Mew: This is incredibly short. Well, not as short as visage, but it's short. It's just a little oneshot I made up about Marik and Malik.

Draiku: Gee, whoda thunk it!

Mew: Eh…anyway, that's all I have to say. So, um, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!

Of Angels and Demons

Marik the demon was walking through the crowded streets of his home town when he suddenly saw something that caught his eye. He smirked slightly, flexing his large, bat-like wings. He usually did this when he saw someone or something he liked.

"Now that is one pretty face," he mumbled, his smirk widening into a grin. He eyed the male angel with long, platinum blond hair, violet eyes, and tanned skin, who was carrying a stack of books. He even had pure white wings, unlike most angels today, which usually had light grey ones from having demon blood in them. "Scratch that—not just pretty, beautiful!" He walked towards him and bumped into him on purpose, causing him to drop the books.

"Oi!" the angel exclaimed. He bent down to pick up the books.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going," Marik said quickly and knelt down to help him. They stood up and Marik handed him the books.

"Thank you. And don't worry about it, I'm fine," the angel said with a sweet smile. Marik smiled back. The angel held out his hand in greeting, tucking the books under his other arm. "I'm Malik. What's your name?"

"Marik," the demon replied, shaking his hand with a grin. "Marik Ishtal."

"Wow. That's weird," the angel said, smiling.

"What?" Marik asked, blinking.

"Our names. They sound almost exactly alike. And my last name is Ishtar, so that makes it even more strange," Malik replied. "And what more, if you switch around the 'r' and the 'l' in your name, it becomes my name and vice versa."

"That's interesting," Marik said. "What are you doing with all those books, anyway?"

"Well, I have to research a topic for a paper, you see. I'm still a sophomore in high school," he replied with a shrug.

"Oh yeah? Same here," Marik said with a grin. "I have to write a topic about the ancient Egyptians."

"Really? Me too! What school do you go to?" Malik asked.

"Southeast. You?"

"Northwest. Want to work together on the papers, since we have the same topic, sometime?" he asked. Marik nodded.

"Sure! That'd be great," he said, smiling. Marik's apartment was the nearest, so they went there to work. Both took important notes as they read through the books.

"Hey, Marik?" Malik said after a bit. "Where are your parents?"

"I dunno," Marik said casually. "I've been living on my own for a while now, since they moved away."

"They moved away!" Malik exclaimed. Marik nodded.

"For work. They're paying the bills and taxes and such, while I take care of the place," he explained.

"I see," Malik said, though still slightly confused about the matter. Marik smiled slightly.

"I guess that it is a little strange for a seventeen-year-old kid to live alone like this, but I'm used to it. I was fourteen when they moved out," he said.

"Really? So you've been on your own for a while. How do you pay for school?"

"My parents also pay for that."

"Oh."

They continued to research until it got a little late. They exchanged phone numbers and such, planned on another time to meet up, then Malik left.

Marik smiled to himself as he closed the door to his apartment, happy that he got to know Malik. Now all he had to do was get even closer, then ask Malik out. He grinned and lied down in his bed, happy with the events that had happened.

-

Almost a month passed and they had spent even more time together. Marik began wanting Malik even more, but he made himself wait for the perfect moment to tell the angel. The demon would do anything to be with him, even kill.

"Why'd you take me out here?" Malik asked one day as he and Marik walked down an isolated, empty path. It was night out, and the moon was shining brightly among the twinkling stars. Marik just smiled warmly at him in reply.

"I dunno," he replied, playing dumb. Malik pouted slightly.

"Yeah, right. Come on, please tell me?" he asked, giving Marik puppy eyes. Marik just chuckled.

"Puppy eyes don't work on me, Malik," he said.

"Fine, don't tell me then. I don't care," Malik said, trying to lie. They continued their walk until they took a break on one of the benches. Marik decided in his mind that the time was right.

"Malik, you wonder why I took you out here?" he asked. Malik nodded.

"Of course I do," he said.

"The reason is…I wanted to tell you that…I, I love you, Malik," Marik admitted, blushing. Malik stared at him, his eyes wide.

"You love me?" he repeated, as if in disbelief.

"Y-yes, I do," Marik said, scratching the back of his head nervously. He saw out of the corner of his eye that Malik was glaring. "I see," he muttered sadly. "You like girls, right?"

"Actually, no. But I won't be with you," Malik growled. Marik looked up, surprised at what Malik had said.

"Why not!" he demanded, tears beginning to form in his eyes.

"You're a demon." Marik glared slightly.

"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked, a stray tear now sliding down his cheek. Malik stood up and Marik followed.

"My family is all pure-blooded. There isn't a drop of demon blood in me, nor any of the other members of my family. It's against our laws to love a demon," Malik hissed.

"It's not like we could have children anyway and screw up your oh-so important bloodline! In case you haven't noticed, we're both men!" Marik growled, his teeth lengthening into fangs. This only happened when he was very angry.

"I can see that. If you were an angel, I'd definitely say yes. But you're not, so I won't be with you," Malik said, turning around. Marik's anger died into great sadness and he stared at Malik helplessly, the tears now free from his grasp and flowing to wherever they wished.

"Why can't you just look past the fact that I'm a demon? Is that all that matters to you? Blood? Is that really everything? I just don't understand, Malik. I love you, and you would love me if I was an angel, yet we can't be together? It makes no sense," he said softly.

"To me it does," Malik said, looking over his shoulder. "I'm leaving. Don't you even think of contacting me ever again." He strode off, leaving Marik alone to cry in the cold, unwelcoming night.

-

Five years passed by in a blur. Marik still lived alone, and he still thought of Malik. Ever since that night, he hadn't ever spoken with the angel. Sure, there were a few times when they passed each other on the street, but they always ignored each other.

Marik slowly lost his ability to be happy only a month after Malik rejected him. His friends slowly drifted away from him since he wasn't his usual, cheerful self, and soon he became entirely friendless. He lost at least ten pounds since he wasn't eating as much, and he dropped out of school. After all, Malik had become his life.

During this time, Malik became angry and spiteful towards demons and even other angels without pure blood. He lost all of his friends, since there were only a few pure-blooded families in the entire world. His parents both died in an accident, so he lived with his older siblings. Eventually he just shut himself in his room and made no contact with anyone at all, not even his sister or his brother.

Marik sighed sadly on Christmas eve, staring out his window at the falling snow. He was glad that he had a vacation tomorrow, he needed it greatly. He got up and rested on his bed, which was now a hammock. He had sold his mattress, sheets, and bed frame for the money.

He stared at the ceiling, putting his hands behind his head, thinking of Malik again. He growled and hit himself.

"He hates your blood, Marik. Don't think of him at all, never again," he snarled. His glare became a frown and he stared at his clock. It was already one in the morning. "I should get to sleep," he suggested to himself. He folded his wings around his body and pulled the blanket up to his chin, turning on his side.

Just when he was about to get to sleep, his doorbell rang. He blinked and got up, wondering who could possibly be outside, waiting for him.

Deciding that it was probably a traveler who needed directions, he got out of his bed and walked out of his apartment and down the stairs. He opened the door and gasped, his eyes wide.

There sat Malik, his wings wrapped around his body. He was wearing nothing but his boxers, and he was bruised and cut in many places. The feathers on his wings were torn and ruffled, as if someone had pulled out fistfuls of them. He was shivering violently as the wind blew on him.

"Malik!" Marik exclaimed. The angel looked up at him weakly.

"P-please," he managed out. "H-help me." Marik immediately took him into his arms and carried him inside as fast as he could. The boy felt so cold…how did he get this way?

He came upon his apartment and brought Malik inside, wondering how he could get him warmed up. He wrapped a thick blanket around him gently, then decided to start a hot bath for him. It would get him warmed up, after all. After the tub was filled with water, Marik picked Malik up gently.

"Here, you might want to take off your boxers," he suggested. Malik did so and Marik helped him into the tub. Malik eventually stopped shivering, and the tears that had frozen to his face melted, sliding down his tanned skin. He brought his hands to his face and cried into them softly.

"Malik?" Marik said worriedly, putting a hand on Malik's shoulder. "What's wrong?" he asked gently.

"You helped me! Even though I said all those mean things to you, you still…" Malik managed out through his sobs. Marik hugged Malik gently, and Malik hugged him back tightly.

"Are you warm now?" Marik asked soothingly. Malik nodded. "Then I'll get some clothing for you to wear. It'll probably be a little loose, but you need something to wear."

"Thank you so much," Malik whispered, clutching Marik's vest. Marik smiled slightly and helped Malik out of the tub, wrapping a towel around his frail body.

He left the room for a second, then brought back some clothes for Malik to wear. Malik changed into them, then the two walked out and sat on the couch.

"I'll get something warm for you to drink," Marik said to Malik and stepped into the kitchen. He came back with a cup of decaf coffee and handed it to the angel. Malik thanked him again and sipped the drink.

"How did this happen to you?" Marik asked, a worried expression upon his face. Malik gazed at the carpeted floor.

"Some guys from school grabbed me and mugged me," he mumbled. "They took my clothes and stuff, then left me. I remembered your address, so I thought that maybe you'd help me."

"Why were you around here in the first place?"

"I wanted to apologize to you for being so mean five years ago. I…I regret doing that, a lot," he said, looking away from Marik. "But…but why did you help me? You should've told me to leave and that you never wanted to see me again!"

"But Malik," Marik murmured, trapping the angel in a warm embrace. "How can I never want to see you again when I think of you every day?" Malik squeezed his eyes shut and clutched Marik's vest, burying his face in Marik's neck. "I forgave you a long time ago. Don't worry about the past, okay?"

"I-I'm sorry for doing that," Malik whispered. "I…I know this sounds stupid but…I, I want to be with you. I need you." Marik held Malik tightly, stroking his back gently. Malik looked up at him and they kissed each other gently, then held each other close.

"Then let me hold you, forever, in my arms," Marik murmured into Malik's ear.

There was no need for any more words. Both knew exactly what the other was thinking, and both had the exact same thought.

I love you…

End

Mew: -squee- I just love Marik x Malik! –goes into fangirl mode- KAWAAAIIIIIIIIII!

Draiku: RUUUNNNNN!

Yoko: Please R&R before you run away from Mew's fangirl mode! –runs away-