Shugo: hey! Well, I was stuck at home recently feeling depressed and instead of working on my stories like I should've, I turned to my favourite thing to do when I'm feeling sad! I tried a new writing technique, so let me know what you think!

Yami: basically shoving me in unhappy relationships. I feel so loved…

Shugo: sorry Yami... I can't help it! It's just so much fun to write! Plus this song fits so well… I do love you, I do! I'll write a happy darkshipping next time I'm free, I promise… *hugs Yami*

Yami: yeah yeah… Shugo doesn't own Yugioh or T.A.T.U's song "perfect enemy", where the idea came from. No lawsuits please!

The rain seemed to go on forever, the occasional rumble of thunder the only thing that broke the almost continuous noise. There were no lights on in the shop, not that the lone occupant needed them. He was quite content in the dark, the shadows coiling happily in response to the presence of their king. The house seemed surprisingly empty without the other two happy sun-dwellers in it, but at least it left him alone to think. And he had a lot to think about. His past, for example. It was confusing enough before when he didn't know, but now… he wasn't sure what to think. Should he keep his new name? Or should he fall back on his old one? Did he really enjoy whipping that slave? And then there was the thief king. A small groan escaped his lips at that. God, don't get him started. Did he… did he really love him? It was hard to believe with what he knew of him now. But yet the memories were there. Sneaking out at night, meeting under the pyramids, having wild makeout sessions until morning… But there was something… restricting about it. Like he wasn't allowed to be him, he had to be the powerful and feisty Pharaoh that everyone else saw. Every time he had to fight, and every time the tomb robber had to overpower him and win, gloating in the power of seeing the 'Pharaoh' broken and submissive. Then he would fight back, then he would get knocked down again, then it was morning… and they slipped apart, each yelling abuse and refusing to come back. But they always did. He guessed he did love him, at least back then, as he put up with all the crap that was now clearly visible. He snorted in amusement, shaking his head at his own stupidity. Seriously, why did he fall for it? It was obvious that it was just Bakura finding another way to triumph over the Pharaoh. At least that was it at the start… he wasn't sure about later. Of course he was uneasy at first, this was the tomb robber they were talking about, but he kinda put up with it. Now he wondered why. There was no sharing in that relationship, it was just take, take, take… it drained him. Soon he had nothing left to give… but of course that didn't stop the thief king. Always dominating, bitching at him about something or other that he'd supposedly did. He hated it. He kept his tongue though, playing the good boyfriend. Bakura stole him gifts, he tried to make him take them back, Bakura wouldn't hear any of it… it was acting. All of it. He was just doing what he thought was expected of him, the cold and cruel Pharaoh. He did wish he could've been real around him though… then the thief king betrayed him. His usually calm, handsome face twisted into a rage-filled, animalistic snarl. He could still smell it… the stench of his father's rotting corpse. It had messed him up bad, to say the least. Yes, he could officially say that on that day, the thief king stole his sanity. Why had he hurt him like that? He thought they were supposed to have eachother's back… that's when the reality sunk in. that was just it…supposed. It didn't mean they actually did. Somehow that thought… relieved him. The thief king killed him inside, he could kill him in real life! Their relationship was all just acting, after all. Just going through the motions. He couldn't deny that the feeling were there though… but what did that have to do with anything? It was a game, all of it. And he loved games. Games and deception was his forte. So it didn't come as a surprise when his 'boyfriend' contacted him, asking him to come to the pyramids again tonight. He would go… but he would go with all his lovely pawns following. He would take the king with one fell swoop. He reflected bitterly that his eyes started to change then, his warm and friendly purple twisting into the cruel and calculating crimson he had now. Funny what madness did to a guy… he arrived at the pyramids like he was supposed to, dressed up all pretty in his formal attire. If everything went to plan, then this would be an occasion to remember… he met with the thief king as normal, but something seemed… different. Bakura was more nervous around him, always shying away and acting like he wanted to say something. Of course he played along. What was the point of winning without lulling your opponent into a sense of security? That made the victory all the more sweet. He could still remember the exact words used…

"Pharaoh? A, are you okay?"

"Of course. Why?"

"I, I think I'm possessed by something, I keep blacking out and waking up in weird places… I didn't do anything to hurt you, did I?" oh, now that was too funny. He tried to kill him! It was all he could do to keep a straight face.

"I don't know, dear 'Kura. Hey, let's play a game!" the thief's head shot up at that.

"…'Kura? You sure you're feeling okay? Ra, the voice said it would hurt you…" he grew impatient at the tomb robbers babbling. He had a voice too, but it just analysed everything, showed him how to manipulate people this way and that. Unfortunately for him, the voice had stayed with him even when he regained his sanity. It was out of habit he supposed.

"No no, I'm fine. Now let's play! I'm the king and you're the thief. You gotta ru~un!" his childish laugh echoed horribly through the pyramids, obviously scaring the thief king.

"Orisis, what have I done to you… Dear Ra." His voice was shocked into silence. "What happened to your eyes? They're the colour of spilled blood…"

"oh, blood… there was lots of blood before, aaaaaall across the palace floor! There would be, I suppose…" he leant in, their noses touching as his innocent smile slipped to show a twisted face filled with hate. "AFTER ALL, YOU DRAGGED MY DAD'S CORPSE INTO THE THRONE ROOM!"

"Oh my Ra… Pharaoh, I'm so sorry… I…" he started to make excuses, stuttering out apologies but he had already slipped back into his childish insanity and the world was a game once more. A game that he had complete mastery over.

"…But that's okay, cause you're gonna play a game with me! It's si~mple, all you gotta do…" the hidden guards rose out from behind the dunes, sending the thief into a panic before he realized what had happened and stared at him. Hehe, he had won. Was their ever any doubt? "…Is RUN!"

He ran all right, making the game tremendous fun as he summoned monster after monster that joined his troops, his insane cackle tearing through the air as he bolted after the player in his game. Once you accepted the rules, you were in his world now… suddenly the thief stopped short and turned around, his eyes glowing ghostly red as he laughed with a voice not his own…

"So, the Pharaoh's gone mad at the sight of his dear, decomposing Daddy? Unsurprising, I think there's still an eyeball on the floor…" the thief jeered, turning his happiness back into the pure, unaltered rage. How dare he bring that up! How dare he!

"And you're any different? If I recall correctly, your people were melted to form this lovely trinket right here…" teasingly he licked the puzzle, laughing hysterically at the furious shout that escaped the tomb robber's lips.

"Keep your hands off it, Pharaoh!"

"Make me!" at that the thief roared and charged at his once-love, he just laughed and met him in the air, shrieking and clashing, the insanity in them both twisting their love into hate, hate hate hate HATE! He had to fight to stop himself slipping into that mindless rage even now. Even after all that was over… a small knock at the darkened door snapped him out of his reminiscing. Who could be knocking at this Ra-dammed hour? Slowly the darkened figure dragged himself up to the door, already having a suspicion who it was. One look confirmed it.

"Bakura." There was no compassion in his voice, no hint of the trembling emotions that still lingered from Egypt. The now pale thief looked up wretchedly at him, water making his beautiful hair resemble a drowned rat.

"Atem. Can I come in?" if he was troubled by the sound of his true name, he didn't show it and simply nodded, widening the door to let Bakura come out of the pounding rain. "What were you doing outside in this weather?"

"I came to see you." He stated simply, making his spiky haired companion freeze.

"…and why is that?"

"You've got your memories back now, haven't you?"

"Yes. What of it?" his words were slow and deliberate, analysing each sentence before he spoke. He didn't like where this was going… Bakura sat up in his seat in a weird mix of anticipation, nervousness and frustration.

"Then you remember that…"

"We were lovers, yes." The thief blinked at the conversational tone. Did he not care at all? But then he kept speaking. "If I remember correctly, it was just another way for you to defeat me." He couldn't help cringing at that. That was the case, at the start… "…and eventually you sent me mad."

"That was an accident!" he exploded, slumping back in his chair at the lack of reaction he got. "I was possessed…"

"A likely story. Tell me, is that all you came to do? To make excuses? If so, please leave." His calm tone didn't match his figure, the smaller frame trembling slightly as he got a towel for the soaking thief. He accepted it gratefully, if a little desperate for a more human reaction. But he was trembling though… at least that was a start.

"No. I…came to ask you something." He raised an eyebrow at that. He thought this would come up… he already had an answer.

"No. It would just be the same as before." The thief shrugged, unwilling to give up.

"And there is a problem with that why?" He almost laughed at the tomb robber's stupidity. Did he seriously not notice that he wasn't him? That he was playing a part? The thief was dumber than he thought.

"Because it wasn't me. It was me acting a role of the Pharaoh. You never saw the real me." His words cut Bakura like a whip, leaving him stunned. He… was pretending? no… that wasn't true! They both had their masks up, but Bakura had seen past the hard outer shell and seen the real person. He had fallen for the real him, no matter what he said. It still hurt though…

"That's not true, I did." His quiet whisper surprised him, crimson eyes widening slightly before the mask was back on.

"Did you now? That doesn't explain the dragging of my father's rotting corpse into the throne room…" he had to fight to stop the waver in his voice. God, why wouldn't he just leave! He was bringing up stuff that he had buried away, content to leave the emotions untouched. Bakura shrugged in response, glancing uneasily at him.

"I told you, I was possessed. Zorc wasn't exactly a recent thing…" his sentence trailed off and he fiddled with the pointers on the millennium ring, a nervous habit he had picked up from Ryou.

"And why should I listen to your excuses?" that was it. Bakura couldn't take it anymore. Silently he stood up with the grace of a professional thief, skirted over to the turned figure and wrapped him in a backwards hug, registering the fact that he jerked violently but didn't fight back.

"Because I still love you." He whispered quietly. They stood there for a while, both content in the darkness. They were its masters after all. They belonged to it, just as it belonged to them. It was a long time before the small voice broke the silence.

"All right, I believe you. " Bakura nodded once in satisfaction. It just felt so… right having him in his arms. Yes, he obviously oppressed him before, but that wouldn't happen now.

"I'll ask you again, Atem. Will you go out with me?"

"No." the harsh answer seemed to cut through Bakura's head. What? He pulled himself out of the stunned thief's grip, his crimson eyes cold.

"Why not?" he smiled at that, but it contained no mirth. That seemed to enrage Bakura even further and he bolted upright, his posture radiating anger.

"I don't want to go back there. Why should I accept your domination? I'm going to be me. I don't need you to do that." Bakura's mind kicked into overdrive at his statement. He probably still had feelings for him, so…

"Atem, please, I…" he stuttered, wavering eyes adding to the tomb robber's appeal. A harsh laugh cut him off.

"Don't even try, thief. I'm not going to change to please you anymore. I have an umbrella you can borrow, please leave." He spoke calmly, a hint of malicious insanity glinting in his eye. It was only now that Bakura realized the extent of damage done. His actions had completely shattered him. It wouldn't surprise him if the reason he destroyed his memories when he was sealed was to get away from his madness, if only for a little while.

"Pharaoh…"

"out." The thief staggered to the door, face screwed up with hurt, pain and a hint of… regret? It was hard for him to read his expression. Not like it mattered now. Bakura gazed at him mournfully on the front porch, unwilling to leave.

"Atem…"

"My name isn't Atem anymore. It's Yami." He shot back. The thief grit his teeth, his fist clenching and unclenching.

"That doesn't matter! I still love you! Why… why can't we be more…" he just regarded the thief from behind his Pharaoh mask, face unchanging as a tear slipped from Bakura's eye. Suddenly he laughed, a high pitched, maniacal sound that scared Bakura.

"Why? Because we're rivals. Nothing will change that. To be honest I still love you, but what of it? We are destined to clash Bakura, again and again and again. We will never get along. Ever." And with that he shut the door, leaving a stunned and broken thief on the step as his last words rang through the air.

"Forever I will be your perfect enemy."

Shugo:…AAAAAAAANGST!

Bakura: Why? Why you do that to me!

Yami: paybacks a bitch…. : )

Bakura: …whut?

Shugo: read my other emo drabble. Dear god, haven't I been in a happy mood? Ahem! Thank you for reading! Have a Yami muffin! *hands out muffins*