into the warm tight heat of Ryou's body.

A long, heavy moan escaped Ryou as the yami's erect, weeping length penetrated deeper into his hot, deep chasm.

"Ryou, baby, you are so beautiful," Marik whispered as he buried his face in Ryou's neck and started sucking on the tender flesh.

Ryou closed his eyes, laying still as possible until his body adjusted. Harsh conditioning over many years had taught Ryou to lay still and relax as much as possible when any man entered him.

Marik kissed Ryou's neck, amazed by the control that Ryou was exhibiting. "Are you okay, angel?"

Ryou nodded. "Yes, Marik. I'm okay."

Marik stroked Ryou's cheek with his fingertips, feeling his pulsing need throb inside of the white-haired man.

"Ryou, I need to have you promise me something."

"Promise you what?"

Marik avoided Ryou's eyes for a moment. "If I hurt you, Ryou, please tell me to stop. Do whatever you have to make me stop."

Ryou nodded. "I promise to tell you, Marik."

Marik began to move within the constricting tunnel. Ryou's body quickly submitted to Marik's intrusions. The yami's body quickly became covered with the same blanket of sweat as his lover.

Ryou soon began rocking against Marik, sending waves of pleasure crashing into both of them.

Marik's motions became more desperate as he buried himself into Ryou's body, banging against his prostate. The hikari let out a moan from the impact on his gland.

A grin grew on Marik's face and his hair twitched. "Do that again for me, Ryou…."

Marik slammed into Ryou and the hikari arched his back in ecstasy. Another moan ripped through the room as Marik gripped Ryou's length in his hand and stroked the hard, throbbing flesh.

Ryou raised himself up into the surrounding grip, clutching onto Marik's shoulders tightly.

The yami closed his eyes tightly, beating back the memories of what he had seen in the Underworld.

He clenched his teeth and let out a hard, loud moan. Ryou shuddered as Marik filled him with his hot release.

The hikari gripped tightly. "I love you, Marik," Ryou whimpered as his release erupted from his length.

Marik fell on Ryou's side, panting heavily and shaking from his orgasm. He pulled Ryou against him quickly, cuddling the shaking hikari.

"It's going…..*pant*… to be okay, *pant*….Ryou."

Ryou clung to the yami tightly. "Thank you, Marik. I really needed you, baby."

"I know you did, angel. I'm glad I was able to make love to you. It's been a while since we've been together."

"I missed you, Marik. I really, really did!"

The yami kissed the hikari's forehead. "I know you did, angel. I missed you, too. It's just that this virus has changed me in such a way that I could have taken you with or without your consent. And I couldn't bear to hurt you like that, Ryou. You are the mother of my child and I would never want to hurt you."

Ryou wrapped his arms around Marik. "I don't think I could handle you doing this without my consent, Marik."

Marik brushed Ryou's back lightly with his fingers. "I never would do that to you, Ryou. I love you too much."

A quiet knock came on the door. A knock this quiet could mean that either they were too loud and they woke one of the kids. It wouldn't be the first time it happened. Aten was a light sleeper.

"Come in," Ryou called.

Instead of Aten charging in to see if everybody was okay, it was Malik timidly coming in.

"Malik?"

Malik walked up to Ryou. "I came to say goodnight to you, Ryou."

Ryou smiled. "Did we keep you awake?"

Malik shook his head. "No, I'm going to go to bed now. I was just watching some t.v."

Ryou reached up and took Malik's hand. "Give me a kiss?"

The blond hikari leaned down and kissed Ryou softly on the lips. Malik cupped Ryou's cheek in his hands.

Marik grinned, enjoying the kissing between the two hikaris. He always enjoyed watching Ryou and Malik together. It was quite arousing.

Marik leaned over and kissed the side of Ryou's neck.

Malik pulled back. "I'd better leave you two alone."

Ryou kept his grip on Malik's hand. "Please don't go, Malik. Please stay with us."

The blond hikari shifted his gaze between Ryou's pleading eyes and Marik's attention on Ryou's neck.

"Do you want to stay, Malik?" Marik lifted his head as he cupped Ryou in his hands.

Malik wiped his damp forehead. He took a deep breath. "I do."

The blond hikari leaned down and kissed Ryou's lips again. Ryou reached up and pulled down Malik's shorts.

Ryou rolled over on his side and took Malik's length into his cavern.

Marik spooned behind Ryou and licked the nape of Ryou's neck.

The yami ground his hips against Ryou's body.

Ryou's tongue lightly touched the head of Malik's manhood, circling and lapping at it. Malik's fingers buried themselves in

the white hair and cupped the back of Ryou's skull in his hand.

The hikari slowly thrust into the heat surrounding him.

Ryou began shifted himself backwards against Marik, renewing Marik's hard arousal.

The blond moaned and whispered from Ryou's lovemaking.

Ryou pulled back, needing to feel Malik against him.

Malik covered Ryou with his body and started the same trail of kisses down the thin body.

Marik grabbed the lube and gave some to his husband. Malik took Ryou's length into his mouth and slid a single finger in the already-stretched tunnel.

"Gods, Malik, baby…..you feel so good."

"Mmm….Ryou."

Marik positioned himself behind Malik, licking at the flesh in front of him.

A whimper escaped Malik as he shifted his hips back against Malik's tongue. The vibrations of Malik's whimpers and moaning rippled against the flesh of Ryou's manhood.

The yami's tongue lapped against Malik's entrance, making the blond squirm and shift back, begging to be entered.

The blond hikari let out a heavy moan around Ryou as his yami placed a single finger into him.

"Marik….please….deeper," Malik pleaded.

Marik placed another finger into his lover, stretching his husband's internal canal with care.

The blond hikari shifted back into the yami's touch.

Ryou raised himself into the moist heat above him and against the

intruder.

Marik oiled his length and positioned himself at Malik's entrance. He slowly pushed into his husband, making him moan around Ryou's flesh.

The yami grabbed Malik's hips and moved within his hikari's body.

Malik added another digit to Ryou's body, stretching Ryou farther.

"Malik…..that's it, angel."

Marik slammed against Malik's prostate, eliciting tiny screams of erotic pleasure from the blond.

Malik quickly seized the opportunity to bring Ryou to climax. He sucked on Ryou desperately as Marik entered him harder and faster.

"So hot," Marik growled as he watched Malik make love to Ryou's body with his tongue.

The yami reached around and pumped Malik's length, making the blond whimper and nearly scream from pleasure.

Ryou squirmed under Malik's ministrations.

The yami growled, signaling his release into his hikari. He continued to bury himself into Marik until he finished. When he was finished, he laid beside Ryou, running his hands over Ryou's chest.

Without warning, Ryou reached up to Malik, lust deep in his eyes.
"Malik, make love to me, baby."

Malik positioned himself at Ryou's entrance and gently slid himself in.

Ryou brought Malik down for a kiss and rocked against Malik's body.

Malik buried himself into Ryou's body and moved within him.

Marik watched as the lights made love, Malik entering Ryou slowly.

Moans escaped from both of them, lost in their sensual rhythm.

The blond hikari pressed himself against Ryou and cried out, spilling his release into Ryou quicker than he expected.

Ryou arched his back, his release erupting between them.

Malik rolled off of Ryou and gathered the white-haired man against him.

Marik spooned against Ryou and the two blonds held Ryou between them.

Ryou sighed between them and fell asleep against Malik's chest.

"What are we going to do, Marik? What if we can't find a cure in time to save you?"

Marik sighed. He was no longer in favor with the gods. He did not care.

Okay.

Maybe he did care a little, but he could not understand how the gods could be so cruel and heartless.

Why would the gods condone such a cruel act not once…but many times?

There had to be a good reason.

Nevertheless, he knew there'd be only one fate waiting for him upon his death: Damnation.

He had angered the gods by rejecting them.

There was no other punishment, but the termination of his existence.

After he became food for Ammut, that would be it.

No moreMarik.

There had to be an answer!

There had to be a way to bring a yami back from the dead.

If he and Bakura were torn from the Underworld before by a spell, there had to be a spell to bring a yami back!

There were no answers in Domino.

They had to go back to the Land of the yamis' origin….Egypt.

"We have to go back to Egypt. There is no answer here for us. We would have found it by now. Besides, I think we sifted through the entire library with no other result than to cure the virus, the yami has to die. There has to be another answer, Malik. There must be something that we are missing!"

Malik shrugged. "The library in Cairo is three times the size of the library here! It could take us months to sift through everything!"

Marik buried his face in Ryou's hair. He raised his eyebrow. "I do not think our answer is in the Cairo Museum."

"No?"

"I believe our answer lies in the private collections of the ancient pharaohs. Our answer….is in the RoyalPalace."

Malik rolled his eyes. "And how exactly do you intend on getting in there? 'Hi, I'm Marik Ishtar, a dying spirit, I need to sift through your library.' Yeah, that will go over like a lead balloon, yami."

Marik growled. "You can be a sarcastic little bugger, you know that?"

"'Bugger?' Since when did you ever say THAT word?"

"Look, I can get into the palace, but I need to use my Rod's power to appear invisible."

Malik yawned. "But, what if you get caught? How do we explain that to the American Embassy?"

"I can handle myself, Malik. This wouldn't have been the first time I've sneaked into there. I can do it."

Malik blinked and bit his lip hesitantly. "But, what if you get hurt?"

Marik reached over Ryou's shoulders and ran his fingertips over Malik's cheek. "I'll be fine, tenshi. I promise. You can come with me if you want. I could have some use for you."

Malik grinned. "I always come in handy."

The yami chuckled. "You sure do, baby. Now, let's get some sleep."

*****************************

The door opened slightly around five in the morning. Aten, dressed in his pull-over, ankle-length white prayer robe, crept into the room. He found his mother sleeping between his father and Malik.

Aten crept silently over to his father and pat his arm.

Marik woke with a start, shocked to see his son up so early.

"Aten Bakari? What are you doing?"

"It's early, daddy. Time to go pray."

Marik turned over on his side, facing away from his son. "I'm not going," he said angrily.

"But, daddy, you have to go pray! If you don't pray, Ra will be very sad and cry."

"Let him."

Aten stepped back, shocked by his father's abrupt reaction. "Daddy, if Ra gets sad, he'll make it rain so bad that there would be a flood! He tan mate the sun so hot, our stin might melt!"

Marik rolled over to face Aten. "Aten, I won't stop you if you want to go outside and pray. But I never want to pray again."

Aten's jaw dropped and his eyes went wide. "But, daddy, what if you die? You haven't prayed to Ra today. You might get eat-ed by the god Ammut if you don't pray!"

"Pray for me, then."

Aten lowered his head. "I lite praying with you, daddy."

"I liked it, too, Aten, but….." Marik looked at the pained look in his son's eyes. "I'm not feeling well today, son. You go pray for me."

Aten lifted his head. "You not fee-ing well? Otay, daddy," Aten said pulling the covers over Marik. "You rest, daddy. I will pray esstra hard for you."

Marik turned over. "You do that."

Aten kissed his father's head. "Sleep tight, daddy."

Aten left the room and closed the door behind him.

**************************

Ryou woke early and shifted from between the two Egyptians. He staggered out of the room and found Aria standing in the hallway.

"Good morning, my little angel."

"Morning, mommy."

Ryou went into the bathroom and closed the door. He used the toilet and brushed out his hair. He put his bathrobe on and went downstairs with Aria and Sekhmet.

Ryou gave Aria the can and she fed her dog. Ryou stepped to the back window and saw Aten on his knees, praying in front of a fire.

He made the coffee and some tea and Marik entered the kitchen.

"Morning, Ryou."

"Marik? Why aren't you and Aten praying together?"

The yami sat at the table. "Didn't feel like it."

"That's not like you at all. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

Marik shrugged. "Eh, not too bad. Ryou, we have to go to Egypt."

"What ever for?"

"Our answer is not here in Domino. We should not have left Egypt as quickly as we have done before. I think our answer lies in the pharaoh's palace."

Ryou reached for the cereal and handed it to Aria. "Here you go, baby girl. Why do you think the answer is there?"

Marik turned his head. "Because that is the Land of the Dead. That is where the legend of yami began five thousand years ago. The key to answering our questions lies in the place where all the historical texts are kept. Or, rather, the historical texts that the pharaohs wanted to keep hidden, are located there."

"Why would the pharaohs want to keep the texts hidden?"

Marik sighed and ran his fingers through his spiky blond hair. "Because the pharaohs wanted that knowledge all to themselves. If the pharaohs had a chance to have an immortal army, don't you think that they would take advantage of it? Yamis are susceptible to only this Ra-damned virus. Yamis don't get sick ordinarily. Yamis don't require rest or food. They can be shot, stabbed, fried, hung, drawn, quartered, and starved and they still cannot die! What pharaoh would not want to take advantage of that type of knowledge?"

Ryou looked into his tea cup. An immortal army…..

"It sounds frightening to me," Ryou stated.

"It is frightening. And I can see Yami wanting to get his hands on that power. Imagine what would have happened if he had an immortal army. Yami would be unstoppable. As far as I heard, Yami had the library walled up before he put himself into the Puzzle. I'd need to borrow Itemri's Ring to help me find the library. It's not connected to the main part of the palace. It's located in an alcove along the palace gardens. I bet you if I took Rich-Boy, he would remember where it is located. It's been five thousand years since I last sneaked into that place."

Aria's eyes lit up. "Are you going sneaking, Daddy Marik?"

"I am. I'm going to sneak into the Palace Library."

Aria's eyes lit up. "Can I go with you? My daddy taught me everything there is to know about sneaking into places! I'm getting really good at it! Please, mommy, can I go?"

"No, Aria, you can't go sneaking into any place you wish."

"But daddy and Daddy Marik do it! Why can't I? I am Chibi Yami! I got my daddy's bloodlust! See?"

Aria opened her mouth and showed her mother her canines. "I can go!"

"Baby girl, you can't go. It is far too dangerous. Besides, Marik, these guards have guns now! That's not what you are used to defending yourself against."

Marik shrugged. "I can find my way around, Ryou. Don't worry."

Ryou crossed his arms. "I'm a mother. That's my job."

The yami crossed his legs. "I'm not a child, Ryou. I can find my way around the guards. Nobody will catch me." Marik stood up. "I wonder if moneybags can fly us over."

Marik dialed Seto's phone number.

[Joey Wheeler here.]

"Marik Ishtar. Where is Rich-Boy?"

Joey yawned. [He went to Turkey.]

Marik's jaw dropped. "Why the hell did he go there?"

[Business.]

"What makes him think that he can set up a KaibaLand in Turkey?"

[No, Marik……different 'Business.']

"Oh. I see. Seto's worse than the Mafia sometimes."

[Well, you try getting hired goons on a plane. Not just any hired goons….armed hired goons. So, Seto went to take care of it himself.]

"Why didn't he send the armed hired goons on his own private jet? Wouldn't that have made a little more sense?"

[You know Seto. He likes the hands-on approach to the Mafia Underworld.]

"I see. When will he be back?"

[I don't know. Seto went to Turkey and then he has to fly to Hong Kong for negotiations for a KaibaLand there. Then he's going to pick up some Tim Horton's coffee for Tristan and fly back here to the States.]

"Is Seto using his private jet or the helicopter?

[Private jet.]

"Can we use the helicopter?"

[Sorry, man. Karl and Asher are using it now.]

"You'd better watch Asher. Even he freaks me out with his obsession with anything flammable."

[Asher gets along well with Karl. Karl is the only one who can handle Asher, anyway.]

"When will they be done with the helicopter?"

[Why do you need it?]

"We have to go back to Egypt. We missed something while we were there."

[Who all is going?]

"Malik and I, Ryou, and the kids."

[The helicopter won't fit all of you. Seto should be home in a few days if I call him now and tell him that you need to go back to Egypt. But the helicopter will only seat three of you.]

"A few days, huh? Ryou, when do the kids start school?!"

"Next week!"

"The kids start school next week. We will only be able to spend a few days in Egypt. Then we have to come home."

[Let me call Seto. Seto can reschedule with Hong Kong, but if he comes home without a large tin of Tim Horton's coffee, Tristan will go berserk and go on a rampage through KaibaCorp. Empty coffee pots…..everywhere.]

"Coffee Freak."

[I know, but, he's good with the kids, right? He even comes over to KaibaCorp to see Jaimen and Hayden. We have our hands full with Hayden now. Hayden's getting a short temper on him that isn't too nice. Jaimen takes it all in stride, but I don't like Hayden fighting with him.]

"Ah, puberty. Well, puppy, you do have your hands full. At least I don't have to worry about that for a few more years."

[Hayden's nervous about his uncle being released, understandably.]

"I can see that. But that asshole has no chance of parole! He'll never get out of prison. His odds are a million to one with the kind of evidence that they have against him."

[Well, Seto and I are hoping that all goes in our favor. At least Charlie can't fight us for custody.]

"I wouldn't put anything past that dirt bag."

[Truth. Well, let me call Seto and see what strings he can pull.]

"Okay, pups. Thanks."

Marik hung up the phone as Aten walked in from the back yard.

"I prayed esstra hard for you, daddy. I'm really hungry now."

Ryou kissed his son's head. "I'll make you some oatmeal, Aten. Go change clothes."

"Yes, mommy," the boy said running away.

"Seto is away. He may not be back for a few days."

Ryou sighed. "Well, the kids start school next week. And Aten has camp this Friday and Saturday." Ryou looked at the calendar. "Aten has an appointment with Dr. Chapman on Monday. School starts Wednesday of next week. My birthday is coming up, too. The kids' birthday is at the end of next month!"

Aria's eyes lit up. "Birthday?! I WANT SOME NEW DOLLIES AND A NEW BIKE AND MAKE-UP!"

"Make-up?"

Marik snickered. "Puberty in girls starts earlier than boys, Ryou. Enjoy."

Ryou shook his head. "I still have to find time to go out and buy her a bra. Oh, sweet Isis."

Aten walked into the kitchen and took a cup out of the strainer. He sat at his seat where his pills were laid out in a row. Aten took the four pills and threw them into his mouth at once. He drank his cup of water with his pills.

"Aten, mommy and Daddy Marik are discussing our birthday! I want some really nice dresses, too, mommy! Get ones that you think Umi will like!"

"Aria, dear, I want you to like them. I don't want you to dress in what Umi likes. I want you to dress in what you like."

Aria grinned. "I like Umi."

"I know you do, sweetheart," Ryou said putting the oatmeal into the bowl. "But you have to like what you dress in, too. Do you want jeans?"

"No! I want dresses….pretty ones!"

Ryou sighed and shook his head. "I'll see what I can find."

Marik sat at the table and watched Aten stir his breakfast.

"What do you want for your birthday, Aten?" Marik asked him.

Aten looked up at his father with large chibi brown and purple eyes. "I want Daddy Bakura to be with us again. That is all I want."

Updates: Saturday

Next Chappie: Marik and the family go to Egypt.