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Living together in crime

Chapter IX: Secret


"Hey, Florence! ~ Come here, Florence! ~"

"Stop calling me like that! I'm coming!"

"Can't we buy Oreos instead of those cheap ones? Look, there is even 20% extra!"

"Not enough money. Besides the cheap ones taste the same."

"Noo! They taste like poop!"

"...they don't taste like poop..."

"Anyways, I can do without the tomatoes! Then we can buy the Oreos, okay?"

"No."

"Excel... - What? Since when do you like tomatoes, Bakura? You always leave them in the salad and then I have to eat them all!"

"That's right, Marik, but you bloody love tomatoes and when there aren't any in the house you start crying and send me out to buy some! So buy them now, for buggers sake!"

"But then we can't have the Oreos!"

"Then leave the bloody tomatoes, I don't care, it's your money, but don't come crying to me tonight when you'll miss them!"

Some customers turned around, stared at them. A toddler in a passing buggy pointed at Bakura and giggled. Bakura sighed and grabbed the pouting Marik to their trolley. "Maybe you want to put something else out." he said. Marik placed his index finger on his chin and made a long "hmmmm" sound while moving his eyes from one object to another inside the trolley. Bakura stood aside patiently.

One week had passed. Marik would still get phone calls from his sister but he wouldn't tell Bakura why she was calling or why he was upset afterwards. Well, Bakura hadn't asked anymore but he sensed that Marik didn't want to talk about it so he just tried his best to cheer Marik up by saying something nice to him.

Yep, their deal still existed, but Marik had inserted a small change: Bakura was allowed to tell him anything he was thinking as long as it wasn't 'adult material'. In exchange for this restriction Bakura was allowed to hug Marik once in a while, but not too often otherwise Marik would 'kick his friggin ass'.

Bakura wasn't too much excited about this contract. At least it is an improvement, he said to himself. Maybe I'll get you some day, he thought.

"Alright, Marik, it can't be that hard! There are just seven things in the trolley! Just decide and I'll go with it!" snarled Bakura after standing five minutes next to the mumbling Marik. How difficult could it be to decide between Oreos, three other boxes of cookies, tomatoes and two bottles of soda? I wished I hadn't forgotten my bloody wallet, Bakura thought to himself.

"Oh, Bakura, I don't know! We need all those things!" Marik whined. "I wished I had more money!"

"We don't need them all tonight. And if you want to have more money you could go work."

"I don't need to work, you work for me!" Marik laughed. "But tomorrow's sunday and at sundays the shop's closed! And you know I need something to nosh!"

"...you can nosh me..."

Marik stared at Bakura. "Hey! That was adult material!"

"It was not."

"It was!"

"Not."

"It friggin was! No hug for you anymore, Mister!"

Bakura sighed once more. He stepped quickly to the other boy and pressed him to his chest. Marik tried to push him away, but Bakura held him tight. "You know, you can wait here and I rush over and get some more money, if you want." he whispered into Mariks ear. The Egyptian was wearing his short lavender hoodie tonight, so Bakuras hand was touching his bare skin, but Marik didn't seem to notice or to mind.

"Oh yes, splendid idea, Bakura!" he exclaimed loudly, causing Bakura to grumble. "But you have to hurry, the shop's only open till seven!"

"I know." Bakura whispered. But he didn't move, neither did Marik. The younger one laid his head on the other ones shoulder. "Don't put too much in the trolley. I'll just get ten bucks more."

"Maybe twenty?" whispered Marik, which made Bakura feel warm. He loved it when the blond one was talking in a soft voice.

"Fifteen. My last offer." Bakura squeezed Marik briefly, then let him go.

Marik lifted his head. "Alright." he said. He grinned. "I'm gonna go and get some cucumber too, then! For tomorrows salaaad!" He rushed off with the trolley. The clattering sound reminded Bakura where he was. He got red when he thought about what others must have thought seeing them hugging in the middle of the market. Marik hadn't mind it, or had he? He had mind it because Bakura had not earned the hug in his sight, but he had never been embarrassed to show his feelings in public. I could learn a bit from him, Bakura thought.

Ten minutes later Bakura banged the front door open and went into the living room, remembering his wallet laying there. As he rushed back the telephone started ringing. He closed the door slowly. He did not know the number that was displayed but he could feel who it was.

Mariks sister.

Bakura laid his hand on the receiver and stared at it. It rang for eight times more, then it went silent. Bakura moved to the door and was ready to go.

It started again.
...rrring, rrringed into Bakuras head. "What do you want?!" he yelled turning around, picking it up. "Yes? Hello?" he said calmly. He felt Ryos heart beating but his own was still.

The person on the other side of the line gasped before she started speaking. "Uh... Good evening, Bakura." she said.

"It's Ishizu, right?" Bakura said. He didn't even try to sound friendly. Mariks sister has caused those big eyes to get sad so he wasn't thinking about being nice to her.

"Well... Yes." she said slowly. "Can I talk to Marik..."

"He isn't there." interrupted Bakura her harshly. "And to be honest I don't have time either. So do you have a message I can deliver or..."

This time she interrupted him: "What do you feel for Marik?"

"What?" The question came too suddenly, Bakura left his mouth open and repeated: "What?"

"Do you only use him?" she asked. "If that is so then I warn you! If you ever..."

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute!" Bakura said. "I don't bloody use him, what are you talking about? We're not in a relationship or anything! We just live together." Why do I even need to explain our relationship to her, Bakura asked himself. "What did Marik told you?" he asked her.

Her long pause made Bakura angry. Who does she think she is, he thought. "He won't tell me anything." she said. "How do you afford your apartment?" she then continued asking. "Are you stealing around? Does one of you..."

Bakura hung up. "What the fuck?" he said. "I'm not gonna let myself interview by her." he mumbled to himself. He ran out of the apartment, banging the door shut, continued running. How come that she doesn't know anything about us, he wondered. They are talking to each other for a week.

Every time Ishizu was calling, Marik would stand up and hide himself and the phone in his room, closing it and talk silently so that Bakura couldn't hear anything. Not that he was eavesdropping. He had tried it a couple of times, but realized that it was no use, because Marik was talking quietly on purpose.

As Bakura arrived the shop he wondered whether he should tell Marik about his meeting with his sister. Marik would find it out anyway the next time she'd call. So Bakura went straight up to Marik who was already standing in line and grabbed his arm. Marik shrieked surprised. "Shh, it's me, moron." Bakura said.

"You almost gave me a heart attack, Bakura!" Marik snarled. "What took you so long?"

"Your sister."

Mariks anger dropped to reveal confusion. "Huh..." He stared at Bakura. "She called? What did she want? What did she say?"

"She was asking me about... us." Bakura answered.

The confusion on Mariks face turned back into anger. There was even a slight blush... - Or was it just in Bakuras imagination? "She's stupid." Marik said loudly. "She doesn't believe me, no matter what I tell her."

"Well, what are you telling her?" Bakura asked. "Why does she... What is going on between you, Marik? It bloody confuses me."

"She..." Everything in the room was more interesting to look at than Bakuras eyes. That's how it seemed, because Mariks eyes just wandered around avoiding Bakura while becoming smaller and sadder.

Bakura pushed Marik softly. "Marik." The line had moved. Marik turned around and shove the trolley to the conveyor, picked up the goods and frowned when Bakura helped him.

"You know, I think I don't need that much cookies. Maybe the money won't be enough."

"It's okay. I brought my wallet."

"I'm always buying stuff and you're the one who's working for it. I should..."

"I said it's okay. Turn around, Marik."

"I'm sorry." the Egyptian said and shoved the trolley before him. Bakura followed him scratching his head, wondering about Mariks sudden changes of mood. Maybe he's on his period, Bakura chuckled to himself.