Bakura was staring at him expressionlessly. He stood there, so mysterious and seemingly calm. His white hair was matted slightly from the merciless rain and his button-down blue shirt was thrown open to reveal the striped shirt beneath and his eyes. The man could not help but stare. It was a beautiful shade of brownie red, like freshly spilled blood which was drying under high temperatures. In the split second Marik had to stare at his former partner, Bakura cocked his head and smirked slightly, as water slid down his face and slipped off his angular features. It made sense now, his fast movements, using the shadows to his advantage, he was the skilled thief. He had learnt the tricks and skills needed. Then, the alleyway went dark again as the flash of lightning was swallowed up by the night.

Marik's thoughts began to go haywire as a buzzing started to sound in his ears. His body started to shake vigorously. If were because of the shock or the cold he couldn't have told you. Marik clutched onto to his head. This changed Bakura's expression; he looked slightly startled yet concerned by Marik reaction. Bakura titled his head slightly, raising one of his eyebrows.

Bakura being back seemed to only echo one thing to Marik. That he wanted to see his blood trickle down his own pale hands. Marik knew it all too well and was now feeling panicked. His quick-beating heart was lodged in his throat, as he stepped backwards through the dark alleyway. His feet pounded the muddy alley floor, splashing rainwater in all directions. The rain fell ceaselessly in thick sheets, accentuated by brief flashes of lightning, which only revealed Marik's anxious face. It still baffled him how Bakura could even be there now but he had betrayed Bakura, left him for dust while he pranced around helping the pharaoh. Waiting for him… no wonder he would want revenge for that. It made Marik feel sick that he left the one he cared about most so easily. He clamped his eyes shut and began to turn ready to launch himself in the opposite direction.

"Marik!"

He froze. The voice was rich, deep, and highly sensual, sending shivers down his spine with each syllable. He could feel the sound. And when he turned he head towards it, Bakura was there, a mere metre away, arms casually by the side and body poised in a very confident stance that was so alluring to him. His fear, which had reached horrifying levels, was immediately cooled for the moment he saw the male beauty watching him intently with those captivating eyes.

However the fear became lodge in his throat as quickly as it came when Bakura was about to walk closer. His mind seemed to be on overdrive. He started running once more. Only looking straight ahead, to the place he was at the start of all this oddness. Marik came breathlessly to the worn-out port and looked frantically around for his motorcycle. In his haste and panic, he overlooked it several times. As soon as he saw it, he rushed toward it, pulling the helmet over his head and went immediately for the ignition. As soon as he twisted the handles, he drove forward. Driving as fast as it could possible to go.

He got to his motel room, slamming the door behind him, cradling himself against the wall. Did I really just see him? Bakura, back?! His mind felt like a hornets' nest after getting hit by some overly cocky child. Marik winced as the swollen, ebony clouds sent another bolt of lightning plummeting to Earth, illuminating the sky and temporarily blinding him. This fantastic display was followed by a deep, menacing rumble of thunder, like the belly of a hungry beast. His whole form trembled under the erupting sounds; he clutched his head he had to end this somehow, however. What could he do? Anything he did would hurt. Nothing he did would end this.

He leaned to one side against the wall with his shoulders slumped, staring at nothing. His eyes burned with tears that wouldn't fall. Every beat of his heart seemed to take more effort than it was worth, but somehow, it just kept beating. He was long past pain and well into numb. If only he could stay there, and never feel anything at all, ever again.

He wanted Bakura back so badly. To be by his side once more. Anything. But he knew it wouldn't happen. He wasn't naive enough to think that his Bakura would ever come back for him, the one he had known. Only the one who wanted his blood spilled. He felt as if his whole life was nothing but an empty carcass, filled with nothing. The familiar nothingness was as comforting as it was horrifying. And in this nothingness, Marik cried properly for the first time in years.

Marik fell asleep against the wall, completely tied out from everything that was going on but was rudely interrupted by buzzing noises. He slowly opened his eyes, his eyelids heavy from lack of sleep and the tears he let fall. He lugged himself up, stretching himself out. He hazily looked over to the small alarm clock on the bedside table. 3:54 AM flashed in a dim green light. Marik's heart sank. "It must have just been a dream…" He whispered to himself, rubbing his arms even though the room hadn't lowered in temperature. Remembering the buzzing sounds, he scanned the room until noticing his phone vibrating against the room's desk, shaking across the wood. He snatched the thing rapidly flipping it open.

"H-hello?"

"Hey Marik, its Ishizu!" He heard his sister chirp down the phone.

"I'm here too Marik!" Odion yelled sounding more distant and quieter due to being a little further away from the phone. The corners of Marik's lips lifted a little into a small beam.

"Hey guys! How are you?" He asked more cheerfully, his mood lifting from the simple sound of their voices alone.

"We're good Marik. How have you been doing? I hope we didn't wake you…" Ishizu responded.

"No you didn't wake me at all, and yeah I've been okay." Well that was half true, at least he wasn't dead yet. He however felt slightly bad for lying through his teeth to his siblings.

"That's great! Well we were just calling up to see how you were and to wish you a happy birthday brother!" He could almost feel her grin glowing from the other side of the phone.

"Birthday?" It's my birthday? He pondered to himself. He skimmed around his motel room until a shaggy calendar caught his eye. How a calendar could end up being as warned down as the room he didn't know. He looked at the dates; rough crosses filled the blank spaces that represented the days that had already passed. December 23rd still awaited a cross. Yes, it was his birthday, he didn't even realise it was close by. How old am I now? Nineteen? Wow…

"Don't tell me you forgot your own birthday Marik." He received from Odion from their home in Egypt. Clearly he had over taken the line as Marik could unmistakably hear Ishizu's struggling and protest.

"I may have done, brother. Haha thank you guys!" Marik chirped cheerfully.

"You're welcome dear brother. So we were wondering when you'll be coming home, not trying to dampen your fun or anything, just miss you."

"Erm, soon probably, miss you guys too." To be honest Marik hadn't planned when he would get back, not in the slightest, what should, could he say? So he decided to give an indirect answer, he wasn't ready to return just yet though he did miss home and his relatives. "It's kind of late here now, so I think I'm going to catch some shut eye…"

"Okay we'll get in touch soon. Bye Marik!" Odion replied positively, it was a relief to know everything was okay on their end. And with that the phone call ended leaving a very bewildered Marik still staring down at his phone. He plopped it back down on the deck and collapsed on his bed, arms supporting the back of his head. He stared blankly at the ceiling until after a few minutes he started chuckling to himself.

"Nice one Marik, forgetting your own blasting birthday." He laughed to himself when suddenly there was knocking on his door. He sat up, his expression plastered with confusion. He turned to gaze at the clock. 4:06 AM. Who in the hell would be knocking at this time of night? He lifted himself up from the bed he gracefully made his way to the door.

Grabbing the handle gently he opened the door; the hinges creaked slightly under the tan hand's pull. He peeked around the wooden door, gazing around it cautiously, lavender eyes searching for the source of the knocking.

Bakura's figure stood in the frame of the door, his hair still dripping from each wild strand. His face was blank and those haunting eyes set on Marik. The renter of the room staggered back, he wasn't expecting him to be able to follow him all the way back to his room. Or him to exactly be there at all…

"Mind if I come in?" He asked, his voice was so crisp and had a slight shake from what Marik assumed was the cold bite of the weather. He was still too stunned to react however he barely had time to blink when Bakura uttered, "Great." And causally cruised passed him. He shook his head to rid himself of his daft state and closed the door, watching his white haired guest the whole while. "You don't mind if I rest my eyes for a bit do you?" Bakura queried letting his silhouette fall against the wall to the carpeted floor.

"No, I don't mind…" He whispered.

After half hour, Marik felt like thirty years had come tumbling by. Nevertheless Marik's eyes never left Bakura for a second, watching him intently completely captivated until he ended up sitting beside him. Beautiful. He looked like an angel asleep, probably because his lips weren't curving into that deadly smirk, and those demonic eyes couldn't open and twinkle in a lascivious haematic. No. There was no way he would disturb Bakura. Not when he looked so peaceful in blissful ignorance of the raging storm outside.

Sadly to Marik's dismay, his gawking at Bakura's solitude was interrupted by the silver haired boy's eyelids opening and simply to Marik staring absorbedly at him. He arched an eyebrow and smirked.

"Well hello there…" He chuckled at the startled look engraved on Marik's face, only to stagger in volume when Marik let a frown form and tearing his eyes away.

"Say," Marik slightly hissed, glancing at the figure lying beside him trying to control his body from shaking. "Why did I let you in my room?"

"What is this? Guess the riddles?" He answered in a low voice; it had the same old ring to it, a little hoarse and crunchy. It was easy to forget that Bakura was Egyptian sometimes. There were his clothes, simply whatever his old host Ryou had been wearing before he took control, he must have stuck with the same style, and his words, Japanese twisted to his use. But most of all, he was so much paler then many people. Not just in hair but in skin, ivory all over, glowing when the moon was visible in the sky. It might have been beautiful, but Bakura looked far more like a restless dead spirit, spreading his dark influences over the world.

"Just answer you moron," said Marik.

"Easy," The corner of the Bakura's mouth rose, "because I'm sexy?"

Marik's eyebrow twitched reacting with the silver haired boy's laugher. He let out a breath, "Just so you know, I'm not going to hand over the Millennium Rod just because of this, I don't even have the thing anymore," He stated with a sharp tone.

"No trouble," The young man shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "After so long I did not come to the Millennium Rod."

"What did you come for then?" Marik questioned, surprised, feeling a headache start to itch away his brain again.

"I came to ..." the young man paused, "see the most beautiful thing in the entire universe," he said as he winked, grinning broadly. Bakura's face glowed with each flash of lightening. His hair the tangled, spiky white mess as it had always been, the strands seeming to embrace each other in a chaotic untidiness, pale lips stretched over his sparkling white teeth, with his inhuman canines poking out, and eyes glistening deviously.

Marik choked on his own saliva and stared at Bakura closely, he tried to find traces of lie in his eyes. He was pretty sure he should have been dead by now. He found zilch. Zero. Nothing…

"You know, Marik. If you keep looking at me this closely for more than three seconds, I couldn't bear to not kiss you," Bakura said softly. This made the blonde haired man realise that his face was only an inch away from the other. He was close enough to feel the whitette's breath on his skin. Marik rushed back to its original position, lying next to him, he was silent staring at the ceiling of his bedroom. Rain pounded against the window, slamming on the glass as thunder trumpeted the peck of the storm. Another lightning bolt descended, nature's power condensed into a single streak of light through the sky. The wind howled from outside, ripping weaker leaves from their branches too soon, while the others clung for dear life. Despite the havoc beyond the glass, an awkward silence fills the air in the square room. The wallpaper was dull with the ornament a silent witness of the two teens.

Reacting to the playful attitude of the thief will just make him feel like a fool. And Marik will hate it. Although he was trying not to reveal anything, he knew that Bakura often had fun with others. And he just happened to be one of those people 'others' were in. He was still the mocking character that he had always known him as. Men and women, all could not resist the alluring charm of the thief.

Milk-white skin looked pale in the strikes of lightning, with coarse-textured silver hair framing his handsome face. Front line of a firm with great cheekbones, a thin pale lips and arched shape curve like always, vague, dragging everyone around him in a sinful charm.

Expressions on his face, his tone, how he spoke each word, to every gesture of his body, seemed to indicate that's a silver haired angel had fallen to earth, pulled all the unstoppable desire of every living creature inside and trap them with sweet words.

Sweet words are fascinating, as well as a bad taste when you remember that you're just one of many devotees. No more than a grain of sand in the desert. Until when he and others realise as grains of sand, they are not taken to heaven, but the plain hell that he manifests; forever looming in their lives like a bright, blood red moon illuminating the dark night.

"S-so how did you get back anyway?" Marik gulped. Instantly he felt his throat was dry and tongue bitter, wondering if that subject was still too tender and that he may have hit a nerve.

"Well after all that happened with Pharaoh I must say I had gotten weak, but somehow my soul still lingered here. I think it had something to do with the Millennium Items. As long as they exist I do. I managed to visit Ryou again, didn't seem all too pleased to see me, but who can blame him? He is well now though in Japan. Anyway, he was with his father on a trip around Egyptian ruins and one wall held the answer. One old man was lost in the change, but I won't get into that…" Bakura finish his sentence.

That makes sense, he thought. He was Bakura. An ancient spirit from the village in Egypt known as Kul Elna. This thief had managed to live for five thousand years, trapped in the Millennium Ring. But every now and then he liked to… come out and play. If you had any questions, you might want to think before asking. He could easily send anyone who angers him to the Shadow Realm, a place he was sure, no mortal wants to visit or he'd do much worse. He is the darkness. It wouldn't be strange if he found a way to stay, he always succeeded somehow. He did feel sorry for that old man, though the man had helped in one way. Now Bakura had his own body. However all this information was overwhelming, he guessed his own curiosity hurt the fibres of his mind, giving him major headaches; his brain was bouncing alongside his skull.

Bakura beheld Marik's face as if he was as valuable as a small animal that was injured. Instantly he pulled his mouth into a smirk, his two dark brown eyes flashed with interest.

"You never change," Bakura said with a soft tone. Too soft, for a sentence that came from a thief. Marik didn't answer. Pieces of his mind were still scattered, buzzing from what was filling his ears.

"You are still so curious, and still handsome. So beautiful for it to be a sin," Bakura starts again. Marik was no longer able to hear the praise and its flattery. No matter how sweet the words dripped from his lips, he was no longer concerned about the low crisp sound. He was still trying to absorb information.

"Both the five thousand years ago and now."

Suddenly Marik raised his eyebrows and rotated his neck to observe at Bakura. This did grab his attention, shock and confusion filled Marik's face.

"Did you hear? You're the one who most beautiful in the universe. Five thousand years ago and today. Only you are magnificent," Bakura stared at him intently. A thin smirk still tugging at his face. Marik was not able to arrange the words. His tongue was tied, or his vocal cords were frozen. He stared unblinking at Bakura over his shoulder. A creeping red hue painted the face of Marik, the expression of surprise still hadn't seeped away.

"What the hell are you talking about Bakura? You trying to say that I also have lived for five thousand years like you? Nonsense!" The words shook and scatted out of his mouth as he tried to regain his composure.

"Because you've given me such a sweet expression of confusion that brings me such entertainment, let me tell you one good thing," Bakura mischievous smile. Marik was about to open his mouth and complain, when Bakura spoke again.

"The King of Thieves was famous all over Egypt five millennia ago, he had once, only once, allowed another to steal from him. Someone who is very handsome and a beautiful stature who lived within the walls of the palace, had stolen his heart. And despite five millennia having passed, I let him steal my heart again," Bakura ended with a small laugh.

Marik blinked. What?

"Stupid," Bakura flicked Marik's forehead with his forefinger as if he read his mind. "The ordinary man does not live for five thousand years. Not like me, who has turned into a Spirit of the Ring. But a human is reincarnated. Living a new life leaving the others again, to cover the story of his life with a different ending."

There was a mocking tone of every word that Bakura brought from his lips, but Marik did not heed. Grey cells in the cavities of his brain were currently busy processing the row of words, harassing his eardrums.

"You mean..." Marik did not dare to continue his sentence.

"Ah, I still remember it very well," Bakura suddenly chattering more cheerfully. "It was the first day of new year, when I came to your room because of the demands of work, in an instant I knew…"

Marik raised a brow. Waiting for Bakura to finish only having himself let out a surprised mewl as Bakura wrapped both arms around his waist, dragging him closer, his head was aligned with his chest. Marik gasped as he heard the booming bass line nestled beneath alabaster skin. His heartbeat. It was a reminder of the pain Bakura went to, obtaining his own body. And he had done it all for Marik apparently. That thought instantly calmed the blonde. He felt himself smile properly in ages. He began to understand how Bakura was feeling, that he was his lover in a period of time five thousand years ago.

"I knew that you wanted me," Bakura continued and grinned.

Marik coughed, "Huh?"

"You think I don't know?" Bakura chuckled. "The way you look at me, is just like the way he looked at me. It screamed and begged to be taken to bed."

His eyes were still wide open. Marik felt his cheeks heat up and was silent for a moment before he sat up letting his voice be heard once more, "Do not blame me, if you got caught up in the blink of an eye charm."

He blinked at this and soon after Bakura's laughter blared all over the room. A smile polished Marik's lips, enjoying the melody of laughter this time from the thief who had ensnared his heart. Sudden awareness of logic hit Marik, "Wait. If that is so, why did you agree when I said we weren't in a relationship when we were working together?" The sentence choked up a bit at the end. A pain from some time ago felt like it was coming back to haunt him.

Bakura stop laughing, but the grin on his face was as white as cream. He shrugged, "We do not have a relationship. We have a bond. Relationships can be completed, but the bond we had to wade through five thousand years. We'll never be apart," he said casually. "Five millenniums we're distant, but again I chose your heart. Despite the differences between now and the past. You are still the same as it used to be, but not at all to bore me, but to look at you and enjoy the charm of beauty." Bakura grinned with satisfaction.

Fragments of the originally swirling thoughts shifted around Marik's head neatly. All the logic had returned to him, it shocked him how Bakura was almost feeling too full of honesty.

"You know you said like some washed up poet…" Marik uttered, making Bakura chuckle.

"Well, I can explain my words to you Marik; but I can't comprehend it for you."

Marik blinked, and the next moment there was loud laugh. Bakura was holding his stomach; clearly Marik's blank expression tickled the sense of humour of the Pharaoh's top tomb raider. Marik stared at Bakura's face intently. He clenched his eyelids together as he joined in with the laughing. Bakura smiled, enjoying the rare sight where his angel had a cheerful laugh and was using it heartily.

Bakura suddenly and grabbed Marik's arm, turning his body round quickly Marik gasped in shock when his mouth was locked in the moment perfectly by the thief. The whitette's lips met his for a few minutes, and then slid away. He felt Bakura settle his nose into his platinum hair. He smiled as he heard Bakura's heart speed up beneath his cheek.

"I love you, Marik." Bakura whispered. The way he said it proved that it was completely genuine, yet he was able to say it so casually that it made it that more special. "Oh by the way before I forget Marik…" Bakura whispered to him.

"Mmm…?"

"Happy birthday." Marik's eyes flickered, remembering the date once more. Smiling brightly he hugged his Bakura tighter with no intensions of letting him go. Not that Bakura would mind anyway.

At the very least, for now the world among them was theirs alone, because they belonged to each other.

Hello! CookieRansacked here! That was my first ever story on here so hope you liked it! :3