ATTENTION: Sorry, I had to update in order to get the boldings and italics down. The second chapter is about 45% done, so check back soon. ^_^;;

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Or any of it's merchandise toy thingys... wait, I do. I have some Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards, etc.

Rating: PG-13 for some cursing, mildly adult scenes, etc.


Summary: *Sequel to Soul Mates* A few years later, Marik and Alex have progressed further than their little 'date'. Alex finishes school, and (that very evening) Marik presents her with an engagement ring. Are they ready to live as a married couple? Or perhaps there are still some secrets to be let out- not to mention an old grudge to dissipate.

Author Notes: Heyas again, guys. ^_^ Long time no write, but big time edit. I've been busy editing Rozefire's work here on Fanfiction.net and dabbling in poetry on the side, so please excuse my lateness. I DID say the sequel would have to wait for this year... and here it is. ^_^ I hope you enjoy!

The Married Life

Jolly Ranchers Are Indeed Nutritious

"Are you done yet?" His voice was muffled as it passed through the bathroom door. "How's it going?"

"Just wait a minute, would you?" Alex called , stifling a laugh as he sighed dramatically.

Marik ran a hand through his blond locks to push long pieces from the glare he was imprinting on the door. "What color is it?"

"The pee?"

"No! The little measuring tape… thing…" He flailed for words. "You know what I mean!"

She giggled. "It's not the color, it's whether it's a positive or negative sign!"

"Which is it?"

The door was thrown wide open by his twenty-three year old fiancée who stepped wearily out to meet him.

"Well?" he asked anxiously, seeing the long look on her face. Disappointment was already grumbling nervously in his stomach, and perhaps a little despair mixed in, too-

"Yes!" Alex's droopy frown changed instantly to a radiant, beaming smile.

"Yes?" Marik repeated, incredulous.

"Yes!" She grabbed his hands and twirled him in a circle. Normally he would have dipped her back into a heated kiss, but he was too amazed.

"Yes?"

"Yes! Aren't you excited?"

He blinked, still in shock. "I'm so excited I can hardly think-" Marik broke off, eyes widening. "Sweet Mother of Ra! I'm- I'm going to be- a father!" He leaned down swiftly and caught her lips in a fierce embrace of excitement.

Alex rolled her green eyes, the irises flashing at him teasingly as she broke away. "Uh, yes! I've only been trying to get that through to you for five whole minutes. Geez!"

"Is it a boy? Or a girl?" Marik followed her out of their room, down the stairs, and into one of the four living rooms.

She flopped down on the couch before she answered with a question. "How should I know?"

Marik gaped at her in confusion. "You just took a pregnancy test!"

"Exactly." she confirmed. "Not a gender test."

"Ah." was all he managed, obviously embarrassed to have no knowledge on this subject.

"I'll have to see a doctor, now." Alex said thoughtfully. Marik tensed.

"Again?" He remembered the last private physician he'd called in when she was sick- the slimy bustard had his hands all over her.

"Just to check for sure and be certain that everything's all right," she soothed as his face began to redden. "Wouldn't want anything to go wrong." Her hand snaked out towards a bag of Jolly Ranchers on the table and Marik slapped it away playfully.

"No more junk food for you," he lectured, mock-serious.

"What the hell?" she scowled at him. "Jolly Ranchers? I don't even think they have sugar!" Alex snatched the bag and read the back. "Ok… some… a lot… so?"

"So- you're going to have to stop eating like a kid."

"I do not eat like a kid!"

Marik raised his eyebrows. "You get up in the morning. You eat waffle sticks and pour Hershey's Syrup on them. The leggo-my-eggo kind, to be exact." His eyes twinkled as she opened her mouth to protest. "No, no, I'm not done yet.

"With it, you drink a large glass of milk with a chunk of Hershey's chocolate in the bottom to be sure you 'drink it all' to get the prize."

"Just wait a-" Her fiancé held up a hand.

"Still on breakfast! Obviously, you are lacking in your daily allotment of chocolate, seeing as you must have even more. To finish off breakfast, you have a bagel, which wouldn't be so bad if the rest of the chocolate bar wasn't melted on top and slathered in peanut butter!"

"You haven't even tried that yet-" she attempted to interject, but now Marik was on a roll.

"Lunch consists of an apple. That might be the first potentially good thing you've had all day- if not for the caramel and marshmallows! The vitamins and other healthy goodies are lost if the apple's smothered in sugar, did you know?"

"That can't be true-"

"For a mid-afternoon snack, you eat two Snicker's and a handful of Jolly Ranchers. These are followed by a good four or five shots of orange soda."

"Would you just-"

"For dinner, you like hotdogs or hamburgers best, preferably two or three with a large order of fries covered in salt and ketchup- OOF-"

Alex ran him over like a truck, slamming him back against the couch. "I get the point!" she huffed.

"Do you?" he asked, not all that unhappy with the position they were in. "I really, really think you don't." Her fiancé shifted so that she was sitting practically on top of him and she settled into the crook of his arm.

"I get it, aright?" Alex said, rolling her eyes at him.

"Get what?" Marik prodded. "Tell me exactly what you understand."

"No more Jolly Ranchers for me!"

***

Yami Marik was confused.

He hated that word. Confused. How terribly and unmistakably…

Weak.

He growled and paced the confines of his soul room restlessly, knocking back items that had the misfortune to stand in his way.

The spirit couldn't tell what he felt anymore, or at least 'felt' what he thought he'd be feeling if he were alive.

To live again…

Then his baka other wouldn't have a chance-

Stupid boy didn't even know he existed! For eight years, he had schemed quietly, ignoring Marik's puzzled calls for him and feeling the odd mix of loss and joy when it was assumed that he had gone.

All gone, all gone, gone gone gone.

The ahou didn't even miss him! Not even a little. How could he not?

But even now, Yami Marik wasn't sure whether he missed his hikari or just life itself.

Or maybe the endless attention he got. It was hate, of course. Oh yes, a strong loathing sort of feeling that he craved and yearned for. Marik just didn't understand. The only reason he existed was to dedicate his entire soul and body to hating his alter ego.

The hate was gone now… it wasn't possible. It shouldn't be possible. It wasn't meant to be possible! It was replaced with love- and even Yami Marik would have accepted this love, but who was it directed towards?

Alex, of course!

Love of my life, heart of my heart, my only one. he mimicked sardonically, seething with rage.

Just wait… I guarantee there will be ones by the end of this…

One for me-

And one that's dead!

***

"What is this?"

Alex was staring at the plate a butler had just served her. It contained exactly ten lettuce leaves, some carrots, and low-fat caesar dressing.

The butler only smiled and replied, "Sorry, Mistress. The Master's orders." He bowed and left.

A glare burned into Marik's forehead from where he sat across the table. He looked up and raised an eyebrow, secretly startled at such a hostile reaction. "Yes?"

"Do you call this edible?" Her cold voice caused him to flinch.

"Erm, yes, I do. In fact, it's extremely healthy and good for y-"

"Wait, scratch that." Alex interrupted, eyes gleaming. "Do you think this is funny?"

"No." Marik swallowed. "I think it would be great if you would eat it though."

She sat simmering for a few moments before downright erupting. "This is the most pathetic, smallest, non-nutritioned and disgusting salad I have every seen!" The fiancée threw her hands up into the air. "I can't believe you!"

Determined not to make her livid over such a small detail, Marik burst out rather hastily, "Ha! I was kidding! Haha!" He summoned the butler to bring another plate of chicken.

Alex stopped in mid-rant to give him a queer look, then happily went at the 'edible' food placed in front of her.

As the butler passed Marik on the way to the kitchens, he muttered something that sounded a quite suspiciously like "Whipped!"

Author's Notes:

Ahou: Fool

Baka: Idiot

I do hope it was up to par, Moonbeam. ^_~ Ttfn until next time, which won't be long, but won't be immediate either. I'm thinking maybe a week. Until then!

~Aithril