The Lesser Evil
Didn't think people would like this as quickly as they did. Thank you to everyone who are watching this.
"Talking"
'Thinking'
Marik still couldn't believe his luck in finding such good friends. Even after all he'd put them through, they still accepted him into their group.
He's life was almost perfect. He had a good loyal group of friends, he'd moved to Domino City, he's Yami was gone and he could play card games whenever he wanted. The only way it could get better is if Iszu would stop nagging him or if Yugi declared he's undying love for him. He'd always thought Yugi was cute ever since the Battle City tournament, but it wasn't till his duel with Yami that he saw Yugi's true strength. He was like a shrew, really cute and furry but don't piss it off 'cause it will bite you. Marik had once thought about confronting Yugi on his feelings, but Yugi was in love with Tea, it was a well-known fact. Yugi would politely deny him and then it would just be awkward.
"All the good ones are either straight, or taken." Marik said silently to himself.
He was currently in Geography, vaguely listening to the teacher droning on about some place that he couldn't care less about.
Marik looked over to Yugi, who was staring out the window. He'd seemed really tired and out of it lately and Marik was also really concerned about the reappearing bruises on Yugi's face.
Every time one disappeared two more would appear or grow bigger.
'I mean there are only so many times that you can fall over on a rock, in the shower and off your bike before people get suspicious. Does Yugi even own a bike?'
The others don't seem to notice them, which worried him. Had this once been such a common thing that they've just gotten back into the routine of not noticing? Marik had been abused too much as a child to just ignore such a thing. He'd been meaning to talk to Yugi about it, maybe even help him, but every time he tried the others would swarm around him, it almost like they still didn't trust him and with Marik's desire not to embarrass him, he just hadn't asked yet.
"Mr. Ishtar!" the teacher yelled from behind him. Marik jumped in his chair. The class all turned in their seats, waiting to see what he'd get in trouble for now.
"Yes sir?" Marik asked quietly.
"Once again, I have the inconvenience of not being able to read your work." Marik looked down at his work and winced.
Although he'd been living Japan for the last three months, he still couldn't read or write much Japanese and would therefore write in Arabic and Ancient Egyptian. This was probably a good thing as in his haze he'd written 'I Love Yugi' in Arabic and 'I Love the Pharaohs light' in Ancient Egyptian all over his work.
"Mind translating what you've written for the class?" asked the teacher.
"Um, okay." Marik replied nervously as he stood. He picked up his book and looked at the board, hoping that by miracle there was a word or two he recognized. As it so happened the question contained the Japanese symbols for Egypt.
'I might just be able to wing this.'
He looked down at his 'work' and pretended to read off of it.
"Egypt is located in the upper part of … um, Africa and is covered mostly in sand. It has a vast history that includes Pharaohs, the pyramids and Shadow Games, where the pharaoh's priests would use their Millennium items to control people's ki's and battle with them and-" By this point Marik was almost in hysterics.
The teacher interrupted. "That is quiet enough Mr. Ishtar."
Marik froze mid-sentence, making the class burst into laughter, all but Yugi and he's friends, who stared at him wide eyed.
"Mr. Ishtar, thank you for that imaginative history of Egypt,"
'Imaginative?'
"But that is not what I asked for. The question on the board asks for you to name the deserts that you know, and to not just say 'Egyptian Desert' as you will get marked down." The teacher stated.
Marik blushed as the class laughed at him again.
He sat back down, as the teacher went back to teaching his boring ass class. Marik dropped his head in to his hand and doodled on his page until the bell for lunch went.
"Oh and Mr. Ishtar," the teacher called as Marik started to leave the room. "I still need a note from your parents to say that your eccentric eye make-up is part of your 'religion' and not from your sister this time."
Marik felt his anger build. He nodded and ran out the room in fear he'd do something that he might regret later, 'like finding a knife and kill him!' He'd explained to his teacher already that his parents were not of the living, (which the idiot had taken as they weren't living with them) and that he was living with his sister, as Odeon is now back in Egypt being a tomb-keeper. But still the teacher insisted that he go to his parent's house and get a signed note from them saying that as part of his religion he must wear eye make-up.
He slowed down to a fast walk as he saw Yugi and the others. Although he was friends with all of them, he couldn't help but still feel awkward around Ryou. He tried his best to not blame Ryou for Bakura abandoning him in the Shadow Realm but it was hard sometimes considering he still wore the necklace and Marik knew that Bakura can be a very good actor.
"Ya get grilled by the teacher again?" Joey asked. As if he needed to.
"Yes he's still asking about the damn note. Hey, Yugi? Do you think Yami would mind forging a note for me?"
A strange look, of what could have been fright, crossed over Yugi's face before it was covered by a nervous smile.
"I, um, don't think so Marik," Yugi spoke nervously almost scared. "Yami's been really busy with stuff and, um, stuff that his not home a lot lately." He then quickly changed the subject and talked to Joey about some new card he'd seen. Marik found he's fear of talking about Yami odd.
"By the way Marik," Tea said sweetly, leaning towards him. "if you need help learning Japanese, I could help. Why don't you come to my place after school and we can practice." She was slightly rocking her chest back and forth, waving her boobs in his face. Marik, completely innocent to what she was implying, agreed. She then skipped away happily. When he turned back to the others they were glaring at him as if he'd just committed the greatest of sins.
He was just about to ask what he'd done wrong, when a teacher came and pulled Joey, Tristan and Ryou aside for something.
Leaving Yugi and Marik alone together.
'Oh my Gods,' Marik thought excitedly. 'Quick! Think of something to say!'
"So I've been meaning to ask, what's with the bruises." Marik asked. 'Not that! Why'd you bring that up! Quick, take it back.'
"Pardon?" Yugi asked politely.
"The bruises. They don't seem to ever disappear." 'Why are you still talking about it?'
"Oh it's, um, fine. I just-I just fell in the shower, that's all." Yugi said defensively holding a hand to he's bruised face.
"Yugi, it's me. I know abuse when I see it. Hell I don't know why Joey doesn't see it." Marik was really getting conserved.
"Look Marik, I know that you were hurt by your dad and your yami but that doesn't mean every bruise is made by a … by a fist." Yugi looked worried, but whether it was for Marik or himself, he couldn't tell. "I've just been a really big clutes lately. Now could you, please, tell Joey that I'll be over there preparing my deck." Yugi turned and walked to where he'd just been pointing.
Marik stood there stunned. He clutched he's hands, turned on his heels and marched in the other direction.
He kept walking until he got to the other side of the school. He stopped, spun on his heels and punched the brick building. Ignoring the string, he kept punching till his knuckles bled.
Once he calmed down, he sat on the ground, back to the wall he'd just abused and let his head drop, thinking about what just happened.
Yugi had had seemed worried for a time there, before turning what Marik had said back on him. But then again he hadn't known him for that long or that well, he didn't even know if Yugi had a girlfriend. 'Or boyfriend'
'Wait,' Marik had a thought 'what if that's who's hurting him.'
That could be it, he could be being beaten up by an abusive lover. But why would Yami allow such treatment of his light? Marik didn't know but he was going to find out.
Sorry about Marik being so ignorant, if you haven't noticed I'm an LK fan and get inspired a lot by him.