This was originally a oneshot idea. So the fact that it's not now is a shocker. I found a nice ending for this chapter and plan on doing at very least one more and 2,000 words more. If there are more chapters, it'll be more. This particular chapter was about 1,500 words in Microsoft office or whatever it is.

This is dedicated to my hikari ^^ I hope you enjoy it. The reason it's dedicated to you is because I'm gonna be late for updating other things. For videos and rps, I'm super into the psycho/sickleshipping, but lately I've really been wanting to write some bronzeshipping 333

Hmmm... I wanna know what you guys think about the cross over pairing of Marik and Chazz. I was thinking about writing one ever since my friend and I wrote an rp about it. It was so random and awkward xD

It's hard not to think about it, isn't it hikari? Hearing this voice ring through his head, the small boy sat up in his bed. His scars were finally healed and he smiled.

"Mariku!" The blond boy greeted cheerfully. This voice always knew how to tell when he was feeling a bit lonely. "You know just when I need you, don't you?"

Of course I do hikari. The deeper voice answered. I'm inside you, don't forget Malik. Honestly the small boy could be so very forgetful sometimes. A transparent version of the child named Malik appeared, though it wasn't him. This 'him' had hair that spiked out everywhere, narrow eyes with no pupil in the lilac optics and he was built a bit broader.

"I know. But every time I see you it's just a reminder that I actually have a friend; even if you're only in my head." Malik thought nothing of his own comment.

Oh sweet little one . . . We are closer than you know . . . I'm not only in your head . . . I'm you. I'm your Yami . . . I'm the darker half of you . . . You are my mother, my father . . . you're everything to me . . . And I'll do whatever it takes to protect you now that I'm here . . . My only regret is getting here so late. I was unable to save you from that man with the beard . . . Mariku found it easy enough to manipulate the boy into doing his bidding since he gained his trust again. But I've saved you once and for all from his horrid torment. You haven't gotten any new bruises because of anything besides your own clumsiness. I'm happy about that.

Malik stared at him, his mouth and eyes open wide in awe. "So . . . You're like my dark guardian angel?" Malik was trying to take the information Mariku had given him and sum it up.

Mariku smirked and nodded a little. Indeed. I'm something like that. But your brother . . . Odion. He doesn't like that. He doesn't want me to help you. But I love you too much to leave you alone, my Malik.

"Your . . . Malik?" The tanned youngster whispered, still staring at Mariku. "I'm yours?"

Yes… just as I'm yours. I will protect you . . . if you promise never to make me leave. You're not alone anymore . . . we're not alone anymore.

Malik didn't know what to say. He was dumbfounded and the knowledge was giving him a migraine. He laid down and smiled at Mariku. "Good night… Sleep well, Mariku." He said in a hushed tone, curling into a ball, snuggling into his bed and falling asleep soon after.

Mariku smirked at his form before disappearing slowly. You'll never understand me, Malik…

Many years had passed since then; many promises broken, some kept. And a single heart was left where there was once two. One mind, one soul, one heart . . . One single existence.

They were heading home from Japan on their yacht. Ishizu was in her room, sleeping. Odion was running maintenance in the kitchen. Apparently the microwave got broken.

Malik stood on the front of the boat, his arms loosely hung over the railing and his eyes down cast at the breaking water. He'd lost his first and only sturdy friend for what? Solitude in his own mind…? How would that help him now? He imagined that talking to himself would get boring . . .

He leaned forward, his chest now against the rail, his elbows drooping down to dangling over the bar. He looked at the rippling water below him, his eyes a little dead and hollow. That's when he vaguely saw Mariku; in the waters below. ". . . Mariku . . . ?" Malik wondered, his eyes widening with a new spark of life, but that quickly faded as the waves washed his face from the water and all that was left was Malik's own distorted reflection. He heaved a heavy sigh.

"I wish things had been a bit different. . . I wish you had really been my baby brother instead of the voice in my head . . ." He shook his head, standing up straight and looking forward. Though the sight disturbed him for he did not see land or the sea. What he saw was their boat headed straight into the shadows. Though perturbed, Malik was oddly excited. Is Mariku going to be here? Despite his excitement, the blond remembered the promise from those years ago and bit his lip in fear. Mariku said he'd protect me if I promised never to make him leave. But . . . I made him leave… what would he do if he saw me again? He would probably try to kill me . . . I can't blame him either . . . If I was betrayed like that; I would be pissed off too.

Malik could feel his energy being sucked from his body and took a deep breath, sinking down to his knees and sitting on them. "Mariku . . . I'm sorry." He mumbled before lying down and closing his eyes.

"Oh hikari . . . Malik . . . Wake up." A voice ordered quietly, a small nudge hitting his side. "Now hikari. The shadows don't take kindly to people sleeping in their world. I wouldn't be one to fuck with them either."

Malik groaned as he sat up. He held his head and looked up at the man who looked just like him, his eyes widening. "M-Mariku!" The exclamation he spoke with, Mariku didn't find necessary. "I thought you were . . ."

"I am. I don't know what's going on with your world. There are random portals into the shadow realm from there. Monsters are leaking out and people are coming in. The shadows are entirely too happy about it. There's so much darkness in people's hearts. Whenever there is great grief, anger or insanity . . . Those are the places the Shadows open up to first." Mariku stated, beginning to walk away. "If I were you, I'd get away from here as fast as you can.

"But . . . Mariku?" Malik questioned as he stood up from his sitting position. His naval showed from his lavender colored shirt. The gold chains on his chest did not glimmer, for there was only a small bit of light coming from anywhere in this place. One of the tiny forms of light being the Eye of Ra on Mariku's forehead. It shone a little, but it was rather dim compared to how it once was. "You were supposed to . . . disappear."

"Well, unfortunately for you hikari, the shadows don't eat things like me." The way Mariku referred to the shadows as living and himself as a thing sent horrid shivers down Malik's spine. Mariku spoke not as though he was angry, but hurt that Malik would betray him like he had; like he'd broken-- no shattered-- his heart.

Malik bit his lip gently. "Would you believe me if I said I was sorry?" He asked timidly. The belly-shirted male didn't want to leave Marik (again) on bad terms, so he was attempting to fix it. The only problem was Marik always could not accept the apology.

"No. Not unless you could prove you were sorry." Mariku shrugged. He seemed a bit annoyed as though the very thought of Malik's betrayal was false.

"Well it's not like I did it for no reason, Mariku. You tried to get rid of me first!" Malik decided this was the best action to take against his violent and psychotic yami.

"You think I wanted you gone?" Mariku hissed "That's not what I was doing! The only way to protect you was to keep you away from that damned pharaoh! But you took his side and got rid of me. Even though I was putting you in the shadows, they knew better than to harm you. You would have been given everything after that duel, but you threw it all away."

Malik was completely shocked. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Mariku looked at him, his lavender eyes boring into the wide eyed one. "I expected you to trust me."