A/N: Here's a long new chapter! I really like this one because it gives a bunch of new information on the Mariku/Ryou mystery while also building up the thiefshipping. When I wrote this chapter I was thinking 'hm, I need something between these two plot arcs, something cute' and poof! This is what I got. Probably because I ate a muffin for breakfast that day or something equally obscure. Either way, hope you all enjoy!
Warning: There's a lot of swearing coming from very angry males in this chapter xD
Disclaimer: Not Mine!
Malik stomped down the hallway, ready to the lash out at the next person who looked at him, but no, he was reining it in –at least until he got to the person who deserved his anger. He was coming up behind them now; Ryou was hovering at his locker, facing Mariku who had luckily decided to come early and surprise his crush by popping up at his locker.
Of course that only succeeded in unnerving Ryou who didn't deal with any sort of surprise well but since they were talking he was the only one who had a chance of seeing Malik coming down the hallway towards them. A perplexed look crossed his innocent face at the sight of his friend soaking wet and none too happy about it.
Bakura was standing on the other side of the narrow hallway, leaning nonchalantly against what was probably someone else's locker. He looked more like he was supervising some ill-advised play date between two children and was extremely bored to boot.
"Eh...nice weather we're having?" Ryou said in confusion, knowing it had been raining earlier and wondering why Malik was only coming in now completely drenched. Not to mention completely pissed off.
He never knew what to do in these spontaneous situations, like Mariku popping up at his locker this morning just to 'talk'. Rolling with the punches was Bakura's specialty, like now for instance as he opened one lazy eye and observed Malik's irritated approach without saying a word.
Bakura couldn't help a small smirk, wondering how Malik managed to get himself caught in the rain. He knew for a fact that Mariku hated cold, wet or really anything but hot sunny weather and he wouldn't put it past Malik to feel the same since they both grew up in Egypt.
He had to admit though; even hissing like a cat in the bath Malik's tan skin fairly glistened beneath the fluorescent lights, blond hair plastered to his shoulders. As usual he was too damn hot for his own good. Bakura chose not to approach him though, watching instead with curiosity as Malik marched up behind his brother.
His hand curled around Mariku's taller, broader shoulder and wrenched him around to lay a loud smack across his cheek with one flat palm. Bakura snickered, recognizing the enraged move as what had been deemed 'Malik's bitch slap' since he got suspended for hitting the other guy a couple weeks ago.
It had only been for a day but it left plenty of time for Bakura to think of several annoying taunts to use against him. Not enough to stop him from doing it again it seemed.
Ryou choked slightly as Malik didn't hesitate to strike his brother who made a small pained sound but mostly just looked stunned as he tried to comprehend what had happened.
"What'd I do to deserve that?" He grumbled at last, rubbing the slightly raised red mark on his cheek irritably.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU DID? I'm going to fucking KILL YOU for scratching it!" Malik howled, completely flipping as he threw his hands up in the air with exasperation. Mariku didn't even flinch, just rolling his eyes.
"Please, I didn't hurt it," –
"What do you think scratched it, the friggin Easter bunny?" Malik raged, not giving him a chance to finish his sentence. Interest thoroughly caught, Bakura moved from his spot across the hall to step between them calmly though most people would probably consider that suicide.
"What's going on?" He asked casually and Ryou latched onto Mariku's arm, trying hopelessly to pull him away from the raging hellfire Malik had turned into, still glaring spitefully at his older brother as he tried to step around Bakura who just blocked him again.
"He stole it then fucking scratched it up. What the hell is wrong with you?" –
"I told you I didn't scratch it," –
"I said you couldn't touch it for a reason damn it!" –
"A reason which doesn't make sense since I didn't scratch it."
"Then who the fuck do you think did, baka?"
"Probably someone you pissed off keyed it" –
"You're the only person that would do something that stupid!"
"Both of you shut the fuck up or I'll kiss Ryou," Bakura snapped loudly, effectively stunning them both stupid.
"You're not serious are you?" Mariku asked, horrified at the mental image of the twin brothers kissing. Malik looked less disgusted but remained silent if still extremely disgruntled. Ryou gave Bakura a nervous look, wondering if he was lying or if he should start running right around now.
Bakura rolled his eyes at him as though to say 'you actually thought I was serious?' He knew Mariku wouldn't risk it but he kind of expected Ryou and Malik to be smarter than to think he'd kiss his own brother.
"Alright, you first, what happened," Bakura demanded, jabbing a finger in Malik's direction who glared back sulkily.
"I woke up to Mariku driving away with my baby and when I finally got here after running through the friggin rain; I found it in the parking lot with a huge scratch on it!" He spat furiously, once again moving in Mariku's direction though Bakura pushed him back with one hand easily.
"Don't bother, you're not going anywhere," Bakura said offhandedly, fixing him in place with a sharp look. "What the hell is 'your baby'?" He asked and Mariku snickered at the irrational jealousy in his voice.
"It's the brats precious motorcycle which I didn't scratch," Mariku explained, provoking Malik into throwing another hissy fit which he looked like he might do if it weren't for Bakura's curious blink and:
"You actually drive a motorcycle?"
"Yes," Malik replied uncertainly, not sure what the point of the comment was exactly.
"I have to admit...that's kind of hot," Bakura said frankly and a pink tinge flickered in Malik's cheeks as he ducked his head with embarrassment.
"Better without the scratch mark," He muttered darkly, giving his brother the evil eye once again though he just rolled his eyes, running his hand casually through his white blond spikes the jutted from his head.
"How many times do I have to say it? I didn't scratch your damn bike. Just be happy 'Kura finds anything attractive about you at all," He said looking down at his much smaller brother languidly. Malik stiffened, lips pressed into a hard line of indignation at the comment.
Bakura said nothing, simply watching curiously to see what he'd do. As Malik had shown before, when push came to shove he wasn't afraid to shove back. Unfortunately he wasn't the only one who had noticed this.
"Since we're all here early does anyone want to come with me to the cafeteria? It's kind of cold out today and I wouldn't mind something hot to drink," Ryou broke in smoothly with an innocent smile on his face. He wasn't fooling Bakura though; he knew he was only speaking up to avoid the fight Mariku and Malik were clearly itching to have.
"Sure, I could use some caffeine before another shitty English lecture. Sato-sensei has clearly never been outside of Japan," He scoffed and Ryou glared at him for his bad language but chose to ignore it for now.
"Are you coming Mariku?" He asked sweetly instead, turning to tilt his head up with a smile just for Mariku who looked a little flattered at the personal 'invitation'.
"I guess," He said hesitantly, glancing at Malik cautiously who Ryou was mostly avoiding since he seemed particularly volatile this morning. At Mariku's side glance he glared back, showing he wasn't over the bike incident yet but he stomped away in the direction of the cafeteria, letting it go for now.
Bakura shrugged slightly at Mariku who looked exasperated by his anger, trailing after the rampaging teen who walked straight down the hall with no regards for anyone else who might have been in his way.
Ryou followed hesitantly as well but a warm pressure around his hand made him stop, looking down curiously to see Mariku's large dark hand cradling his own.
"Um..." He said uselessly, looking away with apparent embarrassment and the usual accompanying boatload of nerves.
"If you don't hold on to me I might hit the brat for being so oversensitive," Mariku said blandly though there was a slight smirk curling his lips at the ace of excuses and Ryou hesitated then nodded slowly with a shy smile, curling his hand loosely around Mariku's.
When Mariku's grip tightened in response, walking quickly after Bakura's disappearing form, Ryou's breath caught in his throat, fear constricting his chest.
He was still getting used to the lack of personal space that brought back bad memories but it got a little easier each time. Their attached hands swung a little with each step and he could feel the curious stares flickering in their direction.
Heat crawled up his neck into his face until he was sure it must be obvious against his deathly pale skin. Mariku was walking with a prideful swagger that said he enjoyed every second of it but Ryou couldn't tear his eyes from the ground, wondering at the nature of their slowly growing friendship that tended to drift more towards a relationship most of the time.
They weren't really dating and neither of them really wanted to talk about where exactly they stood with each other since things were awkward enough as it was but he kind of liked where they were at.
Sure he had no idea how to respond every time Mariku popped up out of nowhere like he did this morning or did something that took him off guard but it was a sort of pleasant thrill that left his insides buzzing pleasantly.
It was nice to know someone really cared about him despite his various awkward traits, particularly the occasional panic attacks where he couldn't face Mariku for several minutes before he calmed down enough to move on.
At least Mariku wasn't the emotional type who wanted to talk about it every time or really anytime. He didn't hide the fact that it annoyed him but Ryou was grateful that Mariku didn't bother asking what set him off; some of the reasons were just plain embarrassing.
Like now for example, he could remember perfectly how Mariku would touch his hand and lean across the desk, freezing him to the spot as he whispered in a sweet voice for Ryou to 'trust' him. He would then proceed to tell him another of his infamous horror stories, only he'd put Ryou in it, so he was the one being raped, abused or murdered.
The worst part was that Mariku always made himself the murderer and at the end he would always promise that he wouldn't do it again. He'd be there the next day though, prepared with a new story, and the day after that as well. So Ryou had reason to have a couple trust issues with him.
Bakura looked back, moderately amused by the sight of Ryou and Mariku attempting to hold hands without Ryou turning into a trembling mess. He wouldn't have blamed him if it weren't for the fact that Mariku had gone through several months of therapy to control his...interesting...tendencies.
As it was he had to agree with Mariku that Ryou needed to grow a backbone and get over the past, especially since he clearly didn't plan on telling Mariku about the other parts of their past. Bakura didn't really care if he didn't tell him about Amane's death, after all he'd never told him either, but if he wasn't going to tell Mariku about it he had to get over it instead of just blaming it on Mariku's faults.
Mariku wasn't doing anything to hurt him or even freak him out anymore. In fact it was the opposite; he'd gone through everything but Chinese water torture to get 'better'. He could still fondly remember the first time they 'met' back before Mariku had had any help when all three of them were in ninth grade.
Flashback
Bakura banged on Ryou's door again, frustrated beyond belief with his twin who had always been too weak for his own good.
"Come on Ryou, if you want me to beat someone up for you just tell me but hiding is pointless," He shouted through the door.
"It doesn't matter, I'm never going back there," Ryou's muffled voice responded. The poor kid was probably crying into his pillow over something someone said to him. He'd made it through exactly one day of ninth grade before deciding he was never going back again.
That in itself surprised Bakura since Ryou was generally the 'suffer in silence' type. Watching the horrifying incident that took both your mother and younger sister from you and then being abandoned by your father to live alone with your twin brother did that to a person.
Well it didn't matter; he'd probably be over it and ready to drag himself back to school by tomorrow anyways.
...
Ryou stayed firmly in his room for three days, only coming out for food or the bathroom when Bakura was at school or asleep so he couldn't ambush him.
Bakura quickly lost patience with his sulking game, ignoring him after awhile, but seeing that Ryou still wasn't taking any initiative to shake off this sudden hatred of school, he got mildly concerned. It really wasn't like Ryou to pout over 'nothing' so that left Bakura wondering if something really had happened.
Eventually he skipped school, sitting outside Ryou's door until he opened it to come out for food, shocked to see Bakura sitting there. Before he could slam the door again Bakura had stuck his foot in the frame and kicked it wide open.
Ryou was a mess, his hair was almost as knotted as Bakura's and his eyes were rimmed with red like he'd been crying for a long time. The first words out of his mouth were probably the most defiant he'd ever uttered in his entire life:
"Nothing you say or do will ever make me go back to that place."
Bakura promptly knocked him flat on his back, crouching on top of him until he told him exactly why he was so scared of going back to school.
No amount of squirming or pleading would get him to leave so eventually Ryou broke down crying and told him about 'Ishtar-sama' who had been bullying him for the past two years and how he had thought going to high school would change that but that the other boy was still in one of his classes and how nothing had changed and how he was still utterly terrified of him.
Bakura listened to the entire story unblinkingly and at the end asked, "What's his name?"
Ryou looked back with terror in his milk chocolate eyes before whispering, "Ishtar Mariku."
"Mariku? Heh, he's in some of my classes to," Bakura replied with dark amusement before getting off of his brother who scrambled to his feet after him, now looking wary of whatever Bakura was planning.
"Stay here, I'll be back," Bakura had ordered, pushing him back on the bed then walked out the door, slamming it behind him ominously.
...
It didn't take long for Bakura to find 'Ishtar Mariku' at school, all it took were a couple well placed glares and loose threats to get himself pointed in the boys direction. One look into cold mauve eyes said he'd found the right person.
His eccentric appearance didn't take away from the threatening aura around him. Bakura introduced himself as Touzoku and immediately saw the flash of recognition on Mariku's face. He wasted no time inviting him outside for a little 'talk'.
The sadistic grin Mariku gifted the invitation with was creepy and immediately had Bakura wondering if he wasn't entirely stable –a fact that was quickly proven when they reached the parking lot and attempted to beat the crap out of each other.
Bakura only gave him one chance to explain, asking Mariku why he'd targeted Ryou and Mariku simply responded that he was easy to manipulate. Seeing that he was outmatched by Mariku's size and strength Bakura resorted on keeping his head out of reach, landing light blows as he danced circles around the other boy with taunting words.
Mariku seemed to flicker between uncontrolled rage and emotionless. During the rage fits, he could catch Bakura and force him to the ground, resulting in many scrapes and bruises that would take days to stop throbbing but Bakura was not a quitter.
When he was emotionless he just stood there and took whatever Bakura threw at him, even showing bits of shame sometimes. Even when he was completely pinned to the ground Bakura mocked him even if it felt like his insides were burning and his stomach wanted to empty everything inside it.
While kneeling on top of him, Mariku got that blank look in his eyes again, asking, "Why don't you ever just stay down?" Bakura spat blood, wrestling to flip Mariku and slam him back into the rough pavement. He knelt with one knee pressed against his throat though Mariku merely looked a little depressed and irritated.
"Because you did something so bad to my brother that now he can't even think about you without pissing himself from fear," He said furiously and a trace of that sadistic grin flickered on his face, prompting Bakura's fist to ram into his sternum.
"You think that's fucking funny?" Bakura demanded and Mariku coughed, hopefully choking on his own karma but still managed to grin some more, bringing another fist to his teeth, filling his mouth with blood that he swallowed painfully.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Bakura snapped, driving his knee harder against his neck, pushing the air from his gasping lungs.
"I don't know," Mariku gasped desperately, convincing Bakura to let up just a little bit.
"What do you mean you don't know?" He asked dangerously and Mariku just deadpanned, "If I knew why I was so fucked up I would tell you. Maybe Ryou knows."
That last comment was a little too much for Bakura, bringing on another round of kicking, biting, scratching, punching and swearing furiously.
This time Mariku held his pin, knee strategically placed between his legs so that if Bakura even tried to struggle it would cause immediate pain, fingers wrapped around Bakura's neck tight enough to bruise as he choked for air.
It was only his raw determination that saved him, dragging his hands up to wrap around Mariku's neck in a weak grip but it made Mariku loosen his grip in surprise, rolling off of him. Bakura immediately curled in a defensive ball while coughing and trying to get some oxygen into his lungs that felt battered and broken.
"How can you still be trying to fight when I can easily kick your ass and you know it?" Mariku asked curiously as Bakura dragged himself back up to his knees for another round, determination burning in red eyes. It reminded him of Ryou's gaze only it wasn't laced with fear, instead showing pure defiance.
"I told you," Bakura rasped, licking the fresh blood from his lips, "nobody fucks with my brother and gets away with it." Emotion, like pain or understanding flickered across Mariku's face though it was hard to tell with the variety of colourful marks marring it.
"I've done some bad shit for my brother," He mumbled, digging his fingers into the ground as he tried to stand up but ended up crashing back to the pavement painfully though he gave little more than a grunt in indication.
"So you understand why I had to kick your ass for Ryou's sake?" Bakura asked, getting one leg up then pulling himself up on the other, gritting his teeth with a hiss against the pain of standing on his wobbly legs again.
"We done fighting then?" Mariku asked, still sitting hunched on the ground, either lacking the will or the desire to make himself get up again. Bakura extended a hand to him and Mariku looked at it blankly for a moment then shook his head slowly, grabbing it in his own and bounding to his feet in a mighty leap though it must have hurt.
Bakura bore the brunt of scrapes from the fight but he'd landed his own set of bruising blows on the other. He released the others hands, giving a small shrug.
"We're done fighting if you're done fucking with my brother. Besides, if what you said about your brother is true then I could use someone to watch my back around here." Mariku gave him a look as though to ask if he had received one too many blows to the head during their fight.
"You know I'm not secretly some nice guy who just wants to be understood, right? I've done shit and I've been through shit. I'm not normal," Mariku said but despite his words it sounded more like a tough front than anything else and Bakura just shrugged it off again.
"Then go talk to a guidance councillor, it's not my problem. I just want someone I can rely on to watch my back since I'm constantly watching out for Ryou." Bakura locked eyes with Mariku and something unsaid passed between them when Mariku nodded slowly in agreement.
It seemed crazy, standing there with someone he just brawled with for half an hour, both struggling just to stand now but Bakura sensed behind the 'craziness' there was something else to Mariku. He was thirteen but he'd been places other kids their age hadn't.
He needed help but he wasn't irretrievable and when he talked about his brother there was real pride in his voice.
"Partners?" Mariku asked uncertainly, facing Bakura with a cautious expression on his face. In response Bakura reached out and slugged his shoulder, making both of them wince painfully, then grinned slightly.
"Sure, partners."
...
"I have no idea how she got her license, she doesn't know anything," Mariku complained with a scowl, "Keeps telling me I'm 'unstable' because I'm secretly mourning over the loss of parents. Fuck that, I never even knew ka-san and I danced on my otou-san's grave when he died."
Bakura scoffed at the idea of Mariku actually dancing on his tou-san's grave but knew it was a hundred percent possible he was telling the truth. Mariku was just that sort of 'crazy' though assessments from the therapist only showed anger and depression on a clinical level.
"Why don't you just tell her you hate your otou-san?" He asked with a roll of his eyes as Mariku shook his head firmly.
"Then she'd want to know all about him and it's none of her business. I swear, she thinks everything from my favourite color to what I ate for lunch matters. Therapists are so stupid," He insisted and Bakura couldn't help laughing as he launched into another impression of the 'stupid' therapist in question.
Despite all his griping he had been seeing her for over a month now and his anger had gotten significantly less obtrusive. Their joking was interrupted by feet on the stairs and Mariku looked over curiously to see Ryou frozen, one hand on banister with his lips parted in shock.
Those fawn eyes were so wide they looked like they might swallow his whole face. Mariku looked equally stunned to see him, though his face was soft whereas Ryou's quickly pinched with fear.
"Ne, Ryou, you should hear him talk about therapy, it's actually kind of entertaining," Bakura encouraged, waving him down but Ryou simply shut his mouth, shaking his head quickly before retreating back up the stairs in a flash.
Mariku sighed, grumbling under his breath with annoyance though his fingers slid rapidly around the bracelet he wore that was supposed to remind him about his 'promise' that he wasn't going to go ape shit on people just because they annoyed him.
Or that was how he explained it anyways.
Bakura watched him but mostly with curiosity. He couldn't help wondering why Mariku let Ryou get to him that way; it wasn't like they even talked anymore so Mariku didn't have reason to be annoyed.
When he asked though Mariku's answer was always the same: I don't know.
...
"Who're you checking out?" Bakura asked bluntly and Mariku snapped back to attention, wiping the lovesick expression off his face quickly.
"No one," He said guiltily and Bakura just scoffed. Mariku's fingers automatically went to his wrist even though the bracelet wasn't there anymore; the habit had been pounded into his head so many times that he couldn't seem to get rid of it now.
Though he'd lost the dangerous edge of his anger and stopped falling into his weirdly blank depressive spells, he'd also lost his uncanny ability to lie his way out of anything. Now only someone who didn't know him would buy it when he tried to bluff.
"Is it...Takashi-sensei?" Bakura asked and Mariku immediately wrinkled his face in disgust.
"I swear, she makes excuses to walk into the guys change room after class. Do you know how disturbing that is? It's too bad you're not in that class 'Kura or we could make her regret it," He said bitterly and Bakura made a noise of approval.
Besides it was always entertaining to hear Mariku talk about his various female nemeses. Unlike most guys who would drool over how hot Takashi-sensei was; Mariku was disgusted by her and his disgust at any implications at some sort of sexual relationship with her was even more entertaining.
"Chop her precious hair off if she even thinks about flirting with Ryou, alright?" Bakura requested lazily, mostly in a joking way since he knew Mariku and Ryou still avoided each other like the plague anyways. Well, it was more Ryou avoiding Mariku but whatever.
"You don't need to tell me that," Mariku huffed, again getting that strange look on his face as he stared across the room at...whoever it was he was clearly interested in. Twisting around Bakura scanned the room, but saw mostly girls sitting in the direction Mariku had looked in, which was strange since Mariku had a strong dislike for most females.
Not to mention he was open about the fact that he played the masculine field exclusively.
Wait a minute...that wasn't a girl over by the garbage can. Someone with long hair certainly but Bakura had looked in the mirror enough times in his life to recognize that long ivory hair and marble white skin. Ryou was bending down, grabbing something that had fallen and placing it neatly in the garbage can, completely oblivious to the eyes on him.
"Were you just checking out my brother?" He asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously as he turned around and Mariku wisely kept his mouth shut, color rising in his cheeks. The reaction caused Bakura's eyebrow to racket up even higher, leaning forward across the table a little.
"Were you?" He demanded threateningly and Mariku glanced up at him, eyes straying in the direction Ryou was sitting in and then moving back to him nervously.
"Maybe a little," He mumbled and Bakura sat back with a small shrug.
"Ok," He said simply and Mariku frowned, confused by the reaction.
"You don't care?" He asked hopefully and Bakura laughed, a chilling noise accompanied by a smirk that said he knew where Mariku was going with this.
"It doesn't matter to me if you're gay for my brother. It's not like you'll get anywhere with him anyways," He said and Mariku scowled, pouting slightly.
"Maybe I will, don't count me out yet," He said stubbornly and Bakura just laughed cruelly again, knowing how impossible that was. Ryou always kept a careful thirty foot radius between him and Mariku at all times.
The likelihood of them hooking up was slim to none.
End Flashback
"I can't believe it actually happened," He mumbled to himself shaking his head slightly as he turned back to Malik's figure that was waiting huffily by the cafeteria counter. Really the expression was more of a jealous pout than anything else like an attention deprived child.
"Done daydreaming?" He grumbled when Bakura stopped beside him and Bakura raised an eyebrow at his snarky attitude.
"Is someone jealous that my attention isn't on them?" He asked in a babying voice and Malik's glare intensified but he chose not to respond, looking away irritably, mostly because he couldn't deny the truth but didn't want to give Bakura the smug satisfaction of admitting that he didn't like being ignored when he was upset.
Especially not by Bakura himself.
Ryou appeared, saving Malik the embarrassment as he stepped up to the counter, releasing Mariku's hand casually as he did so. This didn't sit too well with Mariku, especially now that he was face to face with Malik again.
"Don't say it," Malik warned, narrowing his eyes but that only served to encourage Mariku's cruel grin as he asked, "Why so pissy this morning, brat? Is it your time of the month?"
Ryou sighed hopelessly from the counter, palming his face with disbelief at Mariku's immaturity. Then again Mariku had always really disliked girls in just about every sense. Obviously Ryou wasn't the only one to know this as Malik wound up for another tantrum, ego cut by Mariku's last comment and Bakura's earlier snipe and overall just sick of being pushed around on such a crappy morning.
"No I am not PMSing, I'm 'pissy' because I woke up late, I didn't get breakfast, you stole my baby and after freezing down to my bones in the rain I find her scratched and none of you even care!" He snapped but before Mariku could respond he was cut off by Bakura's lazy voice asking impatiently, "What do you want?"
Malik blinked, obviously thrown off guard as he looked at Bakura uncertainly.
"Eh?" He asked with confusion as Bakura rolled his eyes, leaning forward so his elbows were on the cafeteria counter.
"Chocolate chip muffin," He said the lady who smiled, winking at both of them which had Malik looking confused again. She handed Bakura the muffin and his coffee and he promptly turned around, shoving the food into Malik's hands so he had to take it however uncertain he was.
Bakura found the puzzled look on his face kind of cute and wondered vaguely if he was going soft but then brushed off the thought, not having a better way of telling Malik he maybe cared just a little bit that he was having a rough morning.
"Eat it and stop bitching about breakfast," He said bluntly. Malik looked at him then down at the muffin again before a flattered smile softened his surprised expression. Lifting it to his face he smelt the rich scent of chocolate and felt his mouth water, taking a bite out of it immediately so that he could feel it melting in his mouth deliciously.
Mariku gave a low laugh at the sight of his brother practically cuddling his gift muffin and Ryou elbowed him gently with a frown that said 'don't be rude'. Mariku pulled a face at Bakura who glared back to save his pride.
"Shut up, it's not that funny," He said to his friend though even he knew there was something strange about him buying something for someone else. As a prided thief king he rarely liked actually spending money and wasting it on someone else was something very few people had ever had the chance to appreciate.
Malik felt something warm fluttering inside him and tried to squash the feeling but he couldn't. He knew as much as it sometimes seemed like Bakura cared about him, it was dangerous to let himself fall for the fierce Touzoku.
Mariku kept insisting that he didn't do 'relationships' and he'd seen for himself that he'd made out with Mariku like it was nothing.
Then again, he thought smugly, you don't see him buying him any muffins, do you?
A/N: Wow, that was crazy long but I really wanted to write about Mariku and Bakura's initial meeting. Those two are just that crazy that I can see that happening...but maybe I'm crazy to and none of it made sense. Let me know what you think, all reviews are cherished!