OK GUYS-

This is my favorite scene EVER!!!! I dunno why. Maybe because I'm such a hopeless romantic.... but anyway I love it and I hope you love it and eee!

I own the love.

-Rin Reiko

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I could hear the clicking of the door latch even through the water, signaling his return home. The familiar scuffling of his clothes as he draped the heavier layers over furniture, the stomp of his boots until he shed them, and then the shuffle of his sock feet over the wood floors as he made his way down the hall were all harmonies to the symphony of my day. Such sounds I never realized were present until just now, and they made me anxious in their absence. The swing of the refrigerator door accompanied his clanging until he was satisfied with its contents, then the even vibrating of his footsteps started again and grew stronger until he was standing in the doorway of the bathroom, gazing at me in the tub.

My eyes were still closed as I asked, "How did it go?"

His shirt sounded in a shrug as the breaking hiss of a soda can echoed in the tiled room. "Ok, I guess," he replied after a gulp.

"Well, what did you talk about?"

A creak was made as he sat on the angled step built into the side of the tub, against the wall. His long legs stretched out along the floor and slid over the tiles with soft ease, relaxing. "Just boring things," he answered blandly, sipping his drink. "They asked me about graduation and I made up something of an answer."

"Was it the truth?"

There was a pause. "Yeah. I think it was."

My eyes opened at that, looking at him in the bright bathroom lights. "You think?"

He shrugged again. "I said something about not really being cured, and I think that's true enough." The tips of his fingers dragged through the warm water, making small eddies in their wake. "I may be crazy, but I think I can guess what it would feel like to be normal…"

I sat up slowly, the water lapping around my body as I rested my arms on the side of the tub with my chin on my hands. "You always seemed normal to me."

He scoffed. "Now there's a lie."

"No no…. you may have issues, but normal people have issues too." I explained. "I'm normal and I do."

His lips brushed the top of my head in a kiss. "No, you're not normal either Marik. But you're also not crazy."

"Perhaps…" was all I offered.

"Perhaps." He nodded.

I rested my head on my arms, looking at him as his long fingers stroked my blonde hair. His eyes seemed far away as they took me in, the gears of his mind turning behind their glassy frame. But I was watching him, his small movements in the white lights. The shine of his hair seemed to glow as if a halo was suspended around him, the contrast of his dark clothing outlining his lean, broad frame against the light tile walls, framing him in a surreal portrait. This angelic view of him made me chuckle inside, knowing full well just how unholy he could be.

Such a demon underneath all that white. And yet…

"Bakura...?" I asked after a long silence.

"Yes?"

"Will you marry me?"

Another long silence. His eyes widened, then pondered in reaction. Eventually, his gaze cast downward and he murmured, "….You don't want to marry me."

"But will you?"

He seemed surprised at this request, not saying a word as he stroked the side of my face with the back of his hand. There was thought translated through his touch, and I waited for him to weigh the options.

"Do you have a ring?"

"Not in here, but yes."

"… Do you have someone's blessing?"

"No, but I'm working on it."

"…. Do you know which one of us will wear the dress?"

"Bakura!" I laughed, pushing his shoulder lightly. He chuckled too, deep and demure like he always does, looking at me with a sideways smile.

"Do you really want to do this?"

I nodded. "Yes. Yes, it's all I want."

"Then yes," he kissed me. "Let's do this."

I kissed back and fell into my favorite part of our everyday song and dance.