Blood Is Thicker

by Black-Neko-Chan

Two sets of twins; one set vampires and the other vampire hunters. Both go to the same school but don't know what the other is. Until a vampire hunter develops a crush on a vampire and a meeting throws them together.

7. Trying

Yo peoples! Hiya! Heheh, I am very sorry for the long wait for this chapter to come out. You see, I lost my internet, and it's been gone for about two months now. Yeah... Kinda really sucks. Anyways, it's still not back, but I'm using my dad's computer. Heehee, he let me because I said I needed to update. Anyways, sorry for the wait. As an apology I have a twice-as-long chapter for you! Yay!

Okay, before I let you get to it though, I'd like to thank MokoBunChan for wanting me to update so badly. For a while (before internet went bye bye), I'd been a little bummed since I hadn't gotten as many reviews as I'd expected, but she sent me some pms asking for an update and so I decided to hurry up and write it, since there was at least one person who really wanted the next chapter to come out. (Not to mean anything against the rest of you, even the ones who don't review. I heart you all too XD) So yay, thanks MokoBunChan, for motivation! If I hadn't lost teh internet this would have come out a long time ago!

One more thing! (Geez, I know, will the talking never cease?) There quite a few mistakes in this chapter. Not spelling mistakes hopefully, but just some words I had wanted to change around to make things flow better. I had them all highlighted, but for some reason all my highlighting has disappeared on me, and I really don't feel up to going through the whole chapter again. I'd much rather just get it up, and I'll fix everything at a later date. So there won't be any changes in the chapter or anything, just a few different words to make everything run smoother. Okay! Thanks for your patience, and here is the chapter!

Disclaimer!: I make no money from the writing of this, and nor do I own Yu-Gi-Oh! Frankly, I just do it 'cuz I love it.

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Delicious. There was a reason why out of all the living creatures on this world, vampires chose to drink human blood. Their blood was an exquisite palate of flavors -and it had been so long since he'd last had anything that could compare.

Bakura was barely conscious of Marik calling his name, and then crumpling to the floor a moment after. He was concentrated solely on the wonderful taste of the hunter's blood. Had other blood ever tasted so exotic and spicy and filled him with such warmth? His constant thirst was for once quenched and he felt like he was alive again. He longed to drink more of this cognac and glutton himself on it.

His gaze shifted to the hunter lying on the floor. The human was unconscious. Bakura wanted to smirk, but it wasn't worth taking his fangs out to gloat. Not like the other could see anyway.

I said that I would kill you, didn't I? Bad choice on your part Marik.

He paused his drinking for a moment, just to inhale the scent of the warm, freshly spilt blood. It had the power to drive him crazy and ravenous with hunger. How had he ever given this up? This crimson elixir of life, one of the few things that made his accursed existence enjoyable? It had all been Ryou's doing of course, Ryou who had wanted him to stop and who had said it was disgusting behavior. Maybe when he went back he could convince Ryou that they were made to drink human blood. Yes, when he went back...

With a hiss Bakura forcibly yanked himself away from Marik's limp wrist. He'd forgotten all about Ryou! His brother was probably freaking out by this point! He may have even started looking for him, and if those traps had caught him then Ryou surely would be!

He made to get up but the smell of blood stopped him. Painstakingly, Bakura turned to look at Marik. The boy was lying on the floor, blood everywhere. Such a waste... Surely, Ryou could be put off a bit longer, couldn't he...? Just long enough to finish his meal...

No! Bakura turned away from the teen and marched to the door of the shack. He had to get to Ryou! Ryou hadn't wanted him to drink blood, had said that even if they were monsters they could at least act human. And human meant not drinking another's blood. He hadn't done it since he'd turned Ryou. Not once had he faltered until now. And it hadn't been his fault. But if he turned now and continued in his feat, it would be. How could he turn and look Ryou in the eye after having willingly draining a human? He couldn't! Even if it was such a tempting idea, and if leaving him here was such a waste...!

With a growl he tore himself away from the shack and began running. He ran away from the shack and from any traps just waiting for him, and away from the delicious scent of blood. Tasting it again after his long abstinence had ignited all his instincts. He could feel the furious winds against his back as he ran, could feel their cold tendril-like fingers touch his bare arms but did not shiver, felt branches from the trees he ran among slap and scratch him, leaving welts and streaks of blood, could smell the earthy scents of the forest around him and hear the terrified heartbeats of the small animals he passed, could even see with a clarity sharper than he had ever before. He almost felt alive again, and it was addicting.

He couldn't help but wonder what it would be like if he drank more. He wanted more. He longed to go back and kill the hunter, but even doing that would be hard. Bakura had killed humans before and smelt their blood, but having refrained from tasting it for so long it didn't tempt him as much as Marik's did. If he went back now to finish the boy off he would lose control and drink more. Even now he could still taste him, could still smell the faintest traces of his scent. It was maddening, and for that reason he kept running further and further away. He couldn't afford to lose control.

So he ran away from the infuriating scent of blood and from the instinct that pounded in his skull and screamed at him to go back and finish the job. He had to get to Ryou. Ryou would tell him what he'd done was wrong and he would be disappointed, but he would bring Bakura back to his correct frame of mind. Once he reached Ryou it would all be fine again.

He had to be particularly careful on his way back to the apartment he and Ryou shared. It was a nice afternoon and there were many people out. It wasn't a problem when he was in the woods and his appearance safely guarded by thick, leafy trees and shadows, but as the woods began to recede Bakura was confronted with the problem of the many potential persons out who could witness his appearance.

His eyes were still the almost black color he knew they became when he drank, but he couldn't get them to return to their brown color. His hair and clothes were in wild disarray from running at such high speeds, and if that wasn't bad enough, the front of his shirt was stained a brown crimson from the cut on his neck. The moment someone caught sight of him there would be trouble. And he really did not need any more trouble.

He ran his fingers through his hair in an attempt to rid his white locks of their tangles and make it look at least semi-decent. Next he held his shirt out in front of him. It was white, so of course the bloodstain stood out like a sore thumb. There would be no way to hide it, so Bakura stripped the shirt off over his head and tossed it on the ground. On a second thought he also made sure to cover it with dirt and fallen leaves until it was no longer visible. Walking around shirtless would undoubtedly still attract a lot of attention, just hopefully not as much as a bloodied shirt. Now, his eyes... Try as he might, Bakura couldn't change their color. He could still taste the exquisite flavor of Marik on his lips, just as he could still smell the blood, and while these barest of hints still tormented him he couldn't control his bloodlust. Well then, he would have to hide his eye color as well as he could. He would keep his head bent and his hair covering his eyes. It wasn't foolproof... but it should work well enough until he reached Ryou.

As Bakura stepped out from the woods and onto the sidewalk he could already feel the eyes of the others outside on him. It wasn't everyday that a half-naked man emerged from the woods of course. He walked as briskly as he could, keeping his dark eyes on the ground. Even from his hair-obscured sight he could still see the gaze of females lingering on his exposed chest, and for a moment he wanted to throw back his head and show them all his fangs, growl at them to get out of his sight before he tore into their necks. A low growl emanated from deep in his throat, and an elderly woman shot him a dirty look before scurrying away with her walker.

It was faster walking on the streets than it had been running through the woods, but several times he almost found himself going after a random passerby on the street. He had to stop and nearly force himself to keep going toward Ryou. It was so hard... feeling their eyes on him, finding himself looking at their slender, frail, necks longingly... He'd had just a taste of what he'd been missing all these many years, and now he couldn't stand to stay away. His throat felt parched, like he needed to drink. He'd never felt so thirsty in his life! He almost couldn't stand it.

By the time Bakura reached the house he and Ryou rented he felt like he was going mad. His head throbbed and screamed for him to just grab someone off the street to relieve himself of his insatiable quench for release, if only for a moment. His eyes were wide and he snarled at nothing, panting heavily. He wore no shirt but sweat coated his body, and his fingers bent sharply in claw-like vices. He almost couldn't take it anymore. The desire was so strong and surely it wouldn't hurt, would it...?

With a pained growl he made himself knock on the door. He could hear Ryou practically running to the door, thank god he was here, if he hadn't been who knows what he would have done, what trouble he would have gotten into, who he would have bitten...!

He heard Ryou's gasp and looked up to see repulsion on his baby brother's face, repulsed at how he looked and at what state he was in, repulsed because he hadn't been able to control himself, repulsed because he'd drank blood, repulsed because he was a monster, a dirty monster, the very thing Ryou hadn't wanted him to turn into wouldn't you know it-

Ryou grabbed him around the middle and pulled him into the apartment, away from prying eyes, and then they both slid to the ground. Ryou wrapped his arms around him and buried his head into his hair as he pulled Bakura into a tight embrace. Bakura allowed it because he needed to feel Ryou in this moment and he needed to feel comforted and safe. Ryou held him tightly, and whispered words into his ear that made no sense. He felt Ryou's body shudder and knew the other was crying. Of course. He'd left Ryou alone all this time, with no idea of where he'd been. He wasn't the only one who'd suffered. Ryou had too, and now he was being selfish. Ryou needed to be comforted, but he was the one who was in Ryou's arms.

"...thought you were gone, didn't... I didn't know where you were... thought you were..." Ryou sobbed, clinging onto him tightly, and Bakura raised a hand and placed it on Ryou's arm.

"I'm here Ryou. I'm not going," Bakura said quietly, hoping to soothe the other, Ryou held onto him tightly and cried, and Bakura moved his hand along his brother's arm as they both sat quietly in each other's arms. The screaming urge to feed in Bakura's mind slowly began to fade away until he could hear it no longer and Ryou's sobs eventually quieted into sniffling. Still he held onto Bakura, and he allowed it, though he no longer needed the comfort. He stayed still for Ryou.

"What happened Bakura? Where were you? I was worried..." Ryou said quietly, nuzzling into the back of his neck. He sighed then, and the hot breath tickled. Bakura almost smiled.

"You want to know now? It's complicated, and you'll want to be somewhere more comfortable than on the floor," He said. He had calmed and he realized that it was important for Ryou to know that their well-kept secret had gotten out, but it was best if his brother calmed down too before he explained anything.

"That's okay. I want to know," Ryou mumbled, barely audible since it was his neck he was talking into.

"Okay. Come on then." Bakura gently stood and pulled Ryou up. His look-alike clung onto his arms as if he believed he would leave yet again.

"I'm not going anywhere Ryou," Bakura chuckled softly.

"So," Ryou stated stubbornly, clinging tighter to prove that even if Bakura wasn't going anywhere, neither was he. The childish display of disobedience reminded Bakura of a time that had long ago passed, back before they'd become immortal, but forever cursed to survive like parasites off the life-force of the living. Back when he had just understood Ryou's worth, and how in those days the two of them had acted like immature children, having finally connected and understood the bond they shared. Back then, even though they were twins, he'd acted like the big brother and Ryou like the young brother who worshiped him, and now his brother acted in the same childish way as he had back then. It made Bakura want to laugh and become carefree like he had been then too, but there were more important matters to attend to now. Like the hunters who knew they were here.

With Ryou still holding on tightly, Bakura moved to the couch and they both sat. Ryou moved so the two of them weren't huddled so closely together, but still kept their arms linked.

"Do you want a shirt first?" He asked politely, all traces of stubbornness removed from his voice, but Bakura knew that if he suggested Ryou move his arm all of that stubbornness would come back in a flash.

"I'll get one later," Bakura said, waving off the suggestion. "This is more important." He felt Ryou's curious chocolate brown eyes on him and for a split second he thought about lying. Ryou didn't like moving around a lot. He wanted to stay in one place with his brother and his friends and leave a normal life. And now it was his fault that he couldn't. Ryou liked this place and was happy, but now he was going to have to take that all away. They would move, and Ryou would pretend like he didn't care... ...But lying would put them both in danger, and he couldn't do that either.

"We've been caught." Ryou gasped, and a thousand questions all begged to be answered, but Bakura cut him off.

"Marik and his family are the hunters. When I left to feed I had to pass through their property and one of the traps they've got surrounding their house went off and hit me. It was a dagger covered in something called dead man's blood. It paralyzed me and I couldn't move. Marik found me but instead of killing me he brought me to this old shack they've got out there in the woods, and for the past few days I've been staying there. When I could move again I left and came here," Bakura explained quickly.

"M-Marik? He's a hunter?" Ryou exclaimed, incredulous.

"Him and his entire family. That's why we'll have to leave. They know there's at least one vampire here, and Marik knows about both of us. We need to grab all of our things and leave as soon possible. It's not safe in Domino anymore," Bakura said. He moved to get up, but Ryou yanked him back down to the couch.

"Wait! What if we don't have to leave Bakura? Marik helped you right? And he never told his family! Maybe if we talk to him he won't tell his siblings, and if we lay low for a little bit everything might work out in our favor!" Ryou pleaded. His eyes were large and desperate, and Bakura hated to do this to him, but the hopes Ryou had now that everything would work out well were dangerous and needed to be crushed.

"We can't Ryou. I don't know why Marik didn't kill me when he had the chance, but I'm not staying here and hoping we get lucky again. We have to leave," Bakura said sternly.

"No! If we just talk to him, maybe, maybe-!"

"Maybe what Ryou? Maybe this time he'll kill us? And to be perfectly honest, I'm not even sure he's able to listen!" Bakura growled, losing his patience now. Ryou's eyes grew wide, not as a result of his anger but from what he'd accidentally let slip.

He had smelled the blood. Bakura knew he had. Knew that he had smelled it was human blood but hadn't commented on it. Yet. Maybe never would have if Bakura had just kept his mouth shut about Marik. He hadn't given much away, but it was enough and Ryou wasn't stupid. He caught onto the meaning all right. And now, since even before he'd been caught by the hunter and threatened with the idea of death, Bakura began to feel afraid.

"What did you do? What did you do to Marik, Bakura?" Ryou yelled, voice rising in a panic. He finally released Bakura's arm and stared at him disbelievingly from across the couch. Bakura felt panic of his own rise up in him. Ryou knew, oh god he knew, and he couldn't deny it. He'd drunk from a human and might have even killed him, he hadn't checked. Ryou had begged him long ago not to do this and he'd said that he wouldn't, had promised that he wouldn't, but he'd broken that promise and now Ryou knew and was disgusted-

(Repulsed)

–at him.

"I didn't mean to! I told Marik that I needed blood or I would lose control, and he, he just sliced open his own wrist! I told him not to! I told him I couldn't! But I couldn't move and he wouldn't listen and I... when I tasted his blood I felt free. I could move again, and it was just so delicious and I couldn't control myself. You have to understand Ryou! I didn't want to! But the taste... For the first moment I liked what I was. I actually enjoyed being the leech that I am, because it was so good...! It was..."

He rambled on about the taste of the blood and the sensation of it and could not stop. He knew that it was not helping to convince Ryou that he hadn't meant to drink it, but the remembrance of the substance that had passed his lips called up an illusion of the taste that was just as good as the actual thing, and the words kept coming. It was like he had to talk about it, had to try and make Ryou understand, even if he was doing the complete opposite. Ryou tried to hide his disgust and repulsion but it shone clear as a light on a dark night. And even as he talked, the look on Ryou's face worsened and he felt disgusted at himself for not being able to stop and for having enjoyed the taste so thoroughly.

"Bakura!" Ryou's yell brought his rant to an end. His brother looked pale, paler than usual and sick, but his voice held determination.

"I understand that you did not mean to bite Marik. But what did you do afterwards? Did you turn him? Is he dead?" Ryou questioned, voice weakening at the end.

"I didn't turn him. I... just left him there. I don't know what condition he's in," Bakura said quietly, weakly.

"Well then we have to go check! He could be dead!" Ryou cried out.

"No!" Bakura grabbed his arm before he could go anywhere. He made Ryou look at him, and saw that his twin looked scared. Bakura actually flinched. It had been years since Ryou had actually been scared of him, many, many years. Maybe he really was a monster now...

It didn't matter. Whatever Ryou thought of him now wasn't important. Monster or not, he wasn't going to allow his brother to get himself killed. They didn't know if Marik was alive or not, but even if he was, chances were he wouldn't be as keen on protecting Ryou ad he had Bakura, especially not with a huge bite in his wrist.

"If you go they will kill you Ryou. If Marik is dead, saying his family will be pissed is an understatement. I guess vampires killed their grandfather's family and did something else to them as well. They're a third generation of hunters, and they are knowledgeable. You go there and they'll know what you are and they will kill you because of it. And even if Marik is fine, I don't think he'll be greeting you with open arms. You'll stay here," Bakura commanded sternly.

"But what if he needs help? If we help him, won't he be grateful? If we just try to talk to him we might not have to leave!" Ryou pleaded.

"No Ryou! Do you want to be killed?" Bakura yelled. Now Ryou was the one to flinch, but he didn't back down. For a moment he glared defiantly, then tore his arm away and sprung from the couch. Bakura bolted up after him in case he headed for the door, but Ryou ran up the stairs and slammed the door to his room shut instead. Bakura growled. He didn't enjoy upsetting his brother, but they had to leave. There was no way they could stay here, no matter how much Ryou wished a way out would appear. After he'd sulked long enough in his room he would come to his senses. And until then, Bakura would be packing.

00000

The world was a blurry mess. Shapes looked disfigured and outstretched into frightful blobs of darkened color. They stretched and condensed into solid shapes, which spun in random loops and whorls. Color became disconcerting, at first too dark and then too bright as the world slowly came into view. When everything had settled, then came the pain, dull and throbbing, emanating from his arm. Which was sticky too, and damp.

Marik moved his hand to his arm and missed it completely. He tried again, but his body felt heavy and sluggish and again he missed. On the third try he made it (third time's the charm, he thought and giggled derisively) and encircled his arm with his hand, then brought the hand to his face. It was dyed a dark crimson and sticky. He was bleeding. Bakura... Bakura had made him bleed, hadn't he? Because Bakura was a vampire.

He shifted his body, all of which felt sluggish and heavy, like he was trying to wade through water. He got to his hands and knees and his injured arm gave out under his weight. He slammed down to the floor and his teeth clenched together in a jarring impact. The fresh bout of pain cleared his mind from its veiled and detached state and the world and his situation came slightly more into focus. Marik struggled to his hands and knees again, making sure this time to keep the majority of his weight on his good arm, and made it to his feet. He grasped the table Bakura had lied on previously while his vision spun faster, then cleared and once again everything was normal.

The sky was darkening. That was Marik's first indication of how long he'd been out. He had gone out to the shack the moment he'd returned from school to see the vampire, and now the sun was going down. He'd been unconscious then for three, maybe four hours. By now Isis would be worried and would want to know where he'd gone, and when she caught sight of the injury on his arm she would freak. Speaking of his injury...

The wound was no longer bleeding, but it was still coated in the warm sticky liquid. It looked like a dog had mangled his arm with all the blood, but he knew that once he had cleaned it he would see the slash wound on his wrist and the vampiric bite from Bakura. Of course, he could definitely not show that to anyone. He would have to bandage it and say he'd gotten into a fight. Hopefully his siblings wouldn't make too much of a deal over it.

He took a step forward, and although the world had been steady before, now it lurched when he moved. Marik grabbed the table and it slowly steadied again. Something... Bakura had done something to him. Put something in his bloodstream when he'd bitten. Something to make his vision mess up and cause him to become giddy. He didn't have a clue as to what it could be. As a hunter, he knew many things about how to fight and defeat vampires but knew nothing about their bites and what they did, other than kill and turn others into vampires.

At that thought Marik's blood ran cold. He checked his pulse and found that it was still beating, but that discovery did nothing to alleviate his fears. He knew that vampires did not have a pulse, but he knew nothing about how a human turned into one. Did their pulse stop right away or did it take time? Was he a vampire right now? What would he do if he were? What would his family say? What would they do?

He had to find Bakura. First he would have to return home and show his siblings that he was okay, except for his arm, and then the first chance he got he would have to find Bakura. Find out what had happened, how Bakura had escaped, whether he was a member of the fiendish bloodsuckers or not, and what would happen next. He would take weapons with him, and if he needed to defend himself he would. Maybe now that the vampire could move and was no longer defenseless he could kill him if the need arose. But he was going to get answers, one way or another.

This time when Marik walked he didn't allow his unsteady vision to keep him from continuing. He'd wasted enough time already in the shack. If he was going to make the best of this situation then he needed to get a move on and return to his house before Isis really freaked and called the police, if she hadn't already.

He walked slowly because of his sight and to keep from stepping on traps. He wanted to hurry and the ever-darkening sky seemed to edge him on, but the one time he tried he fell and nearly set off a trap. So Marik walked slowly, and as he walked whatever had been in his system wore off and his sight finally returned to normal. This enabled him to walk faster, and now when he did reach his house he wouldn't be wobbling like a lousy drunkard.

Instead of going directly up to the house he snuck around back, round to the side of the house the bathroom window was located on. Luckily the window was opened. That would make things much easier. Normally Marik liked a challenge, but in this situation the easier the better. The last thing he needed was for his siblings to catch him breaking into his own bathroom with a bloodied arm that look suspiciously like it's been bitten by a vampire. Oh, how fun that would be.

There was a big tree next to the window, but none of the thick branches stretched close enough for him to just drop in. The nearest one was still two and a half feet away. One way or another he had to get in, and if that were the only way to do so then it would have to work.

With a determined glare Marik grabbed onto the tree trunk and began to scale up it. It was harder to do with his injured arm, but the task was still moderately easy to accomplish. He shimmied onto the branch and moved up it as silently as possible until it became too skinny to hold his weight. He shifted carefully in the tree, making sure to grip tightly onto the branch in case he fell, and settled onto his haunches. He first tried to stretch and reach the window, but the moment he outstretched his arms his center of balance shifted and the tree branch wobbled dangerously. Marik scrambled back to the trunk and waited for the branch to still after trying his luck again.

After several failed attempts and once nearly falling out of the tree, Marik came to the conclusion that perhaps he needed to try a different approach. He sat motionless in the tree for a minute or two, contemplating different ideas on how to get into the open window. He and Malik snuck out of their rooms at night often by climbing onto the branches of the trees by their windows. That was the easy part. Getting back in was a little more difficult. Usually they got back the same way, but once he remembered Malik doing something different. He'd dared his brother to swing into the room, like something out of a big action movie, thinking that even Malik wouldn't be so stupid because it would undoubtedly wake Isis. Malik had just smirked his trademark evil smirk, grabbed onto one of the branches and dropped out of the tree, then swung into his room. He hadn't made a sound. Maybe Marik could do the same trick.

He grabbed onto the branch and dropped out of the tree. He winced as his injured arm burned with pain, but he had more important matters to deal with. Like what he would do if one of his siblings decided to look outside and see him hanging from a tree. He tightened his grip and began to swing back and forth on the branch, slowly at first until he started to gain momentum. The branch groaned and creaked in protest, but it stayed firm and soon Marik had catapulted himself into the bathroom. His landing wasn't as smooth as Malik's had been, but no one came rushing up the stairs to investigate the noise, so he assumed he was safe.

Marik tiptoed across the bathroom floor to the cabinet where the first aid kit was located, grabbed it, then tiptoed to the bathroom sink. Very slowly he turned the faucet so water streamed out in a slow trickle, and used it to wash the blood off his arm. The bathroom was too dark for him to make out the two wounds he suffered from, so without inspecting his arm he turned off the faucet again and snuck back to the window. He stealthily slid onto the windowsill, then on the count of three dropped out of the window. He landed with his knees bent to prevent any more injuries, but the drop still sent a jolt through his body and made his teeth clash. Before he could get caught Marik darted across his lawn until he was sure he was far enough not to be seen.

The darkened sky didn't make it much easier to see his wounded arm, but it was at least better that the bathroom had been. The wound on his wrist that he had made initially hadn't been very deep, but now because of Bakura's bite it was much worse. With his luck it would leave a scar. The other bite wound he'd accumulated was also deep and shared in the ability to become scar material as well. Marik felt anger well up inside of him and he resolved to punch the vampire the next chance he got. Stupid bastard had not only bitten him and perhaps turned him into a monster, but had also scarred him. How the hell was he supposed to some up with an explanation as to how he'd gotten these?

"I'll kill him. Stupid fucker. I swear, if I become a fucking bloodsucker I will kill him. I should have when I had the chance," Marik muttered darkly to himself as he started to wrap gauze tape around the arm. If he'd been back in Egypt as the head of the Ghouls, no one would have ever dared touch him or Malik. If they had they would have paid dearly. Damn vampire! What the hell would he do if he became one too? How could he tell that to his family?

"Stop it Marik. Don't get ahead of yourself. Nothing's set in stone, so let's take things one step at a time. First you've got to show the family you're okay, then you can go after the vampire. And if you need to you can hopefully kill him this time," Marik said to himself. He finished wrapping his arm and bit the excess gauze off, then set it back in the kit. The kit itself he left behind. He would go back to get it later, when he wouldn't have to swing into the bathroom again to return it.

The moment he approached the patio and the light above it turned on Isis had burst through the door and scooped Marik up in her arms. He was crushed into her chest by her strong embrace and her cotton clothes made breathing hard, but the embrace was comforting and for a moment alleviated his fears that he would become a monster. He had almost closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax completely when he felt a stinging pain at the side of his head.

"Ow!" Marik cried out. He jerked away from the embrace and sent a fiery glare up at his sister, whose hand was suspended in the air. "Why did you hit me?"

"You've been gone for hours Marik! You left immediately after school without telling anyone where you were going! And don't you dare glare at me! I have every right to be angry with you! I have half a mind to ground you even longer!" Isis yelled. Marik resisted the urge to make a snide remark. Instead he lowered his eyes to the ground, the perfect picture of a guilty and sorry teenager who knew he's been caught.

"Rishid! Malik! He's back!" Isis called into the house. Then she swiveled her smoldering stare back on Marik. "Everyone's been worried sick about you. Rishid and Malik were ready to go out and search for you! Who knows what kind of trouble you could have gotten into?"

"Trouble like back in Egypt?" Marik questioned before he could stop himself. The effect was immediate. His sister's beautifully tanned face fell and her expressive blue eyes filled with regret and worry. Malik and Rishid came into the doorway at that moment and Isis's face reverted back to its previous state in less than a second. The instantaneous change was not however, quick enough to prevent a spark of real guilt from settling in Marik's stomach.

"Marik! You're back," Rishid said, smiling lightly. He sounded relieved.

"How did you get that?" Malik questioned suddenly. Everyone turned and looked at Malik, then to where he was pointing, which was at Marik's bandaged arm. Isis gasped and Marik began to feel nervous. At last the attention had been called to his arm. This was it. The following moments would decide whether or not he'd be found out.

"When I was on my way back home some guys tried to mug me. One of them pulled a switchblade and got me. It's not a big deal. Just a scratch," Marik answered nonchalantly, shrugging minutely. Isis gasped and grabbed at his arm, turned it over carefully and looked at the bandages so intently he fear she could see through them.

"Someone threatened you with a knife? Where were you Marik?" She demanded.

"Yes, please fill us in," Malik insisted. Marik looked sharply up at his brother as he spoke. His face didn't sport its usual eerie grin, but the way he'd spoken sounded as if it should. He sounded excited and maniacal, which was a bad combo in Malik. Things usually turned out bad when Malik talked like that.

"I just went for a walk and ran into some people from school and lost track of time. Then when it started getting dark I left and ran into those guys. I wasn't getting into any trouble Isis," Marik explained.

"Was it Bakura and his brother you 'ran into?'" Malik questioned, almost sneering.

"Whoever it was doesn't matter," Isis interrupted, "We need to get you into the house and take a look at your arm." For a moment Marik's blood froze. If Isis looked at his arm... The moment passed and Marik smirked just a little, and allowed some playfulness to enter his voice.

"It's fine Isis! I know how to treat wounds too you know, so why don't we all go into the house and relax now that I'm home?" He suggested. Isis was going to protest this notion but Rishid finally spoke up after being silent.

"Marik is right Isis. Let's just all go in and relax," He said. Isis sighed and relented, though from the look on her face she was definitely not satisfied with not getting her way. The four Ishtar siblings retired into their house, where Isis and Rishid both said they were going to sleep now that Marik was home, since both had to work in the morning. Marik and Malik went upstairs, saying they would be quiet.

Before Marik would breath a sigh of relief at having evaded his family's suspicions, Malik pushed his way into Marik's room with him. And his slightly crazy younger brother was not smirking, but angry. Involuntarily Marik's mind flashed back to the last time Malik had been in his room and angry like this.

"You don't need to be frightened Marik. I would never hurt you."

Yeah well, if that experience had taught him anything it was that he did need to be frightened. Malik had always been a little unstable, and they had all learned to deal with that, but that day in his room Malik had revealed a side of him that was more than just a little unstable. He's been downright deranged, and frightening too.

"Was there something you wanted Malik?" Marik asked carefully. He definitely did not want to experience a recurrence of the situation there had been not too long ago.

"Who was it that you ran into? Was it those two albinos?" Malik questioned forcefully. Marik was a little taken aback by his attitude, but he quickly shook his head.

"No, no. It was just some guys from my Chemistry class. There were talking to me about a lab we did the other day and the conversation moved on to other topics. I haven't seen Bakura all day and only saw Ryou at school," Marik lied. He didn't want to lie to his brother but the idea sounded much better than telling the truth. Especially if the truth would cause him to act like a lunatic.

"Marik seemed to accept the answer, and his furious expression calmed, if only slightly. "What about the people who tried to mug you?" He asked.

"I took care of them," Marik replied simply, with a little smirk. Of course he had done no such thing, seeing as how there had been no muggers, but Malik did not need to know that. His expression had now morphed into a cruel smirk as he no doubt entertained thoughts of how the muggers had been "taken care of." Knowing his brother, he probably wished he could have had a part in their disposal.

"Alright then. But next time, dear brother, why don't you include me too? I'm sure it was fun," Malik grinned.

"Yeah, getting the crap sliced out of my arm was definitely fun," Marik commented sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "But sure, I'll take you along next time, although I'm sure you'll scare away any potential thugs."

"Well in that case I'll be sure to hide behind you, so all the bad men only see the beautiful damsel in distress," Malik laughed, leaning in close to Marik so that he could whisper the words in his ear. Marik shivered, and took a step back. Malik only laughed again, and then without any insight to his rather strange actions he left the room and finally allowed Marik to rest.

Marik turned off his lights and slid bonelessly into his bed without changing out of his clothes into pajamas. He was tired and worn out and didn't care. Even though he had just woken up in the shack not too long ago he felt like he'd been awake for a twenty-four hour stretch. And to make matters worse, he had school tomorrow. If that didn't just top the day off he didn't know what did. Perhaps he could persuade Isis to let him stay home from school the next day. With everything that had happened, he needed some time to get a grip on things, and what a better way than to spend the day at home? Although he seriously doubted the idea that his sister would allow him.

When he dreamt, it was of his brother, standing close to him and whispering something he couldn't quite grasp in his ear, then moving away and smirking, smirk growing wider and wider until it was no longer his brother but instead a great, gaping black hole. And then Marik's dreams were filled with pale vampires; skin the color of marble and with ivory hair and long fangs covered in spilt crimson blood.

00000

In the morning Marik had to go to school. He'd known that he would, but now he realized one thing he hadn't last night; that Bakura and Ryou would be at school.

It was an absurd thought (would they really still be at school even though he now knew that they were vampires?), but Marik wouldn't write it off as being entirely silly. After all, if the situation were to be reversed, both twins now knew what he and his siblings were, but yet they were still going to class. So why wouldn't Bakura and Ryou? It was plausible to conceive that they too would be in the classroom, acting as usual. Doubtful, but still, it couldn't happen, couldn't it?

Malik left on the bus and Marik climbed onto his motorcycle. Usually riding his baby would free him of any stress he felt, but today this wasn't so. Today the feel of the harsh wind against his cheeks and flowing through his hair did nothing other than to provide him a meager amount of comfort. Riding still gave him the same amount of freedom and pleasure, but how could something such as that help if he did have to confront the two vampires? He knew exactly what to do it he confronted them outside of school, but this was a different situation. In school he was defenseless and helpless and could do next to nothing if he were to be approached by one of them. He couldn't bring a weapon to school and if the two of them cornered him somewhere without teachers or students, then...

Marik slammed his foot down on the break. His tires squealed and the smell of burning rubber filled the air. The back of the motorcycle almost lifted off the ground before settling again as the bike came to a screeching halt in front of a pale, white-haired teenager. Marik was startled at first, then his expression became one of grim determination. He parked the bike and jumped off it. He didn't have any weapons with him but he did have the bike. He would see what the bloodsucker wanted, then leave if things started to look bad for him. He stood a safe distance away and faced the frowning teen.

"What do you want Bakura?" He demanded. Bakura shook his head, still frowning.

"It's not Bakura. I'm Ryou," He said. He took a step forward and as Marik took one back his frown deepened. The hunter was surprised to see Ryou instead of Bakura but that didn't mean he was any less apprehensive. True, Bakura had flat out said that Ryou wouldn't harm a fly and Marik himself seriously doubted that the younger vampiric twin would harm him under normal circumstances, but these weren't normal circumstances anymore. And most sane people wouldn't dart into the path of a moving motorcycle for a friendly chat.

"Was there something you wanted?" Marik questioned suspiciously, eyes narrowed.

"I'm very happy to see that you're okay Marik, and I'm sorry for everything Bakura did to you. I'm sure you want all this to just end, but unfortunately it won't be that easy. I need you to come with me," Ryou said, taking another step forward.

"I think I'm going to have to decline that offer," Marik aid.

"Please don't make me force you. I can, and I will if I need to," Ryou said sadly.

"Are you threatening me?"

"If I need to."

Marik actually contemplated the offer. He knew it was dangerous and extremely foolhardy, but half of him actually wanted to know what Ryou could want of him. However, without some kind of weapon to take along with him there was no way he would actually do something so asinine. The younger vampire was likely some sort of a lure to lead him into a trap. And then, conceivably, he would die. No thank you. Curious or not, Marik thought he would stick with school rather than go for an adventure with his would-be murderer.

"Sorry, but I really do have other things to do right now," Marik smiled, and then in a split second he had turned and dashed to his motorbike. He swung one leg over its leather seat and hopped on, kicking up the kickstand and turning it on as he moved. Its roar filled the side street Ryou had found him on and out of habit Marik revved it once, ready to go. The thought briefly crossed his mind that Isis would be very angry if she knew he was driving without a helmet, but within moments it was crushed by his urge to get away. He kicked off and dashed away from Ryou, mentally congratulating himself for the speedy getaway.

He'd only gotten a few yards before the slender figure of a white, red-eyed being landed a few feet in front of him, crouched on the ground like a waiting animal.

"Shit!" The tires screeched as Marik tried to stop the bike, then was forced to swerve to the left. A building came up fast and he jumped from the bike in a roll. He came to a stop just as he heard the sickening crunch of metal. Marik shot his head up and saw the horrifying sight of his baby lying on its side, back wheel still spinning helplessly, windshield broken into pieces, and the front of the bike no more than smashed and mangled scrap metal.

"No..." He whispered, eyes wide, then darted around when he heard the sound of footsteps, caught sight of the lithe, feminine figure of Ryou, and for the first time felt afraid.

He almost laughed. He'd thought there was no reason to fear Ryou, but if the death of his precious motorcycle had taught him anything, it was to very much be afraid of Ryou. He looked like the same helpless, spineless student he'd once helped from bullies, but even now Marik could see glimpses of his red, red eyes through that arctic hair, and couldn't help but to imagine the sight of his fangs.

He was just acting back then with those bullies. Merely putting on a show, and you fell completely for it, didn't you? Asked a voice in his head. It was cold and harsh and cruel, but the part that really scared him was that it sounded like his brother had that day in his room, deranged and callous.

No... No! I couldn't have known! There was no way that I could have known! Marik protested desperately.

But you're a hunter! The voice cooed. You're supposed to know how to tell the difference between these types of creatures. But you fell for his act just like that. Didn't even suspect a thing!

Shut up! It's not my fault!

Sure it is, the voice insisted airily. Not only weren't you the least bit suspicious, but then when you knew for sure what they were you acted like you had everything under control and didn't bother to tell anyone, right? Guess you didn't have it all under control after all huh? You were a horrible, cocky, arrogant hunter and now you get to pay for your mistakes with your life.

"NO!" Marik shouted. Ryou had gotten only a few inches away from him without his notice. His shout took the pale boy by surprise, and when Marik saw how close they were he scrambled backwards.

He scraped his hands on the cement and the stinging pain joined in with the pain from similar scraps and bruises resulting from his fall off the motorcycle that had escaped his notice until now. His injured arm also throbbed with pain, as did his left ankle, but the only injury he found himself worried about was his ankle. If he sprained it, he would be unable to run away.

Not that you would have gotten very far anyways, the voice brought up, ever helpful. You tried to get away on your bike and he still caught you. He's fast. Faster then you on your very best day. You're just a walking meal right now Marik, so you best get used to that.

"Shut up!" Marik screamed. He clenched his fists and screwed his eyes tightly shut, praying that when he opened them he would just be at home or at school and everything else would have been a horrible, horrible nightmare and that Ra-damned voice would be gone and out of his head.

Silly boy. Don't even want to watch as he drains you?

"Marik?" A cold hand touched his shoulder and Marik leaned back on his hands and pushed himself off the ground, aiming a kick straight where he knew the vampire would be. His eyes shot open as a hand tightly grabbed onto his foot and prevented the kick from reaching its target. There stood Ryou, looking worriedly at him with eyes that were no longer red.

"Marik! It's okay! I'm not going to hurt you!" Ryou shouted.

"Then why won't you leave me alone?" Marik yelled. He yanked his foot away from Ryou and tried to kick him again but the vampire dodged it.

"Please Marik! I just need to talk to you. And I'm sure you're got questions too, don't you? I promise that I will not harm you in any way," Ryou pleaded.

"Oh you promise do you? Why should I trust the word of a vampire? Your brother already tried to kill me! I'm sure you're just here to finish the job!" Marik shouted. He was acting hysterical and he knew it. Whatever Bakura had done to him, most likely it was not try to kill him. He had fainted. If Bakura had wanted to kill him he could have there in the shack, but yet Marik had woken up unharmed except for the injuries that he'd already been aware of. He was still alive, so that would make it unreasonable to think that Ryou would come to kill him now when the job could have already been accomplished. Some part of his mind knew this, but for the moment Marik's thinking was irrational, with the cruel voice in his head doing nothing to help.

"If you don't come willingly with me then I'll have to take you by force. I really don't want to, but something needs to happen. This is your last chance Marik," Ryou said sadly. His eyes flickered red for a moment and Marik scrambled away from him. Ryou took this as a sign that he would not be cooperating and he advanced. Marik backed up as far as he could until his back reached the side of a building, then he tried to kick him but it was to no avail. Ryou either dodged or caught his kicks. When he reached him he grabbed Marik's arm and hauled him to his feet with one hand.

"We're going to be running now so you'll have to keep up," Ryou said shortly, then without a moment's notice took off. Marik half-stumbled, half-ran as he was pulled along by Ryou. He tried to break the grasp Ryou had on his wrist, but the vice-like grip was too strong. When he couldn't escape he was forced to keep up with the speedy vampire as he was led through the city. He felt a sinking feeling that if he tried to stop and fell, Ryou would just keep going, dragging him on until they reached their destination.

They passed buildings and stored and their school. People on the streets got the barest glimpse of them as they flew by. They hadn't been running for long, but Marik began to grow tired from the sheer speed they traveled at. Ryou didn't show the slightest signs of wearing out any time soon, and as the initial panic he had felt at being forced to travel somewhere against his will slightly faded, Marik wondered just how fast his captor could travel and for how long.

When they ceased their running Marik recognized the house they'd stopped in front of as the house Ryou and Bakura shared. He'd been here once before, before he'd known what the two twins were. This time Ryou didn't bother knocking but just opened the door and brought the two of them in.

He hardly recognized the house when he stepped inside it. The living room was bare except for the couch Bakura so disdained, the TV, and any other large pieces of furniture. Along the walls of the now empty room were rows of boxes. It looked like someone was moving out.

"You leaving?" Marik questioned, intrigued now for the moment, despite his caution.

"I don't know," Ryou replied honestly, then turned around and shouted his brother's name. Said brother quickly descended down the stairs, and Marik felt the fear he had experienced earlier return. As if one hadn't been bad enough, now two vampires cornered him. But this time he wouldn't allow himself to lose his control. He would approach this situation with logical calculation, like Rishid. His calculating manner was what enabled him to be the best hunter in their small family.

"Ryou! You shouldn't have gone out! We need to hurry up and finish packing- Why is he here?" Bakura demanded mid-sentence as now his angry red eyes caught sight of Marik for the first time.

"I brought him here," Ryou answered almost defiantly.

"What are you talking about? Get away from him Ryou!" Bakura yelled. Marik was stunned by the level of protectiveness coming from his voice as well as the fierce hate directed at him. It occurred to him suddenly that Bakura was just as frightened as he was, and the realization that he was the cause of another's fear served to calm him. After all, if Bakura was fearful for Ryou's life then that meant he'd had no idea that Marik would be here and wasn't ready to jump on him and end his life any minute now.

"It's okay Bakura! He's not here to harm us, and we aren't going to harm Marik!" Ryou said.

"Then why is here?" Bakura questioned sarcastically.

"I have no clue. Your brother just grabbed me off my motorcycle on my way to school and brought me here," Marik replied shortly and with just as much the sarcasm. Both turned to look at Ryou expectantly, who shrunk back under the intensity of their glares, then straightened and met them with determination.

"Both of you need to talk to each other! Bakura, Marik, both of you have had the chances to hurt each other, but neither of you did! Marik, you took care of Bakura and didn't tell your family about us, and Bakura, you left him alone even when you had the chance to do otherwise! If the two of you can just talk to one another then maybe we can figure something out and none of us will have to leave," Ryou explained, looking both of them in the eye. Marik took a moment to process it all, and the apprehension and tension he felt slowly dissipated.

He was fine. This wasn't some plot to get rid of him but just a plan thought up by Ryou to hopefully get them to exist together peacefully. And now that he was able to think things clearly, it made a lot more sense too. When he glanced at Bakura, he saw the other's eyes had gone back to their brown color and he appeared lost in thought.

"I'll just leave and let you two talk. Bakura, please at least try to make this work," Ryou pleaded. He looked at Bakura one last time and Marik felt something pass between them. He'd heard of the connection twins had with one another, but he'd never experienced something like that with Malik. The two agreed with each other a lot, but for them it was because each wanted what was best for themselves, and usually it happened to be the some thing for the both of them. There wasn't anything that ran deeper between them. They didn't do any cool twins things like finish each other's sentences or act as it they were really one person but in two separate bodies. And until this moment Marik hadn't cared. But when he saw the look Bakura and Ryou gave one another, and the nod Bakura made as Ryou disappeared up the stairs, he felt envious. Envious of their bond and he wished that he and Malik did have a connection like that.

"So what do we do now?"

"What?" Marik asked, brought out of his thoughts by the sudden question. Bakura rolled his eyes.

"I said what do we do now, O might and attentive hunter of vampires?" He questioned sarcastically, his tone condescending.

"For starters, how about you tell me what the hell you did to me when you bit me?" Marik demanded furiously.

"You won't turn into a disgusting vampire, if that's what you're worried about," Bakura spat back, stretching out the word vampire.

"Well what else? When I woke up I couldn't see correctly," Marik asked. Bakura rolled his eyes and laughed. It was a cold, short noise that sounded more like a bark.

"Don't you know anything? Unless a vampire gives a human some of their blood, the human won't turn into a vampire just from their bite. If that were the case, there would be a lot more of us. And our bites carry a toxin in them that disorientates out victim. It blurs their vision and makes them giddy. As soon as the toxin filters out of your bloodstream the victim will be fine again, as I'm sure you found out. Happy now?" Bakura shot at him sarcastically.

"Fine. Now answer me this. Is it possible for my siblings and I to live here without needing to worry about getting bitten on the neck one day?" Marik snapped. Bakura growled lowly and Marik scoffed. Not that he'd found out he didn't need to fear for his life and that he wouldn't be turning into a blood-sucking leech anytime soon he found his patience with this situation was wearing thin. He should be at school right now, and since he wasn't Malik would wonder where he was and the school would call Isis and she would want to know as well. And worst of all, his precious motorcycle had been destroyed! How the hell could he be expected to explain that one?

"I already told you that we don't drink human blood! If you hadn't pulled that stunt back then and made me drink yours then I would never have lost control and bit you again! Could Ryou and I really stay here and now have to worry about you and your family coming to decapitate us?" Bakura retorted with a sneer.

"Are you questioning my word? I said that I wouldn't tell them. I can't now anyways. I can't tell them that I found the vampire and betrayed their trust by hiding it," Marik remarked bitterly. Both teens lapsed into silence as they glared at each other. The silence continued until Bakura broke it.

"So what then? We actually try to get along?" He asked.

"No! I might not tell my family about you but I'm not going to live with vampires! I'm still a hunter, even if I won't kill you!" Marik protested.

"Why?" Bakura spat, sounding disgusted. "Why does it matter so much what we are? We don't like it any more than you do! We've tried to stay inconspicuous and have sunk as low as drinking animal blood because of it! So not only does what we are make us outcasts to the humans, but to the other vampires as well! They taunt us and are as much of a danger as you hunters are! But still we try, and now when we haven't even done anything wrong you want us to leave? If the idea of living with vampires is so repulsive to you, you leave then!"

Marik punched him. His blood was on fire and he felt enraged.

"Shut up! I understand already! Your life isn't easy! Well you aren't the only one that's got problems you bastard! It's not easy for me either! I'm a hunter! My family is hunters and they've been so for quite a while now! I've already turned my back on most everything that I've learned by letting you live as it is! And now you want me to hurt them even more and just allow you to stay here, knowing fully well what you are? How selfish are you?" Marik demanded angrily. Bakura growled and punched him. The hit sent him stumbling backwards.

"I'm selfish? Have you listened at all to what I've been saying? I don't give a damn about your stupid family's values!" Bakura yelled. Marik rubbed his bruising cheek and pushed the fringe of his bangs out of his eyes. He walked up to his white-haired companion and threw another punch at his face. Bakura dodged this one and kneed Marik in his stomach. He bent over instinctively to clutch at his stomach and dull the pain starting there and instead received another punch from Bakura. One of them hit his jaw and he began to bleed.

Marik spat the blood that was gathering in his mouth out, grimacing at the coppery taste of it and the fresh pain he felt. He didn't notice Bakura's red-eyed gaze rest for a second on his now injured lip. He shot his leg out underneath him but the vampire managed to just barely dodge the hit. Next he threw two more punches, one of which landed squarely in the middle of Bakura's chest and the other was caught in midair.

"Enough!" Bakura yelled.

"Why? Scared to lose?" Marik taunted. With his free hand he wiped his bloodied lip. Bakura's red eyes followed his hand movement, almost mesmerized by it. He shook himself away from it and growled.

"No. But unless you want me to bite you again I suggest we stop before you begin bleeding any more," Bakura answered, chillingly cold. He released Marik's closed fist and stepped away. The gaze in his eyes as he spoke sent chills down Marik's back. The intensity in his red eyes stole his anger away. His hands dropped to his sides. His body ached from the hits he'd gained and the scrapes from his bike accident. The pain from his ankle, which had either disappeared or he just hadn't noticed before with everything that had been going on, returned with a burning vengeance. Bakura left the room and he sunk into the couch.

The vampire returned shortly and tossed something at him. Marik raised his hands and caught it. A wet towel with ice in it. Marik looked at him questioningly.

"If you don't want to use it then fine. But if something doesn't go on those punches then they'll swell as well as bruise. You already look like shit without your face being the size of a balloon," Bakura explained as he settled against the wall the couch rested near. He crossed his arms and closed his eyes. A piece of soft, arctic-white hair fell across his porcelain face and Marik was possessed by the absurd urge to get up and lovingly brush that traitorous piece of hair away and see if Bakura's eyes remained their fiery red color, or if they had reverted back to the dull brown. He quickly shook that thought out of his mind before it could go any further, or worse, he acted on it. To his utter dismay he felt that his cheeks were hot. One too many punches to the face, Marik thought wryly. Now I'm daydreaming about vampires.

"You didn't get one for yourself," He pointed out wearily, saying the very first thing that popped into his mind after that thought.

"I already told you that injuries don't matter for me," Bakura said shortly. He kept his eyes closed. Marik wished he would open them already.

"What should we do?" Marik asked finally after a long silence. Maybe it was just because he was tired and worn out from their brief fight (because a fight with a vampire certainly did not leave a person feeling rejuvenated afterwards, or even semi-okay, for that matter), but Ryou's idea that they try to exist together without fighting didn't seem like such a bad idea at this time. It even seemed like one that could work.

Bakura took a moment to answer, and for a moment Marik feared that he might not and the silence would continue on forever.

"I guess we should try what Ryou suggested. We both keep our secrets and try to live here in peace. And if we can't we'll have to deal with it. It'll be difficult I'm sure, but we could probably pull it off. Question is, are you up for it, O mighty hunter?" Bakura asked the question sarcastically and with the hint of a smirk, but it was still a serious one. Marik thought carefully before a smirk of his own formed on his lips.

"My darling Baku-kun, I love challenges," He answered.

"Your nicknames seem to become more stupid everyday Blondie," Bakura smirked. The silence took over again but only for a moment.

"Ryou will be happy. I bet he's in his room eavesdropping on us this very moment. Actually, I'm surprised he hasn't ran down here yet to give us both hugs or something equally corny," Bakura commented. Marik agreed quietly. They had decided to try and live together. That should have lifted a load off his shoulder, but...

"What are we?" He asked suddenly. "Are we friends, enemies, companions...?" Bakura's smirk faltered as he pondered the question.

"It kills me to say it, but I suppose we're friends. And this is some weird sort of twisted friendship based on a lot of fighting," Bakura replied with a frown.

"Friends..." Marik repeated, slowly, as if testing out the word. He was friends with a vampire. He hadn't been sure of it before. He hadn't really ever had a friend and didn't know how to classify someone as one, but if Bakura said they were then he believed him. After all, he'd been alive for years. He certainly had the advantage of knowledge.

"Heh. You're the first one I've ever made," Marik admitted with a chuckle. Bakura gazed at him with interest and his smirk softened, if only by a little.

"Really? I would have thought someone with your looks would have been extremely popular. I'd wager it's the fault of that twin of yours. The whole psychotic thing really turns people off. If you lost him you'd have people throwing themselves at you to be classified as your friend. Oh well. Guess it's my victory," He drawled languidly.

"Guess so." It was beyond strange, but he felt a sense of elation at now knowing that he was Bakura's friend. Realistically, he should feel the opposite. He was a hunter and his white-haired companion was a vampire. If this deal they had going on didn't work out, their newly found friendship would complicate things horribly. Even if it did work out, it would be harder for him to hide from his siblings what Bakura and Ryou were. This might even be a bigger challenge, but for now the task seemed easy. He could make it work. He could be friends with a vampire.

"Hey. Friends do things for other friends don't they?" Marik questioned slyly as an idea struck him.

"Just what is it you want?" Bakura questioned sweetly.

"Well... See, when your brother came to bring me here he sort of caused me to crash my motorcycle..." Marik began, grin stretching. Bakura caught on right away and his eyes gave a brief flash of chilling red as he too broke out into an evil smirk.

"Oh, don't worry about that. We'll get you another bike."

00000

To say Isis was angry was the understatement of the century. She was practically breathing fire down his neck the very moment he stepped into the room.

After Marik's talk with Bakura, Ryou had come down from the stairs. Having overheard everything they'd said, he was overjoyed that the two of them had not only decided to be civil, but had come to the conclusion that they were friends. A short while after that both twins had accompanied him to school since he couldn't ride his motorcycle, which Ryou vehemently apologized for. Neither of the twins had followed Marik into the building, as both said that now they knew they would be staying they had to unpack all of their things. He'd gone to his class, which was the third one of the day since he'd missed the first two, and carried on through the rest of the day as of nothing at all had happened. Malik asked him many annoying questions like why he hadn't been there during the first class and why he was hurt and why he was riding the bus instead of his bike, but Marik waved the questions off, saying that he would hear when Isis did. Then they had gone home, and the instant Isis saw him she exploded.

"Marik Ishtar! What in the world have you been doing? Yesterday you got in trouble for being out so late and what do you do today? Get into more trouble! And right before school too! What were you thinking?" Isis screeched, eyes blazing. Marik wisely said nothing just yet. He would let Isis tell him exactly how much she knew, and then he would remedy the situation. Somehow.

"I received a call his morning while I was at work from your school, wanting to know where you were. Of course I had to leave the museum and return home to see if you were there. I got home just in time to get another phone call from the police saying that your motorcycle had been found trashed in a back ally. I tried calling Rishid to see if he knew where you were or what had happened but he didn't know anything about any of this. So I called the school again to see if you were there yet and they told me that you were. Now this whole time I've been trying to figure out what exactly could have happened to you for an hour and a half and I've come up with a lot of ideas, but I think I'll just wait to see what you say. So spill it," Isis growled dangerously.

"Your motorcycle is trashed?" Malik asked with interest from where he sat on the couch, fingers laced together under his chin. His dark mauve eyes glinted. He was taking way too much pleasure from this.

"Yeah," Marik answered quietly. He'd loved his motorcycle. Isis and Rishid had pitched in to buy it for his sixteenth birthday once he'd gotten his driver's license. He had wanted one since the age of seven and when he'd opened the present and seen the keys, then the bike out in his driveway, shiny and powerful like some sort of metallic monster... and to know that it was his, all his... it had honestly been the best moment of his life. And then driving it for the first time... Now it was all gone, probably already lying in a landfill like a hunk of twisted metal. The idea of his precious motorcycle being forced to suffer such indignation actually caused a more prominent pain than any of the bruises or scrapes he had acquired throughout the day.

"I'm surprised you aren't in jail for killing the guy who made you crash it then. Sometimes I think you love that bike of yours more than you do any of us," Malik commented.

"Malik please! I would like to hear what Marik has to say for himself," Isis lashed out. Malik rolled his eyes quickly and muttered "As you wish sister dearest" just as Isis rapid-fired another question his way.

"You didn't get thrown into jail did you? Is that why you weren't in school?"

"Gods no Isis! I didn't get put into a jail cell! Next I suppose you'll be asking me if I did kill someone! I'm not some huge criminal or something!" Marik yelled.

"Marik, you know I didn't mean to insinuate anything, but in the past..." Isis trailed off, her blue eyes becoming unfocused and clouded over, and her face crinkling with old worry, making her look years older than she actually was, like she was their mother instead of their sister.

"Yeah I know. Back in Egypt Malik and I weren't exactly ship-shape kids, but that doesn't mean I'm going to go on a killing spree throughout Domino!" Marik lashed out, fist clenched, bringing his sister's undivided attention back to him. The worry lines temporarily vanished, but they would be back. They were always back because Isis just couldn't stop thinking about Egypt and thought that every little bad thing he and his brother did undoubtedly meant they were going to do something terrible again. Marik just wanted to scream at her to let it go, to forget about it like the rest of them had... but Isis never would. She blamed herself for it, and thinking of it was her self-decided punishment. That was stupid too, and he couldn't help but get mad now every time she mentioned it.

"Marik... I just want to keep the two of you safe... I'm sorry for assuming such things, but what else can I do...? You understand, don't you...?" Isis questioned, lip trembling, tears threatening to spill over her expressive ocean blue eyes. Marik looked away, still angry, but he didn't want to see his sister cry. He heard Malik mumble an awkward, half-hearted "yeah" and he found it in himself to do the same. Then they remained quiet until Isis had recovered.

"Well, how about you tell us what happened Marik," Isis suggested. She smiled a fake smile like everything was all right, but of course nothing was.

"Sure," He said, letting go of his anger. Right now he had his own problems to deal with. His sister's could wait. "I was on my way to school when some guy darted out into the street and got in my way. I had to swerve out of the way and ended up crashing. As you can see, I got banged up pretty well." The scrapes he had gotten were from the accident with Ryou, but most of the bruises were a result of his brief fight with Bakura. But his siblings didn't need to know that.

"The man had gone before I could get his legal information or even see his face. Everything happened so fast, I doubt I could even tell you who it was if I ever saw him again," Marik said. Better to say that the imaginary person who'd made him crash had gotten away than to deal with the problems of legal work that didn't really exist. That would certainly cause problems.

"I didn't know what else to do so I left the bike there and went to school," Marik finished, shrugging slightly. Isis remained quiet for a moment and over her shoulder Malik lost the excited look he had been wearing when he realized his brother's escapades had been quite boring. At least, the story he'd been told was.

"Why didn't you call me? I've been worrying this whole time about you! I knew we should never have gotten you that bike! You're lucky you didn't injure yourself even worse!" Isis sighed, exasperated.

"I would have called you but I had other things on my mind. When I was on my way to the school I ran into Bakura and found out that the two of us are friends," Marik announced. Isis' face lit up at this statement and Marik smirked. Now she would forget all about the trouble he should have gotten into and instead merely be happy for him.

"You made a friend? Oh Marik this is brilliant! I've got a wonderful idea! You should invite him over for dinner one day, that way Rishid and I can meet him! Oh! This must be the best news I've heard all day!" Isis exclaimed joyously. Without any warning she grabbed Marik in a bone-crushing hug. Marik would have protested against this, but he was too horrified to do much. His smirk had vanished and he felt an acute sinking pit of dread forming in his stomach. Bakura was a vampire. And vampires definitely could not eat normal food, could they?

Marik pulled away from his sister quickly and smiled even as the pit grew bigger and bigger. "You don't have to do that Isis! Technically you already met Bakura once and besides, Malik and I are still grounded! You know we can't cook a whole dinner!" He reasoned, praying that she would let it go.

But of course she didn't.

"Oh don't be silly! I said hi to him once, I wouldn't say that I met him. I want to get to know him and find out if he'd be a good influence on you. And don't worry about the cooking thing. You can ask him to come over tomorrow and I'll cook for you. I'll make koshari," Isis decided.

"Sis, you really don't need to! I wouldn't want to put any pressure on you!" Marik protested.

"It's fine. Don't worry about a thing other than getting your little friend to come over," Isis smiled. And Marik knew that he was screwed.

00000

"You are coming with me now."

Marik had gone to sleep last night trying to come up with a way to get out of this hole he'd unwittingly dug for himself. Unfortunately, he'd come up with nothing. Throughout the day he'd bugged Isis relentlessly to get Bakura out of coming to his house for dinner, but his sister was stubborn and near the end of the day had begun to question why he seemed so reluctant to bring his friend over. After that he'd stopped trying with Isis and had instead concentrated his thoughts on what he could say to his new friend to convince him not to come. That plan should have been easy enough to accomplish (after all, what kind of vampire would willingly come into a house where his secret could be exposed?), but that uneasy feeling in his gut told him otherwise. And so, ignoring his instinct, that day at school when Marik saw Bakura had come to school, he grabbed him by the hand and promptly led him out of the classroom and into the bathroom.

"My my Marik. I didn't think you would want to do something like this together in the school bathroom," Bakura smirked, suggestively quirking an eyebrow.

"What?" Marik demanded snappishly. He was agitated enough as it was without Bakura making nonsensical comments to add to his frustration.

"Well, I suppose if this is a kink of yours I can deal with it. Although if you aren't quiet we'll get caught. Unless... you want to get caught...?" Bakura continued on deviously, oblivious of the dark glare he was receiving from his companion. He cackled evilly the moment Marik understood what was being implied and hastily dropped the slender hand he now realized he was still grasping.

"What is wrong with you? You think I... No! No no no! I only took you here because we wouldn't be interrupted!" Marik yelled, waving his arms around animatedly. Bakura shot him a seductive look and raised his eyebrows again, and the Egyptian's tanned face turned a dark red as he realized what he'd said still hadn't come out the away he'd wanted it to.

"No! Not interrupted! I meant so that we wouldn't be overheard! ...Agh no! So that nobody would find out about your secret!" He cried out, very flustered by this point. Bakura just looked on with a cocky smirk and said absolutely nothing.

Marik shut up and closed his eyes, took in a deep breath of air and concentrated on calming himself down. "Look," he said when he had his unsightly blush under control, "This is important, so just shut up and listen. My sister wants you to come over for dinner and she won't take no for an answer. She's all excited about me getting a friend." He skimmed quickly over than part, embarrassed that his sister would make such a big deal over something like this.

"Anyways," He continued quickly, "You can some up with me some sort of excuse, and then I'll tell Isis and we won't have to worry about this whole thing."

"What if I want to go?" Bakura asked abruptly.

"Why would you?" Marik deadpanned.

"It seems interesting," Bakura waved the question off sweetly. Marik stared at him. That feeling he'd been having seemed to be laughing at him, but right now all Marik could think of was why Bakura would ever want to come to his house to have dinner with his family. He'd been extremely unwilling to have Marik know what he and Ryou were, but now he would practically be shouting it to his family. And Marik could think of no reason why he would do this. Did he really think that everything would turn out well? Did he think that Marik would protect him?

"Can you even eat food?" Marik asked, praying that he could not.

"Sure. It's not my favorite thing to do, as I'm sure you can imagine and it taste disgusting, but I can do it. Meat I can consume fairly well," Bakura answered.

"Well whatever, if you really want to do this then fine. But don't expect me to save your ass when you mess up," Marik commented carelessly.

"I'm sure you'd like very much to save my ass, but I don't think I'll be needing it," Bakura said with a mischievous little smirk. Marik clenched his fist and instead of punching the vampire for his suggestive comments he instead smirked.

"Oh, and my whole family are vegetarians."

00000

Bakura came home with him on the bus after school. Marik hadn't wanted him to and so hadn't told the vampire which bus to take, but somehow he found out anyways. He sat in the seat next to Marik. When Malik came onto the bus he passed their seat with a scowl but said nothing, which Marik was grateful for. He did not need to get kicked off the bus because the two biggest idiots in his life got into a fight. So instead he spent the bus ride home doodling inappropriate stick figures on the back of the seat in permanent marker with Bakura. He did understand that this was just as likely to get him kicked off the bus, but at least this was fun. Whatever. Call him a hypocrite.

When they got off they went up into his room. He tried to do homework and most of the time Bakura poked around his room or successfully distracted him from said homework. When Isis returned home from work, soon followed closely by Rishid, both enthusiastically greeted him and Isis proclaimed that she would start the food right away.

"So," Bakura said after Isis left, "If I'm going to have to eat your weird vegetarian food, how about telling me what it is first?"

"You didn't have to come. I gave you fair warning," Marik replied. He sprung up from where he'd been boredly drawing figurines of their first period classmates sprawled out in various dying positions on the front of Bakura's binder on his bed. "Isis said yesterday that she was making koshari."

"Uh-huh. And what exactly is that?" Bakura asked.

"It's an Egyptian dish made with different layers of lentils, rice, noodles, onions, and chick peas, and it's topped with a tomato paste It's very good," Marik answered.

"Oh wonderful. I didn't like lentils or chickpeas even when I had still been alive. Why oh why can't you be ravenous meat-eaters?" Bakura sighed melodramatically. One of his unnaturally long canines glinted in the light and Marik involuntarily shivered. Friend or not, Bakura was still a vampire. He couldn't forget that. He thought that he could trust his new friend, but years of hunting had taught Marik that vampires were tricky. He hoped that it wasn't so, but Bakura could easily be trying to fool him. He had to keep his eyes peeled.

"You could still leave. It's not too late you know," Marik sighed.

"Nah, I think I'll tough it out. Hey, why don't we go bug your psycho brother?" Bakura suggested, grinning maliciously.

"You do know that he doesn't like you very much don't you?" Marik asked, rather interested now. He'd given up on accomplishing any of his homework a while ago and without something to do things were pretty boring. Maybe bothering Malik wasn't a good idea though. His twin had been acting very well since the two of them had had their talk, but from the look on his brother's face when he got on the bus he knew that Malik was nearing the end of his patience for Bakura.

"That just makes things all the better," Bakura grinned. He'd been sitting on the chair at the desk and now he climbed off it and sauntered his way to Marik's bed. His slim hips swayed almost hypnotically in a fashion that couldn't help but to capture Marik's eye, and so he didn't protest in the slightest when his companion joined him on the bed.

Bakura moved with inhuman speed suddenly and pinned Marik against the wall. Marik blinked and began to struggle furiously as the first waves of fear overcame him, but Bakura leaned in close to him, lips almost touching his ear, and now Marik froze. He could hear the deafening beat of his heat and fear paralyzed his limbs. Those fangs were now dangerously close to his neck.

"Stop freaking out! I'm not doing anything to you, you moron!" Bakura hissed quietly, still smirking in his creepy, deranged way, and that alone made Marik's thudding heart nearly burst. The only thing that kept him from screaming out for help was that Bakura's eyes were still brown. Surely they would change to red if he were to really do something?

"Listen! The thud just now made your brother stop whatever he was doing. I'm sure he's listening to us right now. And what do you think we're going to do?" Bakura asked quietly. Those brown eyes locked with his lilac ones and he understood that this was not a rhetorical question and his companion was actually waiting for an answer, but Marik could say nothing. Even with Bakura's assurance that he was okay he was still afraid, but it wasn't fear anymore that kept him silent.

His body felt strangely hot, especially the places Bakura touched. Their bodies were almost flush against each other, and he wanted to push off the wall and close the gap between them. He wanted to, but he couldn't move. He felt frozen in place but for his hammering heart. It may have been the fear but it could have been Bakura's intense gaze that held him still. With how close the two of them were Marik could see that the eyes he had thought to have been merely a dark chestnut brown had hues of dark red embedded in them, making them look like a crimson brown up close. Emotion swirled in those eyes, dark and intense and unreadable.

"Ba-Bakura..." Marik stuttered. Bakura cocked his head to the side, beautiful ivory hair spilling over his shoulder like some kind of flowing river of quicksilver. Marik's thoughts left his head and what he had been about to say flew out the proverbial window. He shook his head slightly the first movement he'd been able to make since he'd been pinned against the wall. Bakura smirked at how clueless he was and suddenly released his grip on Marik's wrists and slid his hands along up them until both of theirs touched and simultaneously both closed their hands around the others. The movement caused their bodies to touch just briefly and Marik stifled a small gasp as the air around the two of them heated up.

"Ahhhh Marik...!" Bakura moaned loudly. The spell was broken and Marik wrenched himself away from the other teen. The heat around them evaporated and seemingly all transferred to his cheeks.

"What are you doing?" He demanded.

"Freaking out your brother of course," His white-haired companion replied cheerfully.

"Well not like that! I do not need my brother thinking that you and I were doing unmentionable things together in my bed!" Marik hissed through clenched teeth.

"Why not?"

"Because it's wrong!"

"Why?"

"Because-!"

Marik stopped. He didn't have an answer. No one in his family was gay, so he wasn't used to such a lifestyle, but did that mean it was bad? Or wrong? There were tons of people that were gay and they were all fine. Ra wasn't making any of them spontaneously combust as a sign of his displeasure. And could being with a person as stunning as Bakura really be bad?

He quickly stopped that train of thought and looked at the person he'd just been thinking of. "Does that mean you're gay?"

Before Bakura could say anything and Marik could solve a question that had been on his mind for some time now the door to his room swung open. With almost as much speed as the vampire himself Malik had stomped across the room and lifted Bakura by his collar off the bed. Both teens stood in the middle of the room glaring at the other with looks that could kill twenty times over. Malik's dark eyes were swarming with undisguised fury and hate and his face was a twisted snarl of loathing.

Marik jumped up from his seat. This was not good. Malik looked like he was ready to murder Bakura, and if he provoked him enough Bakura's eyes could turn red at any moment and everything would be ruined. Marik grasped his brother's arm and Malik actually released one of his hands on Bakura's shirt to bat Marik off him as if he were nothing more than a pesky fly. Bakura snarled at him.

"I'm going to kill you for touching my brother," Malik growled.

"Go ahead and try it Porcupine," Bakura snarled back.

"No!" Marik yelled, "No one is doing anything! Malik, nothing happened! Bakura did that just to mess with you!" Malik looked at him briefly for a second, then swiveled his frightening stare back to Bakura.

"It obviously worked too. You sure are riled up," Bakura taunted, smirking now but still glaring back at Malik with as much power as he could. Malik grunted and pulled the pale teen even closer to him, then he too slowly smirked.

"I don't necessarily care whether it's true or not. I'm going to kill you either way," He grinned. Marik didn't wait any longer. He grabbed Malik's arm and wrenched it away from Bakura, then the other one as well.

"Let go of me Marik!" Malik bellowed. He pushed and elbowed him but Marik held still. Behind him Bakura was watching with interest.

"No! We've had this talk already Malik! You know exactly how I feel so you have no reason to act like this! He is my friend! Nothing more, nothing less. Now enough!" Marik shouted. Malik was still. He appeared shocked that he'd been yelled at, and had not the tension been in the air around them, Marik would have laughed. His younger brother's composure only slipped for a moment and then his face was drawn back into a tight-lipped scowl and he yanked himself away and moved towards the door.

"Very well. If that is the case, then I'll just leave. But if I hear the two of you again I will come back and I will not leave, Marik." And with that warning he was gone. Marik spun and faced Bakura.

"You!" He pointed, "You leave him alone or when he comes back next time I'll just let him go at you!"

"Hmph. You think I won't be able to take care of your brother? I'm very powerful you know. I could have easily gotten away from you if you hadn't used that trap of yours," Bakura said smugly.

"You might be powerful but Malik isn't a pushover. And if he happens to find out then he'll be able to do what I couldn't. And if that happens I won't be able to do anything to stop it," Marik retorted darkly.

"Well you're no fun. In that case I suppose I'll have to refrain from tormenting your rather unstable brother. Instead, I'll just have my fun with you." Bakura's smirk sent shivers down his spine and gave him a brief reminder of the heat that had been between them on the bed and the way he'd wanted Bakura to touch him and had responded when for a fleeting moment he'd gotten his wish. He wondered what exactly Bakura had meant by his ambiguous statement and what the answer to the question he'd asked would have been. He continued to wonder about these things as they forgot about the event that had just occurred and talked about meaningless subjects until the food finished, and even then as he descended the stairs when Isis called that it was done he still couldn't help thinking about it.

He smelled the food before he saw it. The reason he and Malik had never learned to cook, and even Rishid, who wasn't very good at it, was in all likelihood because the three of them were spoiled by Isis's cooking. Their sister could have been a chef if she hadn't found her calling in ancient artifacts.

Marik eagerly took a seat and inhaled the delicious scent of koshari coming from the kitchen, His stomach growled in anticipation. Ah yes... real food. And koshari was his favorite. Bakura, however, must have felt entirely different, for when he inhaled the smell he crinkled for his nose back in what was most obviously disgust.

"Aw, doesn't seem as if you'll like it, does it?" Marik asked with false sympathy. Bakura looked almost embarrassed, like he was surprised that he'd been caught, and Marik smiled smugly. He'd done the right thing by trying to get Bakura out of this, but that hadn't gone so well and now he was going to sit back, take it easy, and enjoy his new friend's plight.

"Your concern for me is flattering, but not needed. I'll be fine pretty boy, so you just worry about yourself," Bakura said confidently.

"Oh, I'll be okay. You on the other hand, you I'm not so sure of. You can act as confident as you'd like, but I'm sure you're nervous," Marik smiled. Bakura raised an eyebrow and flashed him a brief, but stunning fanged smirk.

"Please. I've had more than enough experience with fooling you humans," He scoffed, "And vegetables are no match for my power of will."

"Tch, stubbornness is what I'd call it," Marik rebuked, then quickly transformed his smug grin into a dazzling smile as Rishid entered the kitchen. Malik followed him soon after, but unlike Rishid, he did not smile back. Instead his brother slid into the seat across from Marik without a word. The two normally sat next to each other, but today Bakura took his spot.

His twin's face was calm but cold. Marik made a mental note to leave him alone for the duration of Bakura's stay here. And then once he had left he could have a talk with his brother. Until then he would have to make sure Bakura didn't bother him anymore.

The four males sat silently together until Isis came into the dining room carrying with her their plates. She set plates in front of Bakura, Marik, and Malik, then went back to get her's and Rishid's. Both Ishtar twins tore into their food like ravenous wolves.

"Marik! Malik! That is no way to behave in front of company!" Isis reprimanded when she reentered the dining room. Both twins looked up from their food with identical looks of disappointment on their similar faces and impatiently waited until Isis had passed out the rest of the plates and unwillingly again began to use their manner when eating.

"You'd think we never fed them," Isis remarked to Rishid, then turned smiling to Bakura. "So, how is the food?" Marik stopped shoveling food into his mouth for a quick second to take a look at Bakura. For a moment he was surprised by the question aimed at him, but then he regained his composure and carefully scooped up some of the koshari. He kept his face carefully sculpted in a calm expression as he muscled the food down. Then he broke out into a sensational, heart-melting grin.

"This comes close to being the most delicious food I've ever had Isis-san. You are a brilliant cook," Bakura said smoothly. Isis actually blushed and had to lower her gaze away from his dark brown one.

"Oh, it's not that good I'm sure," Isis laughed, waving off the compliment. She looked back at him and smiled. "Actually, I was a bit worried that you wouldn't have liked it. You see, we're all vegetarians and so I'm sure you wouldn't be used to the food we eat. I was so surprised that Marik made a friend I forgot to tell him to ask you if what I was making would be okay, and I'm sure he didn't remember. But I'm glad that everything is okay."

"It's great, it really is. I'm not that big of a meat-eater myself actually," Bakura said, grinning easily. Marik couldn't help but grin too before he delved back into his food. Cunning vampire.

"So how did you two become friends?" Rishid asked Bakura conversely. Marik was too busy eating to notice the smirk that Bakura got on his face.

"Well, after the initial fight we had Marik helped my brother out at school and the two of us started talking. Then your brother generously saved me from some trouble and in the middle of a fight we were having we decided that there was some kind of a friendship between us," Bakura grinned.

"Marik saved you? How so?" Isis inquired. Upon hearing his name Marik looked up from his food. He saw Bakura cast him a sideways glance and noticed the way Isis and Rishid were watching him and how even Malik seemed to be listening while still eating.

"He came to my rescue like some sort of personal knight in shining armor and so I figured, if he wanted to save me so badly I would let him," Bakura continued. Marik's spoon dropped and he kicked Bakura from under the table. Bakura dropped his own silverware and his smirk faded.

"I just let him copy some of my homework is all. No need to make such a big deal out of it Bakura!" Marik laughed. He slapped his friend heartily on the back three times and shot him a concealed glare.

"Don't say it like that you idiot!" He growled lowly, "And don't give so much away either!"

Bakura smirked again and now he kicked Marik, who managed to keep his fake smile plastered on his face.

"I was just telling your family what they wanted to hear," Bakura answered back quietly. Marik glared at him again. Isis and Rishid exchanged looks while Malik looked at both of them with obvious disgust before turning back to his meal. It was at this time that both Bakura and Marik realized they were being watched and both quickly ceased what had begun to turn into a kicking match under the table. They laughed sheepishly and turned back to their plates.

For the next few moment dinner was an awkward silence interrupted only by the sounds of eating and small coughs made by Isis to try and jumpstart the conversation. When Marik finished his plate of koshari and went to get a second helping he gleefully saw that Bakura had hardly eaten three bites off his plate. Serves you right, Marik sniggered.

"So you have a brother?" Isis asked, finally breaking the silence. Not that Marik cared too much himself, because a silent dinner meant more time for him to devour his food and fill the void in his stomach that however many days of eating ramen and cafeteria food had created.

"Yup. His name is Ryou and actually, the two of us are identical twins as well," Bakura said. He took a small bite of the food in front of him and smiled when he gulped it down.

"What a coincidence! Marik, you should have invited him as well!" Isis chided. Marik rolled his yes and mumbled "yeah yeah." Now Isis rolled her eyes and asked Bakura more questions about Ryou. Marik threw in the odd comment once in a while and Rishid also asked some questions and added to the conversation. Malik stayed silent for the most part, despite Isis's attempts to include him. When it became obvious that he was not going to give his input everyone more or less left him to his own devices. Marik found himself looking at his brother a few times through the dinner and wishing he knew what he was thinking. He didn't like Bakura, that much was obvious, but why exactly? If anything, Marik would have thought the two of them would get along easily. It was scary to think of, but the two of them were similar.

Other than the problems with Malik and the once-in-a-while awkward silences, the dinner conversation moved forward nicely. When Bakura had said he was good at fooling humans he had meant it. He acted polite and answered all the questions he was asked with a smile on his charming face. Of course, only Marik knew that those answers weren't always correct and the smile he wore was more of a condescending smirk if you took in the glint to be found in his chocolate eyes... but Isis and Rishid seemed to fall for it, and that was a good thing because if Isis especially hadn't liked Bakura then there was a very good chance Marik wouldn't be seeing him again. Which was a shame, because he actually liked his vampiric friend.

After everyone had eaten (Bakura had managed to choke down one plate himself, whereas Marik had gone through three), Rishid retired to his room because he had to get up early, and Malik sulked up to his as well. Isis said that she would take care of the dishes, so Bakura and Marik headed to the living room.

"Now this is a couch," Bakura announced as he sprawled across it, taking up a whole two cushions. Marik perched on the last one and watched him. "Not at all like that crappy loveseat Ryou bought for us." Marik chuckled softly and leant back into the couch. Bakura's hand rested only a few inches away from him, but so long as they were not touching he didn't care.

"Well, I have to say that I am impressed. I really didn't think you would be able to handle that as well as you did," Marik said. Bakura sat up straight and looked him straight in the eye. Marik thought he saw a brief flash of red among the deep chestnut color, but it was so fast that he decided he must have imagined it. And besides, why would Bakura be feeling strong emotion? All the same, he shivered.

"I told you that you didn't need to worry," Bakura purred. He inched slightly closer to Marik, and now his hand wasn't so far apart, but he stayed still, watching his friend, who now flashed him a lazy smirk and a teasing look through half-lidded eyes.

"You didn't seem too worried yourself and one of us had to be," Marik said. His voice, so steady only a moment before Bakura had moved, now wavered uncertainly.

"Awww... I'm touched. Hmm, maybe you are my personal knight in shining armor," Bakura teased. Now he was so close he was almost on top of Marik. He hadn't even noticed the white-haired teen move. Now he felt very uncertain and uncomfortable, and all of a sudden he felt hot again like he had in his room when he'd been this close to Bakura before.

"What are you doing?" He questioned, trying to sound like he was still in charge. Instead he sounded much like a terrified mouse.

"Nothing much," Bakura smiled cheerfully. He loomed over Marik, trapping him with his back against the arm of the couch. Again Marik felt paralyzed and unable to move, unable to get away if he so desired. If. Out of everything that was happening so fast, the fact that he'd thought "if" screamed at him. Why would he say if? If meant that he might not want to move, and surely that couldn't be right!

Bakura leaned closer, ever closer, and the temperature increased again. He could feel heat emanating from the body almost touching his own, and again the insane want to arch his back and touch Bakura's body with his own possessed Marik, this time so strong he moved a fraction of an inch before stopping himself.

His breathing came out in labored, ragged huffs and when he did move it was not of his own accord. Marik's body felt like it was no longer his own. Bakura had done something to him again, like he had when he'd bitten him in the shack, had to have! Why else would he have these urges to want to stay with Bakura, to want to touch Bakura, to want to-

Lips. Lips on his own. Bakura's. Marik's mind, which until this moment had been brimming with a hazy fog of questions, melted down and shut off, and now the only thought that possessed him were those lips.

Bakura's lips were soft against his own, and when he kissed him it was with his eyes open. Marik's own almost fluttered shut, but he saw brown flicker to red, and this time he knew he hadn't been seeing things. Their sudden change in color made him moan around Bakura's mouth and he grabbed a fistful of his shirt and brought their bodies smashing together. The rise in heat almost made him moan again. He felt Bakura shudder above him, then felt a tongue prying against his lips, which Marik opened to allow access without a thought.

He was about to shift horizontally along the couch so it would be easier and more comfortable for him and Bakura to continue their activities when he heard the noise. As if he were snapped out of a trance Marik tore away from Bakura to the source of the noise–it had sounded like glass breaking. Maybe Isis had some trouble in the kitchen. But instead of seeing Isis, Marik saw his brother standing in the entrance to the living room, hand still frozen as if he were still carrying what now lie in pieces on the floor.

The expression on Malik's face was hysterical. His brother was flabbergasted, his mouth was open and his eyes were wide. He'd never seen Malik look so comical before, so damn funny, but instead of laughing Marik felt sick to his stomach. His brain had turned back on and it was freaking because not only had he just made out with Bakura, but his brother, his little brother, had walked in on it and seen.

Marik snapped to action and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, breaking the silvery string of saliva that still connected him to Bakura, wanted to get off the couch and out from under Bakura too but the idiot was not moving.

"Malik, it's not what it looks like!" He blurted out, stupid and cliché really but the first thing that popped into his frazzled mind all the same, but Malik had already gone. Only the heavy footsteps going up the stairs and the shattered glass were proof that he had even been there.

Marik pushed Bakura off him finally and sprung from the couch. He needed to talk to Malik, and Malik would be up in his room. But a hand on his arm stopped him before he could head there.

"Do you think you should go up there? He looked upset." Bakura. Marik heard the slightest tinge of worry in his voice, but he didn't look at Bakura.

"You need to leave now," He said, troubled lilac eyes still locked on the stairs Malik had gone up. He yanked away from Bakura, who remained silent, and waited to know that he had left before running up the stairs two at a time. Maybe Bakura was right and he should just wait for Malik to calm down, but then again, it was Bakura's fault that Malik was like this in the first place. And Marik needed to make that better.

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Woot! So how was that long chapter! Haha, hope it was good! Oooh, and what will happen next? Well, I knows! Heehee XD Blah, so anyways, time for my usual rant.

Okay, first up, I really liked the segment with Bakura coming back home to see Ryou. Just thought you all should know that. Yup. Second! So before school ended I had been taking Psychology, and there werea alot of cool disorders and stuff that we talked about, and schizophrenia seemed like a really cool one. So I'd actually been toying with the idea for a while of stopping this chapter midway (around the part where Marik is freaking about because he thinks Ryou's gonna get him), and then making it turn out that everything's all been in Marik's head 'cuz he's a looney! Yay! I obviously didn't (no, that'll be for another story), but how would you all have liked it if I did? It would have been interesting, I'm sure. Third, did the whole "Let's become friends now!" thing with Bakura and Marik seem kind of rushed? I don't know, to me it sort of seemed like one minute I had them at each otehr's throats and the next they were nice and happy. Fourth, how did you like the ending to this chapter? I thought it was sort of rushed too. Well... maybe not. Eh, I'm not sure. And lastly, just a note, I mentioned a dish called koshari above. Koshari is a traditional vegetarian Egyptian dish, and I think I read somewhere that it was Marik's favorite food. maybe that's wrong, but either way, it fit pretty well so I used it. I actually made it once, and it is pretty good. Of course, I'm sure if you actually got some from Egypt it'd be even better, heehee. Oh, and has anyone read my newest fanfic Deadly Ambivalence? (Advertising!) Because as much as I like this one, Deadly Ambivalence is my baby. So go read it! I command it of you!

Okay, so that was all I needed to say. Please review, and hopefully I'll be seeing you all again very soon! Cross your fingers that my internet is returned to me!