A/N: The promised sequel! Oh yeah, Happy Birthday to meee :D

And just to avoid confusion, in the beginning they are sort of in "now" and them we'll go to the time before "now" to see how they got to "now", so after the double line thingy, it's "before". "Before" is near the end of Until Midnight and then we'll travel back to "now". See? I'm sure no one is confused now xD

And... I'm sick :( So no updating until I get healthy again.


If one looked really carefully, one could see two figures in the shadow of an alley, keeping an eye on a caravan while chatting quietly with each other. Though even if someone would notice this, they wouldn't get very suspicious since the two figures were just carrying on a harmless chat, in the shadow so they wouldn't have to suffer from the heat of the sun. Of course that wasn't the case but they were better off not knowing.

"In times like these, I once again wonder where did my morals go..." The younger of the two said none too seriously, smirking a bit to the other man who was leaning to the wall, arms crossed and watching the street. At the sound of his companion's voice, his attention was redirected.

"You must have left it home." He simply said with a teasing glint in his eye and the other let out a laugh before they both once again started watching the caravan, which was already quite far.

"Shall we?" The younger one asked casually.

"We shall."

With that they both turned to go farther into the alley.


-
Earlier that day, when he had been getting water to the horses, Malik had really thought for a second that he was finally losing it. But as he had just stood there, next to the well and watched how the form of the horse and the rider took off again, but not before the rider had raised his hand into some kind of greeting, he was confirmed of his sanity. It couldn't be anyone else.

Now that Malik had finished his work for the day and the sun was beginning to set, he wondered if he should be happy to see Bakura again, or upset that he had left him here three years ago. Would Bakura even come and actually meet him or had he just been passing by and was now far away? Should he hope that the other would come and see him? Malik wasn't sure how he should react to this, how he should feel.

On the other hand, it would be great to see the thief again but he wasn't sure if he really wanted to, if it would after all be better if they would never meet again. Did he still love Bakura? Had he truly loved him back then? After all, he had been just a child, maybe he had mistaken some kind of deep affection as love. And, most of all, did Bakura still love him?

He could remember it all so clearly, the night he had been left here. He had been so sad but there hadn't been much he could have done. The wooden horse that had been his treasure, still was he guessed, was now in his hands as he studied it, as if hoping that it would know the answers. Of course it didn't but it had helped him to feel less sad back then and now it kind of was helping him to think. It worked as a reminder.

He had been so happy to get it, it had been a gift from the person who had meant so much to him, at the time. The little horse had kept its meaning, but had the person too? Maybe he would find out... Sure it was easy to say or think whatever when he wasn't face to face with Bakura, but he suspected that it would be different if he was. Of course it would be, there was no way it wouldn't.

What would he do? What would he say? Malik was pretty sure that if he were to be face to face with the thief, all he could do would be a good impression of a fish out of water. That or he would be too busy kicking his ass for leaving him to have time to think about what to say. As good option as any.

But then again, maybe he wouldn't be able to be angry... It had been for his own good and he did understand it, but if leaving had been the best option at the time, why would Bakura come back now? Wouldn't leaving him for good be the best option still? Maybe he was just dropping by to see how Malik was doing... Maybe he was in the neighborhood...

It was dark now and Malik was sure that if Bakura had any intention in coming to see him, he would come right about now, or pretty soon anyway. He still didn't know if he wanted to see the other though...

Rishid was once again not here and neither was Isis, she was nearly always with the other priests nowadays and the older brother had his guard duties. Malik was old enough to be alone but he was sure they still worried, being the protective older siblings they were. They had barely let him go anywhere without someone during the first month after he had been returned. They weren't aware of the circumstances he had been returned under though; Malik had never told them. It was better if they didn't know.

A startled whiny snapped him out of his musings. He peeked his head out of the window to see what was the matter with the horses but saw nothing particular that could have startled them, only the restlessly moving animals in the faint light of the few still lit torches. The animals were his responsibility though, so it was better if he went out and checked what was the matter. It could be just something like a mouse but he couldn't sleep either if there was something wrong with the horses. Not that he was expecting to get any sleep either way...

Walking past the few houses that separated him from the area surrounded by a wooden fence, feeling a bit wary, he kept an eye out for anything that could have made the animals jumpy. Reaching the horses, still not seeing anything, he sighed and gave the animals a look.

"You are all paranoid, I swear." This wasn't the first time he had been kept up at night by some supposed ghost that startled the paranoid animals. All the six horses turned their heads towards him and... Six? Malik counted again and got six heads again. Either he had suddenly lost his ability to count or there was an extra horse. There were two horses owned by the townspeople and three by the passing by people, there were supposed to be five, not six.

The teen climbed over the fence with a frown. No wonder there was some commotion if a strange horse had just popped out of somewhere. Malik went through the horses too see which didn't belong there. He knew all of them by name and appearance so it wouldn't be hard to figure out who was the intruder. Sure it could be possible that a traveler had just came by and left his horse there and nothing fishy was going on but it was better to be safe than sorry, as they say.

So far so good, he was able to recognize all the horses so far in the faint torch light. Then he came across one that he could recognize anywhere but that wasn't supposed to be there, unless...

"Pharaoh?" He whispered and the horse in question nodded his head as if he had been able to understand and came to play with Malik's hair. "What are you doing here boy?" The question was stupid as the answer was obvious. He petted the animal who nuzzled him with affection.

"He's not the only one who missed you." Came a voice from somewhere behind him, making him jump a bit even though he had known it was coming sooner or later. He turned to face the person, still not really sure how he should react.

Bakura hadn't changed much in terms of appearance, maybe looking a bit more tired and worn out somehow. They just stared at each other for some time before Malik regained his words.

"What are you doing here?" Stupid question... "Why did you come back?"

"What? Not happy to see me?" Bakura asked, also coming to his horse.

"I'm not sure, should I be?"

"Why shouldn't you be?"

Malik sent a glance at the other's way, noticing that he was more concentrated on the animal than him. "You left me."

The other sighed. "It was for your own good."

"I know that, it still hurt."

"Well, I'm sorry."

At the words, Malik looked at the thief again. "For what? For doing what was so much better for me?" He couldn't help but sound bitter. He had told himself over and over again that it had been for the better but still... "You're not sorry and you shouldn't be. Just tell me why did you come back now."

"I... I just wanted to see you..."

"Why didn't you want to see me sooner?" That sounded a bit cold but he couldn't help it.

"Who says I didn't?" Bakura snapped. "I just couldn't find it in me to actually come here so my visit kind of got pushed back... I knew that you probably wouldn't want to see me but I really did miss you..." He reached out for the other but his hand was swapped away.

"Don't touch me." Malik hissed. "You can't just leave me and then come back, expecting to be a part of my life again."

"I'm not... I'll leave tomorrow, I just wanted to... You have changed so much..."

"It's called growing up. You should get Pharaoh out of here, he's disturbing the horses." Malik told, turning away.

"Malik wait." The other said and the teen stopped but didn't turn around. "Are you really going to just turn your back to me? You're not the only one who went through a lot back then, just remember that."

"Thanks but I think I'd rather forget." With that he walked away, not looking back, a tear falling down his face. This was not how it was supposed to go...


Bakura was left standing there, with the horses. Pharaoh was nudging him, as if saying 'go after him' but he couldn't do that. Maybe he shouldn't have come back... That would have been better after all, to follow his own path that lead away from Malik, like he had thought that he would do.

The gang he had been a part of back then, had been split up by the guards that had came after them, three years ago. He had figured that it was no big deal and moved on, he didn't need any of them. Being alone was what he did best and it was true that he could take care of himself, way better than he could take care of someone else. It had been so simple at first but then the memory of Malik had started hunting him. Of course, this was just normal, he missed the boy, that's all but as time went by, it didn't ease any. In fact it just got worse and worse, to the point where he felt like he would just go crazy.

The fact still remained that Malik was better off without him so there was no way he was going to get the boy back or anything like that. So he had tried to "cure" it by taking another "lover". They had all been just cheap lays that did nothing to him on any deeper level. If anything, it had only gotten worse since it somehow felt like he was cheating on the boy, even though they really weren't together anymore. It all led to this day and to his decision to at least come and see the boy, now turned young man. And now Malik was angry at him for coming back.

He couldn't stay here and he couldn't stay away.

And by gods, Malik had changed. He had really grown since the time Bakura last had seen him, matured up. The Malik he remembered had been a small boy, naïve and childish. This Malik was not naïve anymore, he was not childish, he was... An adult. A beautiful one at that too. Sure he had been very pretty as a boy but now... It was a whole different story.

But, Bakura wasn't wanted here, he would have to leave. He would but not until tomorrow, he was too tired to ride to anywhere else for the night now and it was late. Pharaoh needed his rest too and they should get out from among the horses that actually belonged here. How lucky were all these animals to have Malik's care and no doubt affection...

With that pathetic thought in mind, the thief left the fenced area with his horse. Pharaoh didn't seem all that happy about this new turn of events either, but followed his master anyway. It was just that his long lost other master and friend had gone away and now everyone were all sad.

Bakura went back to his camp and settled down for the night. Was this it? Would he leave for good and never come back again? Maybe that would be for the better. Funny how him leaving was always for the better, really. Or maybe he shouldn't give up... He had come all the way here after all, it was so unlike him to just give up and leave it be. But then again, this was Malik who had wanted him gone. In a way, that was enough reason for him to go but also to stay. Try a bit harder and maybe turn all this for the better by not leaving for once.


Malik stayed up that night. The meeting with Bakura could have gone better, if only he had been able to keep his sad, bitter feelings at bay and hear the other out. Surely he had a good explanation... and so what if he hadn't? Malik should be happy that he came back, that was what he had hoped for, right? Right?

This was all just so sudden, it caught him off guard so he had done the thing that was only natural; defended himself. Maybe he could go and at least talk to Bakura before he left, to ask how he had been doing if nothing else.

"...You're not the only one who went through a lot back then, just remember that."

Yes, that's what he should do... With that sort of reassuring thought in mind, he fell asleep during the early hours of the up coming day.


A/N: Yes, I know, short but I didn't want to stuff all the drama in the first chapter, I much rather stuff it into the second chapter instead xD And maybe third too, I have to see. Anyway, lots of emotional confusion in the beginning but it's sort of necessary...

Please review!!