Ryou shook the rain out of his hair as he stepped through the doorway of the apartment, exhausted from a long day at school. He kicked off his shoes in their usual spot, and threw his soggy coat on its usual hook. Half awake, he trudged out to the kitchen to make himself a cup of tea. Several minutes later he entered the small living room and sat down in his chair, closing his eyes as he sipped his perfectly warm tea. And for a brief second, it felt like one of those moments that nothing could ruin.
There was a knock on the door, which made him jump, a tiny bit of tea sloshing over the side of his cup. "Just a minute!" he called out, setting the cup on a coaster and standing on tiptoe to see through the peephole at who it was. A distorted purple eye stared back at him.
"Marik?!" Ryou asked, opening the door a tiny bit. "What do you want?"
Marik stared awkwardly at the ground. "Actually, can I come in? I have something to ask you."
Ryou hesitated. He recognized the Egyptian from Battle City, and his still-hazy arm incident. I'm not going through that again, he thought, about to shut the door in Marik's face. But Marik was dripping wet from the rain, and his eyes looked so sad...
"Come on in," Ryou said quietly, holding the door open. "I just put some tea on, do you want some?"
"Okay..." Marik followed him in, a small bag slung over his shoulder. Ryou handed him a towel that he kept by the door for when it rained before returning to the kitchen to pour a second cup of tea."You can put your coat on the radiator if you want," he called out. "It'll dry faster that way." Marik did so, wringing the towel in his hands as he stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room, looking around. It was fairly bare, decorated with only a few pictures on the fern green walls. All were nature shots, except for a large print of his native London. It was a shot along the river Thames, the camera tilted at a strange angle.
"My mother took that picture," Ryou said softly, handing Marik a mug. "It was the first thing I put up when I moved here."
"It's beautiful," Marik replied. He sipped his tea quietly, aware that Ryou was watching him out of the corner of his eye.
"So..."He said. "Pardon my asking, but why exactly are you standing in the middle of my living room commenting on my wall decor?"
Marik froze. "I mean," Ryou stammered, noticing the look on Marik's face. "Why are you here? I thought you went back to Egypt with your brother and sister."
"Oh, that," Marik said. "I-I decided to stay in Domino City for awhile. I've lived in that old tomb all my life...I didn't want to go back there just yet..."
Ryou nodded. "I know what you mean. So have you gone to see the museum yet?"
"Just as Ishizu was packing up," Marik said.
"The arcade?"
"Rode by it, didn't get a chance to stop by."
"Where are you staying then? A hotel?"
Marik grimaced. "That's actually what I came here to ask about."
"Ah," Ryou said quietly. He stirred his cup. "I'm not sure Bakura would like that..."
"But I thought that I-I mean the other me-"
"So did I," Ryou said. "I woke up and he was gone, and I thought for a second that it was for good...but no. In a few days he was back. Weak...but back."
"So, is he going to overhear this conversation?" Marik asked, attempting to sound conversationally curious...and failing.
Ryou shook his head. "He leaves occasionally. Well, not really leaves...retreats would be a better word for it. He goes into his soul room and leaves me alone for awhile. I think he's trying to find the millennium ring again."
Marik stopped. "Oh...does he know where it is then?"
"I have a feeling we'd know if he did...at least, I would." He sipped down the rest of his tea. "Are you sure you don't have anywhere else to go?"
"I'm sorry. I only ask because I really don't know what else to do." He fell to the floor at Ryou's feet. "It'll just be for a few days...I promise. Even if it's just on the couch. I'll even sleep in a corner for Ra's sake, please Ryou!"
Ryou stared down at him, his eyes wide. He knew Bakura would be unhappy-probably more than unhappy if he returned to find Marik in their apartment. But he couldn't just kick him out, not in the rain...and Bakura rarely went in the spare room...
"You don't have to go that far," he said, holding out a hand to help Marik to his feet. "We've got a spare room. I'll have to clean it out first, but-"
"Thank you!" Marik said, throwing his arms around the shocked Brit. Ryou blushed and stumbled down the hall as Marik grabbed his bag and followed his friend.

Ryou, Bakura's voice said, rousing him from an uneasy sleep. There's someone in the apartment.
"No...no there isn't," Ryou murmured sleepily.
Yes, Bakura insisted There is. I sense a presence in the spare room, and you are going to investigate it. Now. Ryou tripped out of bed, the blankets trailing from his bed as Bakura mentally pushed him down the hall.
"I'm telling you there'snothing there," Ryou said loudly, dragging his feet on the carpet. Maybe Marik would wake up and have enough sense to hide-
-But too late. Bakura burst into the room, now in full control of his host. Marik sat bolt upright, looking wildly around for the source of the noise. His purple eyes widened as the brown ones glaring at him narrowed.
"You," Bakura hissed. He lunged for the bed but missed Marik by inches.
Marik stared bewildered as Bakura writhed on the floor, the two souls inside struggling for control.
"Don't hurt him!" Ryou shouted, his voice echoing from his soul room. "He's just staying for a few days!"
"Shut up, Ryou!" Bakura yelled. His hands flew to his chest, grasping for the ring he no longer had.
"What's so terrible about having him around?" Ryou asked, ignoring the spirit. Bakura's struggles lessened as he paused to think.
Marik walked hesitantly over to the figure in the corner. "Bakura?"
"What?!" Bakura's voice was dangerously quiet as the young man kneeled down beside him.
"If you want me to leave, I will." Marik said. "If I had known of your return, I would have asked you first...don't blame Ryou for his bleeding heart."
Bakura got to his feet, brusquely walking to the door. "Whatever. Stay if you want. I don't care." He stalked back to Ryou's room, leaving Marik kneeling on the floor, confused as hell.