I got this story into my head one night when I couldn't sleep, I decided to write it down.

This is shonen-ai, I don't know if I can write something… stronger…

"Ugh," I groaned as I laid on the couch. This is where I had fallen asleep, and I had a headache the size of Texas and my nose felt so congested I thought my head would explode. "Stupid diseases, you can all just go die slow and painful deaths," I called into my house.

Needless to say, I wasn't feeling too well.

I tried to sit up, but this just made my headache worse, so I laid back down. I turned my head to face the TV, the remote was on the floor. I reached for it, but it was just out of range. I growled, almost as if I expected the remote to jump in my hand from fear. When it didn't, I sighed, Curse inanimate objects, curse them!

I dropped my hand, and briefly wondered why I was feeling so sick, I hadn't felt fine since three days ago. But then I decided to get up, all the while grinding my teeth from the explosion of sharp pain to my head, and walked into the minnie kitchen in my apartment. It wasn't a big apartment, just small enough for two people, but I lived alone, so it seemed just a little too big at times.

I looked in the fridge. It was practically empty. I groaned, That's right, I was going to go shopping today… I grabbed what looked like a piece of chicken and shoved it in the microwave. Then I poured some milk into a glass. It was spoiled. I sighed, "I know this is my fault," I said, talking to myself, "But now I feel like killing something." I looked at the door, almost expecting someone to ring it.

When no one did, I reached into the microwave and started eating my chicken-like substance like a wild animal. It tasted kind of like chicken, but it was cooked with something else… potatoes maybe? It didn't really matter, food was food. After I devoured it, I looked at my door. I knew I should go out and buy some real food, but I didn't feel like leaving.

Actually, I hadn't left my apartment for three days.

I just didn't feel like facing the world yet. Why the 'yet?' Couldn't tell ya. All I know is that something happened three days ago that didn't make me want to go outside again. I know what you're thinking, "How can you not know what the thing was and blah blah blah, but the thing is, I don't know exactly what it was that happened, something just happened, and I didn't feel like thinking about it right now.

I grabbed the remote and laid back down on the couch. I turned on the TV and started flipping through the channels. Eventually, I made it to the TV guide channel, and it said it was noon. I looked at the clock that was above my TV. Yup, it's noon. I probably would've noticed that sooner, but I hadn't opened up my curtains in three days either.

I turned the TV off and looked at the ceiling. Memories started coming to my head, foggy, dazed memories that I had put to the back of my mind for the past seventy-two hours. A restaurant, my "friends" (if you could call them that), golden hair, a dazzling smile…

I grunted in frustration and brought my hands up to my eyes. My nose still felt like it had the worst case of congestion in history, and my headache hadn't shown any signs of going away either. I got up again, ignoring the pain that shot to my head again like a bullet, and started searching through my cabinets. Eventually I found what I was looking for: Tylenol, sweet, sweet Tylenol. I popped a pill into my mouth and swallowed it dry. I knew it would take a while before my headache went away, so I decided to try and do something. I walked into my room and searched through my closet for a clean shirt. I eventually found a short-sleeved black shirt which I gladly put on. After I found some black cargo pants to go with it, I went into the bathroom to brush my teeth. Apparently, chicken-like things stick to your teeth like cement. Anyway, after I was done brushing my teeth, I grabbed a comb. But after one look at my hair, I put the brush down. My hair was a white tangled mess, even more than it usually was. It would take a miracle to get the tangles out, or at least a shower, which I didn't feel like taking right now.

I walked back into the living room and started searching through my cabinets again. I soon found what I was looking for, instant coffee. Ah caffeine, there is no greater substance on Earth. I grabbed what I hoped was a clean coffee cup and put sink water into it. I put the water into the microwave (my favorite utensil) and waited. However, I am not a patient man, so I started pacing the room.

Those memories that I try so hard to just ignore came back to me, almost as if I had put up a dam in my mind and it broke, allowing those memories to start flooding into my brain, making my head start pounding again. I growled, When will the stupid Tylenol kick in?

I looked at the window, which still had my curtains over them, so all I saw was a pool of dark blue. I walked over to it, and lifted the window shade experimentally. It let in a blinding amount of sunlight, which caused my headache to worsen, so I dropped it, letting the calming, comfort of darkness return. I walked back to the microwave, the water was done, so I poured the coffee mixture into the water and started stirring the water with what was probably a dirty spoon. I took a sip and sighed, content, at least for the moment. I sat back down on the couch, but I didn't turn on the TV, sometimes, you just need a moment of tranquility to ease your nerves, which I had a lot of right now.

So I sat back and relaxed, letting peace and harmony come to me in the form of a warm, almost black, caffeinated liquid. But soon I ran out of coffee and my moment died like road kill. I threw the cup at the ground in anger, slightly enjoying the shattering noise it made against the hard-wood floor. It had been so long since I had destroyed something, and it felt so good. Although, this did little to help my anger, which was still at large and growing.

I stood up and started pacing again. The memories, the ones that continued to haunt me, came back to my head, but by this time the Tylenol had kicked in so I didn't have a headache anymore. The memories continued to come into my mind, one after another, not giving me time to think.

The Restaurant,

My sort-of friends,

The 'special someone' my "friends" kept referring to,

That childish smile,

That beautiful, angelic face…

I cried in frustration again and started pulling on my hair. What the hell was wrong with me? I had never said "beautiful, angelic face," I had always said a childish face, and then watched in delight as that childish face turned into an angry one and I started laughing while the face glared at me.

I sighed, and plopped back onto the couch. Stop thinking… I told myself, lest I think of something I really don't want to hear, like I so often did.

I turned and looked at the TV again, but then the phone rang. I didn't even flinch. Whenever the phone had rung for my anti-outside period, I just let it ring, not even caring about the messages left behind. And there was always a message, people couldn't just call and hang up when there wasn't an answer, oh no, they had to say something in the hopes that he would call them back or whatnot.

I kept staring at the blank TV screen while listening to the message that played on my phone, "Hello Bakura, it's Ryou," of course it is, none of my other 'friends' ever bother to call or worry, "I'm calling again so that maybe you'll call me back. I haven't seen you since a couple days ago… Please call back when you get this message, okay, bye." I heard Ryou hang up. I sighed and stood up to go to my phone. I listened to the message again, and picked up the phone and put it to my ear. I had my hand over the "redial" button, but I just didn't want to press it, I just didn't really feel like talking right now, I especially didn't want to talk to Ryou about my problems, that kid worries way too much for his own good.

I put the phone back down, and walked back to the couch again. I'm lucky this thing was comfortable, because I had been sitting here a lot lately. The memories started to come back to me, slower this time, as if they all wanted to be heard before I shunned them back to the dark abyss that was my mind. I don't know how long I stayed like that (not long enough), but suddenly, I heard my doorbell ring. I groaned, I didn't want to talk to anybody right now…

I got up grudgingly and went to go ask who it was. I clicked the intercom button, "What?" I asked, not caring enough to disguise my displeasure at having to answer.

"Bakura?" I groaned, I knew that voice.

"What do you want Ryou?" I asked, not unlike a whiny little kid.

"Bakura! Thank heavens, I thought you had died or something."

"Be better if I had."

"Can I come up?"

I groaned, "Fine, but don't expect me to make you tea or anything." Like I could if I wanted to.

"I know, you never do."

I clicked the button that would unlock the front door, then opened up my door, glad the hallway diluted some of the blinding sunlight, and waited to see Ryou's white locks which looked so much like my own. When I did see him, I couldn't help but laugh. His hair actually looked neat, or as neat as he could make it anyway. And he had a smile on his face. We may look alike, but we couldn't be more different.

I let him inside, and Ryou walked in. I closed the doors, turned around, and then recoiled. Ryou had opened the blinds. I brought my hand up to shield my eyes, and Ryou asked, "How long has it been since you let some sunshine in here?"

"Not long enough," I replied as my eyes got used to the sudden brightness.

"You know," Ryou said, I could hear the obvious (not to mention endless) worry in his voice, and inwardly groaned, "Me and the others have been really worried about you."

I rolled my eyes, the "others," were my so-called friends, they were actually just Ryou's friends. The only reason I knew them was because I work with Ryou in the same job and he insisted that we become friends since we looked so much alike. None of them were really my friends, except for maybe Ryou. And one other, but we usually just end up fighting, so he doesn't really count.

"Yeah, they were so worried the phone lines were practically jammed, I even had to buy a new door," I said sarcastically.

Ryou sighed, "Look, despite what you may think, people are worried about you Bakura,"

I rolled my eyes again.

"Especially Marik," my whole body froze, "You should have seen him," Ryou continued, "He couldn't even eat without his eyes going out of focus, and he constantly asked me if he heard anything. 'Has Bakura answered his phone yet?' 'Has he -'"

"Just stop," I said, snarling. Ryou stopped, but a goofy grin made its way onto his face, "And wipe that stupid grin off your face."

"But I didn't get to the best part!" Ryou said excitedly, "Before I came over, me and the others had went out to eat, and Marik ordered this to go." He took something out of a plastic bag that I hadn't noticed him carrying until now. He handed me a style foam container, I took it and opened it.

Inside was a piece of cake, chocolate cake, my favorite. I stared at it. "Marik ordered this?"

"Yeah."

"But it looks like it hasn't been touched."

Ryou's grin widened, "I know."

"But I thought chocolate cake was his favorite?"

Ryou gave me a smug smile, "How would you know that Bakura?"

I scowled, "It's not hard to remember when he says that every time I see him."

Ryou chuckled, "There was a message along with the cake."

I raised my eyebrow, "Oh?" I asked curiously, "And what was the message?"

"The message is, "Eat this and come outside you albino freak.""

I started laughing, "Even after all this time," I said between fits of laughter, "He can't come up with a better insult than 'albino freak,' it's hilarious!"

Ryou laughed with me, but then he said, "Seriously though, Marik was worried." I stopped laughing.

"Why should I care about that?" I asked, trying to make my voice sound impassive.

"Gee, I don't know," Ryou said, tapping his chin with his finger in mock questioning, "Maybe it's because you like him?"

I could feel my face start to burn, "That's not the case."

"Okay, then why are you blushing?"

"Because -"

"And you only come out with me and my friends when I say Marik will be there." I shut my mouth, anything I said at that point could just be used against me later, that was how Ryou worked.

"And," Ryou continued, "You always seem happier when Marik's around."

"I just enjoy arguing with him," I said and then cursed myself. Ryou could completely use that against me.

"I see, you know, that's how a lot of couples communicate."

I knew it.

I glared at Ryou, "Stop talking before I punch those pearly whites right out of your mouth."

Ryou chuckled, "Admit it, you like someone Bakura."

"No I don't."

"You're acting like a child."

"So what?"

"Come on, is it so hard to admit that you might actually care for someone other than yourself?"

I didn't speak for a while, then I said, "There's nothing to admit."

I could tell Ryou was getting frustrated, but he said, "You like Marik," in a voice that I knew all too well. I looked at him with murder in my eyes before he said again, "You like Marik. You like Marik. You like Marik."

"Just because you repeat something, doesn't make it true!" I yelled at him. He was going to repeat himself until I either agreed with him, or knocked him out. He had done this before when he called my bluff on my like for sweet things. I had said I didn't like them because it was unnatural for anything to taste so sweet, but he had known I was lying, so he kept repeating, "You like sweet things. You like sweet things. You like sweet things," over and over and over again, until eventually I shouted that I did like sweet things just to shut him up.

Which is what he was doing now. "Who's acting like a child?" I asked as he raised his voice. I ground my teeth and put my hand over my ears. I would not, could not, accept the fact that I might actually likeanother human being. I just couldn't 'love,' I was incapable of it. My whole life I had just looked out for number one, and had personally shunned love and anything that had to do with it. So he could repeat that sentence as many times as he wanted to, I was not giving in. Besides, love didn't exist, that was just all hoax to give people excuses to go out and do foolish things.

Unfortunately, Ryou didn't see it that way at all.

He kept repeating that horrible sentence, and when he finally realized that I wasn't going to give in, he said, "It makes sense that you would like Marik," he said, "You do like sweet things."

"Marik is not 'sweet,' he's annoying," I answered back.

Ryou grinned, "Really? I remember you calling him 'sweetie' the other day."

My face burned again, "I said that to make him get angry."

"Hm, okay, if you say so, but I'm wondering, how would you know if Marik's sweet or not?"

I couldn't take it anymore, I tackled him to the ground. I pinned his arms down with mine, and I put my knees on either side of his body. I lowered my face to his and said, "If you know what's good for you, shut up. Now."

Instead of following my orders, he said, "Bet you wish I was Marik right now, huh?"

I cried out in frustration for the third time that day, "Just shut up!" I screamed at him, "I don't like Marik, or anyone else for that matter, so just shut up!"

"But doesn't your reaction prove that you like him?"

"I said shut up!"

"Why can't you just face facts Bakura?"

I was about to say something, when all of a sudden, my door opened up.

"Bakura?" I heard the voice that I least wanted to hear right now call into the now bright room, "I just wanted to make sure you weren't dead -" the voice cut off as he opened the door all the way and saw the position me and Ryou were in. "Oh," I heard Marik say in shock and disbelief, "Uh, sorry, don't let me bother you." I heard his hurried footsteps run down the hall. I stood up and stared at the door, not wanting to believe that just happened. "Wait!" I wanted to call, "It's not what you think!" but I didn't say anything, I just stared at the door, wishing beyond hope that what had just happened was all in my head, but I knew it wasn't, and what's done is done. I stood there, frozen, but then I heard Ryou's voice, "Go."

I turned to look at him, "What?"

"Go, chase after him, explain. Go."

I looked at Ryou for a little bit, then I let my body take over, and apparently, it wanted to run out the door in the direction Marik had run to.

Marik was a fast runner, so it took me a while to catch up to him, but when I did, I grabbed his arm. He tried to get out of my grasp, but I held on tight. "It wasn't what it looked like," I said firmly.

"Why are you telling me?" he said with acid on his tongue."I didn't want you to misunderstand."

"Why do you care? Aren't you the one who said I always misunderstand everything?"

I smiled, I had said that, during one of our arguments, "You know, I say a lot of things, half of them I don't even remember."

"Well," Marik said, still upset, "Isn't that wonderful, and I suppose -" he never got to finish his sentence when I moved my face closer to his. Color appeared on his already tanned cheeks, and I chuckled softly, "Please," I said, letting my body and mouth take control again, "Keep talking, so I can shut you up."

"H-how would you do that?" he said, glancing at my mouth a couple times.

I chuckled again, "My dear Marik, I think you already know."

His entire face was now crimson, but he still said, "You wouldn't d-" he didn't get to finish as I closed my mouth around his, feeling the warm touch of his moist, soft lips. The touch sent shivers down my spine, and only made me want more, which I gladly took, and Marik seemed glad to give. I pressed him up against the wall, enjoying the feel of his body against mine, and briefly wished that he wasn't wearing any clothes right now.

We stayed like this for a while, until we heard someone say, "Get a room!" angrily. We stopped our passionate kiss just long enough to burst out laughing, and then Marik said, "Why don't you just stay in yours?" which only made me laugh harder. I claimed his mouth again, and then whispered in his ear, "Why don't we go back to my place?"

I could hear Marik's heavy breathing as he said, "Wouldn't have it any other way." I stepped away from him reluctantly, I didn't want to step out of that moment, but we had to get to my room someway. I started walking, but I felt Marik's hand enclose around mine. I looked at him, and smiled softly, I gripped his hand tighter, and pulled him in for one more kiss before we started walking back to my room. While we walked, I realized something, when I had let my body take over, it hadn't been my body, but my heart. I smirked. I didn't even know I had one of those. I glanced at Marik, and thought about how I had been sick these past three days. I think I knew the cause for it now, actually, I had always known it, I just didn't want to admit it.

I was lovesick.

I chuckled to myself, Ryou had been right, like he usually was, that got annoying sometimes.

When we walked inside my apartment, hand in hand like that, Ryou (who had decided to watch TV while he waited) looked from me to Marik and then smiled, "You like Marik," he said once more, causing Marik to look at me puzzled. I laughed, "That's what me and Ryou had been arguing about before you came in. I had gotten a little too angry."

Marik smiled, understanding clear on his perfect face. I caressed his cheek, "You know," I said, feeling a little corny, "You might put the sun out of a job with a smile like that."

Marik smiled mischievously, "I only shine for one person, and he's standing right in front of me."

We both heard Ryou's soft giggles, and we turned to look at him. "All right you two," he said, "I'll leave you alone, but try not to have too much fun, okay?" he left through the door, which I was too happy to close. I turned to Marik, but he surprised me by wrapping his arms around my waist and bringing me in for another kiss. We walked to my couch slowly, and then we laid down. We struggled for a little bit about who should be on top, but then I decided to be nice and let Marik be on top, just this once.

Marik stared down at me, "You let me win, didn't you?"

I chuckled, "Just a little, does it matter?"

Marik leaned down, "Not in the least." He reclaimed my mouth, and then I felt his hands go up my shirt. I smirked, and said, "A little anxious, aren't we?" while I felt his hot breath caress my face.

Marik smirked too, "Just a little," he said before I helped him take off my shirt.

Haha, not that good, but I did my best. I'm not that good at writing steamy scenes, so I'm trying to get better… Hope you enjoyed this anyway!