Love me so Tender
Back in Domino City Arc
A Chiba-kun and starrrrii story!

Hello everyone~ I apologize again for not posting earlier, considering that I had free time before all this shit happened in my life. The term is near its end and I just cannot wait to get out of the University for some much needed R&R. To make matters worse, I have to undergo surgery because my tooth is impacted. Oh, and my stupid laptop charger died - - again. Ugh; 2011 is so not my year. On the upside, grades are relatively on the okay-level, though I cannot say for sure since the results of my quizzes are coming in a few minutes so I have my fingers- and toes- crossed. Wish me good luck in my academic endeavors?

In any case, I apologize in advance for any grammatical/spelling errors found in this chapter. I tried to fix it to the best of my abilities but sometimes, I skip a few. So yeah, apologies.

For some other non-LMST related news, I want to know if you want a one-shot up this Christmas season. I've been itching to write another one-shot but I just don't know which pairing to write about. (I want to try a serious Deathshipping one but I am not too sure). So yeah, indicate in your reviews as to the pairing you wish to read, if and when you want to read a one-shot from meeeee~

Now, as a preview for this chapter, I'm not really sure if you all remember what happened in the Ancient Egypt arc. If you find yourself lost with what the characters are talking about in this chapter, I suggest re-reading Chapter 31 if I'm not mistaken. :D

Well, I don't want to dilly dally any longer. :D We hope that you enjoy this chapter! :D Please review when you have the time. ;)

We do not own YGO or any of its characters. Otherwise, we would have fixed the story up a bit... If you know what I mean. ;3

Chapter Warnings: Implied!Sexy Time, Bronzeshipping Implications

Chapter 37: Indiscretions.

Marik immediately shut the door tight, running to the living room where the pharaoh sat. "Are they available?" the pharaoh asked, looking at the tomb keeper before sighing. Marik looked flushed- as if he just embarrassed himself to the extent that he could not talk. Atem could only guess what had happened in the keeper's search for the lovers.

The moment Atem finally sat down with Bakura (Ryou in his arms, of course); the pharaoh hung his head low. "I came here with an apology in mind- a plan in mind on how to say sorry to you, actually. In truth, I don't know what to say- mostly because I'm too embarrassed to even look at you, Bakura. I did not mean to hurt you. I ask for your forgiveness for hurting you that way." He then looked at the thief, his gaze turning in a glare out of habit but he immediately relaxed it in a sympathetic stare, "What can I do to make it up to you two? What do you want, thief?" he asked, knowing that he could get a compromise somehow.

Being pulled in Bakura's arms is one thing but staying on his lap made it increasingly hard for the boy to focus. His gaze was not even on the pharaoh but instead, it was on the finger that kept on tracing small circles on him. His Yami looked as if he was going to trample the pharaoh any time soon and for a split second, Ryou could not help but feel like a cat in Bakura's arms. 'You're enjoying this too much, Bakura,' he said through the link before relaxing in his hold. For some reason, Atem looked a little fidgety, as if there was something that was absolutely bothering him. Ryou paid no attention to this though, simply dismissing it as plain guilt or something. Ryou could hear Bakura's thoughts perfectly, mostly thoughts about not really believing Atem's apology in the first place. As Bakura's hold around his waist tightened, Ryou's grip on the other's shoulder tightened as well, mostly to control Bakura from suddenly lashing out in anger. In truth, Ryou truly complimented the thief's inability to stay calm regarding these kinds of things.

By the time Atem was finished speaking, Bakura was holding even tighter to Ryou than before, though he didn't notice this fact. It was subconscious, showing his tenseness like this. "I don't want anything from you that I can't take myself, Pharaoh," he hissed, voice dangerously low. "You want to apologize? Hmph. You can beg, for all I care. Apologize for everything; it still won't change the past. Not a bit." He wasn't sure if he was referring to the massacre of Kul Elna or how the Pharaoh had attacked Ryou. He wasn't even certain what it was that the Pharaoh was apologizing for in the first place, but regardless of what it was, nothing would change. Bakura wasn't capable of forgiveness, not at this point. He had hated the Pharaoh for too long - one couldn't just dispel three thousand years' worth of hatred just with one apology. When Bakura said something about the pharaoh not being able to change the past, he looked at his Yami. "Bakura..." he whispered before smiling. He traced the thief's cheek a little, noticing that the scar was not there anymore. Right now, the thief king could pass up as a person of this time (unlike the pharaoh who still looked like he was sucked out of Ancient Egypt. Ryou was trying his best to calm the thief king down, making soft sounds that he knew Bakura found somewhat soothing. Yet, what Ryou noticed was the fact that Bakura was not enraged at all- or if he was truly enraged, he did not put much emphasis on it. He could not bite back a soft moan when he felt Bakura breathe against his ear like that, his nails digging in the thief's arm. "K-Kura... P-Please..." he whispered, just audible enough for Bakura to hear. His cheeks were flushed once more, his nails raking against the thief's arm.

"I did not mean to kill Bakura," the pharaoh whispered, head hanging low still. Of course Yami went here to apologize to Ryou properly but then again, there was another reason as to why he did not want Bakura (or at least Ryou) to stay mad at him for long. Yuugi was so happy now that they were in this world and if the boy would learn that he did something with the High Priest then it would surely break his heart. The pharaoh sighed, before locking his eyes with Ryou's. "I was only looking out for Yuugi. I-I did not notice that it was you there and I just could not let him die. Y-You're Yuugi's friend, are you not? I know that you can find it in your heart to forgive me, Bakura," he whispered, eyes looking as if they were begging for mercy. Ryou parted his lips to speak, trying to collect his thoughts. In truth, he did not bear any negative feelings towards the pharaoh for what had happened. Instead, he hated the pharaoh for causing so much harm to Bakura's soul. He was the one who turned the thief this way and it was not something that Ryou could take so could not deny that he was getting a sick kind of pleasure from hearing the Pharaoh ask for forgiveness - even coming as close as to beg for it. But he wasn't going to give into it anytime soon. And besides, the thief still hadn't had all his fun yet. He listened as Atem began to plead and insist that he hadn't intended to kill Ryou. "Of course you didn't want to kill him," Bakura hissed. He knew this much was true, at least. "You wanted to kill me. It wasn't just about protecting your little vessel, was it? Don't think I've forgotten the lengths you went to get me to show myself before the whole mess in Egypt. It was never just about Yuugi."

A cruel smirk came over him then, and he leaned his chin on Ryou's shoulder, pulling the boy closer to him. He just couldn't resist having the smaller boy against him like this. Even after their little romp in the bath, the thief still found that he was hungry for more... though maybe nothing quite as far as that. Just a little bit of contact. So without thinking, he kissed the shell of Ryou's ear, facing the boy but with his eyes always locked on the Pharaoh's. "Look at him, Yadonushi... he's afraid." Bakura's voice was low, but loud enough that both Marik and the Pharaoh would be able to overhear what he was saying to his Hikari. "He knows what we're both capable of and what we know about his little secret. He has something to lose, Ryou... that's why he's here. He's trying to protect little Yuugi... or maybe he's only trying to protect himself."

What he said was undeniably cruel, even when the Pharaoh was coming here of his own accord to apologize, but the thief king had no way of knowing that. He didn't trust Atem enough to even think for a second that he might have genuinely good intentions - he was probably just here because he had seen some sort of benefit in it. Bakura laughed darkly and trailed his tongue up Ryou's neck lightly, teasing the skin in an attempt to make the boy shudder and squirm. Call it a sadistic pleasure, but Bakura really like having that reaction from his host. And besides, if Ryou was preoccupied with what Bakura was making him feel, then there would be a smaller chance of him protesting the thief's assumption. No, he may protest it in his mind, but he wouldn't speak out. It was an unintentional kind of manipulation, brought about because Bakura simply couldn't keep his hands off his Ryou.

He listened intently to what the thief told him, gulping. What exactly did Bakura mean when he said 'something to lose'? The pharaoh had everything he could have ever wanted, right? Another whimper, another soft groan escaped his lips when he felt Bakura's tongue graze again his neck like that. He did not find this the appropriate time or place to do things like this but strangely enough, Ryou found it rather exhilarating. He closed his eyes and simply succumbed to the feeling, leaning against the thief now as he listened to what Bakura said through the mind link. What the thief said next made Ryou move off of him, widening his eyes a little. "A-Are you serious?" he asked, his back resting on the arm of the couch. 'B-But... h-he could not have! He could not have cheated on Yuugi. H-He said it himself... He loved Yuugi!' he reasoned out. Now, Ryou was not trying to protect the pharaoh from anything. He just did not find it fair that his only friend- or at least the only person who attempted to be his friend- was being lied to by the pharaoh. He moved back towards the thief king, arms wrapping around the thief's arm before nodding. 'It's not as if he has not lied before...' he then continued, eventually believing Bakura's continued to touch Ryou, kissing his neck now and then as he spoke through their mind link. Bakura could not suppress a small smirk when he felt and heard Ryou's reaction to this little secret he had revealed. He did, though, Bakura insisted. Do you think I would make something like that up? I know what happened through Zorc. He was outright smirking now that he knew he was being believed. And why shouldn't he be? Bakura spoke the truth now, after all. But this glee was nothing compared with the Pharaoh getting on his knees and begging for sympathy from the two people on earth who would be the least likely to give it to him. He had hurt them both too much in too many ways, and now he was hurting Yuugi, his lover, too - one of the few people in this life that Ryou trusted and liked. Yuugi was his only real friend before all this had happened, and despite all that had gone one, still remained friendly with the boy.

The pharaoh simply looked away the moment he heard the thief said that. "I made a mistake... H-He seduced me, yes, but then I wanted it as well. I wanted it at the time but not anymore. I love Yuugi, Bakura-kun. Please, d-don't tell him... It'll break him!" the pharaoh begged. Soon enough, Atem was on his knees, looking at the thief king. "What more do you want, thief king? You have all of the Millennium Items. Your lover is in your arms. I do not understand as to why you still feel these hostile emotions towards me. This petty revenge cannot bring back the souls of that Village of Thieves," he muttered. Even if the pharaoh was already begging to keep Yuugi in his arms, Atem still had that certain air around him- an air of boastfulness and pride. Ryou looked at the thief king before biting his lower lip, 'I want him broken up, Kura... I-I want him to suffer in so many ways... I want him to feel what it feels like to have your lover taken from you while you simply watch helplessly. He doesn't care about Yuugi... H-He only cares about himself,' he said through the link, eyes filled with utmost pain. Ryou's eyes were shining with so much sadness and despair- emotions that could easily trigger the rage of the thief king.

This sadistic glee did not last very long. When that the Pharaoh brought up Kul Elna - calling it the Village of Thieves instead of its true title, no less - and the souls that still resided there, Bakura felt something in him snap. He had lost all patience with the Pharaoh now. Not only because of the blatant disrespect and selfishness he displayed, but because he was hurting Ryou with said selfishness. He ceased stroking and kissing Ryou suddenly, lifting the boy off of him and glaring evenly at the Pharaoh. Despite the air of rage that was coming from the King of Thieves, he actually managed to look and act rather calm aside from the dangerous glare being directed at the Pharaoh.

"Marik... I want you to leave. Go out somewhere. Anywhere. Now."As soon as the words left Bakura's mouth, the Egyptian scurried out of the room. He didn't need another distraction or intervention, unless of course it was Ryou that wanted to stop things. The thief stood up and stalked forwards, lunging at the person across the room that was currently on his knees. They took quite a stumble, and when they slowed down a bit, Bakura ended up dragging Yami Yuugi up by the collar and slamming him into the wall. He was panting heavily, finally showing that anger he had been feeling this whole time.

"You just don't get it, do you?" He hissed. "I may not be able to bring them back, but at least I can put them all to rest!" He slammed the back of the Pharaoh's head into the wall violently, snarling as he did so. He didn't care how much pain he dealt out, as long at Atem stayed conscious for the time being. "Tell me why I should not tell your 'beloved' vessel what you did behind his back. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't take everything from you before I finally make you die!" Bakura slammed him against the wall again, growling as he leaned in close (too close; he was being just a bit too confrontational right now). "One. Reason. That's all I need to hear."

A hand was placed on his own neck when he watched the two dark beings try to have a decent conversation for the first time. What had happened in Yuugi's room seemed to have occurred ages from today, making Ryou forget that the pharaoh had actually attempted to take his life just to draw out the thief. In truth, Ryou is still shocked that the thief had gone after him when the pharaoh threatened to kill him. Maybe Bakura truly cared for him that way. He could remember the pain of suffocation, his lungs giving in from the lack of oxygen. If the thief came a few moments later, then he would've lost his life right then and there. The boy realized how many times he was taken away from the thief king by this man's hands- the same man that he was trying to protect from the thief king. Ryou could distinctly remember how the pharaoh's men 'kidnapped' him from where he was supposed to meet with Bakura. He could remember how the pharaoh ordered Seth to protect him from the pharaoh, leading to Bakura's injury. He could remember how the broad sword pierced through his body like it was made out of something soft and took his life. He could feel the hatred for the pharaoh brooding inside of him but he just could not bring himself to hate the pharaoh just as much as Bakura did.

Atem's eyes were shut tight, wincing at the sudden pain he felt. The collision with the wall was no small feat, given that the thief attacked him with all of strength. He could barely hear the thief talk to him, his vision slightly blurry from the headache that he was feeling. "One reason?" he asked, feeling the pain of near-suffocation of the thief's hand on his collar. He glared back at the thief king before seeing Ryou in the distance. The boy looked torn- as if he actually wanted to help the pharaoh but his loyalty to the thief caused his feet to plant firmly on the ground. "Because it will break Yuugi. And whether you like it or not, if Yuugi gets broken, your little host gets broken as well," the pharaoh shot back before pushing the thief away from him. He took one deep breath before glaring at the thief king. This was not the meeting that he was expecting and he certainly did not come here to start a fight but he knew that he needed to put these issues to rest- for Yuugi's safety... and his own. Even though Ryou would hate to admit it, what the stupid pharaoh said actually made sense. Yuugi was Ryou's only friend even though the boy never knew of the dark spirit that resided in his soul. Even if his gaming friend did not give him the privilege of being called by his name, Ryou still regarded him as the closest person to him (aside from Bakura). It pained him still though that Yuugi did not regard him as a true friend- given that he called Marik by his name even if the tomb keeper threatened to take his life and the pharaoh's life as well. With these thoughts in mind, it simply made Ryou feel as if he was nothing. He spent his nights in solitude when Bakura was not by his side. The pharaoh was wrong when he said that the two white-haired lovers had everything. In truth, they only had each other.

For a split second it seemed as if Bakura were actually considering the Pharaoh's reason for protecting himself and his vessel. If Yuugi's heart was broken, it would affect Ryou? That didn't make sense, but at the same time, something about it just seemed too right. The thief's grip loosened for a millisecond and his hard glare faltered, but almost faster than his resolve had shaken it was back up again. "That's not going to work, Pharaoh," Bakura growled. He pulled Yami Yuugi away from the wall and tossed him to the ground, going over to him and kneeling down, one knee on either side of his chest. The thief's hand came back around the other's throat and clenched, not enough to cut off his air yet but enough so that it hurt.

"You seem to forget all those times that you and your vessel neglected my host," he whispered dangerously. His voice was still low, but the rest of the house was dead silent, so Bakura's voice easily carried over to Ryou's ears. "You don't even call him by his first name. Don't you see, Pharaoh? The vessel doesn't. He's Ryou -

I'm Bakura. Is it even Ryou you two try and speak with, or were you just speaking to me through him?" He looked to his Yadonushi, still standing there looking as if his mind and heart were being guided in two different directions. "Don't think he doesn't care. He just doesn't say anything about it because he's too damn polite." He laughed again, the sound coming out a bit more unevenly than intended. It truly made the thief king sound like he was losing his mind, but his thoughts couldn't be any more clear right now. "And you also forget that he was the one you stabbed for attempting to kill Yuugi. He was ready to kill the boy."

Bakura knew that what he was saying was not the entirety of what Ryou felt - he had simply taken aspects of them and presented them in a certain way. He knew that Ryou was actually still quite fond of Yuugi, but was hoping somehow that through his words he could still convince Ryou that this was what he wanted, that he really didn't care as much about Yuugi as the Pharaoh thought. It wouldn't have been the first time he had influenced the boy's thoughts and feelings.

He was about to strike the Pharaoh again when arms suddenly came around him from behind. "Relax, Tozokuoh," he cooed, knowing that the thief could not think clearly when he was enraged like this. A kiss was placed on the thief's right ear before letting him go, "Killing him right here would... ruin the fun." Bakura's eyes came out of focus for a second and he relaxed. He could always pick back up where he left off at any time. But the lips on his ear and the slow, somehow seductive voice telling him to wait... The thief king could not suppress the shudder that came. Those words and that tone sent delicious shivers all the way down his spine and he let out an involuntary noise of pleasure. "Of course..." he replied quietly. "I never intended to kill him now, but you're right, my Yadonushi..." Bakura then shifted and backed away, off of the Pharaoh. He was still in Ryou's arms, smirking smugly and comfortably. "Did you have something else in mind for now, or should we just let him go back to his vessel? We don't know how much time he'll have left with the poor boy, after all..."

It's amazing as to how the thief king would respond like that to a simple request. Possibly it was because it was along the lines of his personal goal but still, it was nice to know that Bakura would easily succumb to his 'orders'. The white-haired boy looked at the thief king before moving towards the pharaoh. "If you do not tell Yuugi yourself, then the consequences would be dire. What would hurt more, pharaoh? Hurting Yuugi yourself or having someone else tell him?" he whispered before smiling at him. It was obvious that the smile was not the one that he did usually. It was a saddened smile, mostly because Ryou still felt sympathetic towards the relationship that was about to end. He closed his eyes, "I'll give you ten counts for you to get out of this house." The boy had not even reached the 5th count and the pharaoh had already run out of the house. Once they were alone, Ryou fixated his gaze at the thief king, "Yuugi's friends are there to distract him from any feelings he had for the pharaoh... I never had that kind of luxury."

He could not help but bite his lower lip in nervousness before moving in his arms once more, closing his eyes upon contact. "You're the only one I have left," he said truthfully, wrapping his arms around his darker counterpart. He knew that Bakura would not be able to stay for long and he knew that this relationship would not last forever but still, he wanted to relish the remaining moments he had with the Spirit of the Ring. "Even if we only have each other... I'm would not have wanted it any other way. I need you. I love you. I'm yours," he whispered grabbing the thief's hand before smiling. He nuzzled the top of his hand and mirrored the thief's gesture back in Ancient Egypt. He kissed the top of the green stone before kissing his pale nimble fingers. He then proceeded to kissing the back of his hand before grinning a little, "From the looks of it, you're the girl in the relationship," pointing it out that Bakura was the one who was wearing an 'engagement' ring of some sorts. Ryou smiled before nuzzling the thief. At first, he thought that he loved hearing his name from the thief because he did not hear it that often- or at least, from the people he wanted to hear it from. 'It's not the name... It's the fact that you're the one saying my name again and again makes me feel like my heart's on fire every time.' The next thing that got brought up made the thief laugh shortly. He tapped Ryou on the head to mock-scold him. "You think so?" He cooed. He really did love this ring, but only because it came from his host - and now the boy was using this gift against him, albeit teasingly. "Am I going to have to prove you wrong, Ryou?" And that was how things had started: Bakura had tackled Ryou to the ground, kissing him hungrily.

To say the least, Bakura was impressed with how Ryou handled this situation. He had gotten the Pharaoh out of the house, yes, but even better than that, he had been able to back the man against a wall and force him to make a decision by threatening him. And he knew that this wasn't just an empty threat - it may have been hurting Yuugi to tell him this, but if Ryou did it, he would also believe he was protecting his friend. But at the same time, he was simply discarding his friend in a way. What Ryou said was true; Bakura really was all he had left now... and it was the thief's fault for that in the first place. He grinned, unseen by Ryou, and looked down. He lifted the boy's shirt, touching the scars the Millennium Ring had left on his chest. "Yes... it's always been that way." Ryou had always belonged to him, always had needed him. And yet it was Bakura himself who had assured this. He had used and manipulated Ryou so much and so often that there was no way the distance between he and his friends could be repaired, even if they had made huge efforts for it. Bakura had made it so Ryou had depended on him and nobody else.

The boy stared back in those eyes, noticing that they were not purple in shade anymore. No, the thief looked like him now- save for those deep crimson eyes that stared back at him. Bakura's eyes held so much love and warmth- something that he never expected to see after those years of torment. Those hands that forced the Millennium Ring to hurt him were the same hands that were cradling him right now. Those were the same hands that would stroke his cheek or that would run a hand through his hair in a tender gesture. Ryou leaned against the thief even more, sighing in contentment, "You look like yourself again- a little paler than me but nothing out of the ordinary," he pointed out, given that Ryou experienced a little too much sun during the journey in Egypt. He looked up at his darkness, running a hand through those white unruly locks of his before pulling him in another kiss. Looking at Bakura now was like looking at his reflection but at the same time, he knew that he was a different person. He missed those soft fingers against his skin, in contrast to the former thief's rough hands. It took him a second to stop and look at his hands, and he realized that they were smaller. And, come to think of it, he didn't feel quite as heavy as he had last night. "Good," he whispered. "I much prefer being this way."

"B-Before we get carried away, I think we should get the Millennium Items before something bad happens. It's just a safety precaution," he stated, pushing the thief off of him before standing up. In truth, he never did understand as to why the thief would cause this sudden pump of adrenaline and lust all at the same time. There was surely something about this thief king that was innately seductive. 'Stop looking at me like that!' he scolded the thief, flushing as he looked away from those eyes. He could read what the thief was thinking and truthfully, he had to applaud the thief's libido to actually do this time and time again. If only the boy knew that he had the same effects on the thief that said thief had on him. Ryou turned around before running upstairs. He grabbed the bag of the Millennium Items before placing them inside the safe. The door creaked open a few moments later, the boy looking up at the thief. Doe eyes held so much innocence that it was impossible for absolutely anyone not to ravage said white-haired teen right then and there. One could only wonder as to how much resolve the thief had left.

For a while the thief contemplated following Ryou while he put the Millennium Items away and just jumping him, but he decided to hold off and wait until Ryou came to him and took the time to lock the door while he waited. It wouldn't do to have someone walking in on them, as it looked like another one of their sessions was inevitable at this point, but Bakura wasn't going to complain at all. They had been so rudely walked in on earlier, after all. When Ryou came back, Bakura was immediately at him, taking his hand and leaning up close. "Why do you have to be this way, landlord?" He whispered. He didn't give Ryou time to respond, as right away his lips were on the boy's, massaging them open so he could slip his tongue inside. Between every long, hungry kiss, Bakura would take short breath and hiss short phrases against Ryou's lips. "So.. alluring... beautiful... mm, so good... Mmm... Need you, now..."

He pulled Ryou to him, so close that there was no room left between them anymore, and guided the boy so that his back was pressed against the wall. There was heat, so much heat, building between the both of them, the little noises that they were making only making things go faster. It was getting unbearable, the heat and the lack of proper contact, so Bakura took it upon himself to remedy that. The friction between them only continued to grow, each one making their own contribution. It was a steady rhythm of touching and pulling, pushing and sliding, and they still hadn't gone as far as intended. Bakura's lips rarely left his Hikari's, and when they did, it was only to regain his breath and maybe leave a mark on his neck or to whisper something secret in his ear. With every shiver and moan he dragged out of his host, one was torn from the thief as well as response and encouragement.

The lights were dimming in Ryou's point of view, feeling as if his lungs kept on losing enough air and just when he was about to faint, Bakura would part from their kiss and allow him to breathe. This went on for a couple more minutes before the boy exclaimed, different colorful words echoing in the room before he relied on the wall for support. If he was not held by the dark being, he would have completely collapsed on the floor. Sweat was trickling from his forehead, down to his neck as he stared at his lover. His eyes were glazed over as the corner of his lips tugged a little in a small smile. He looked at Bakura, lovingly as he brushed some bangs away from his eyes. "I take it the honey moon comes before the actual wedding," he whispered before laughing a little. Ryou looked at the thief king before smiling again, pressing their foreheads together before blushing. "I may now kiss my bride?" he asked before claiming Bakura's lips in his, sharing that tender moment with the thief king. He loved Bakura with all his heart and nothing could change that. "I told you that you're the girl," he chided, kissing his cheek just to annoy the thief, "Honey."

From a short distance away, someone was watching as Marik left Ryou's home. The Egyptian's dark side had also woken up with everyone else, but in a different location - the same place where he had last been banished, by Bakura's Shadow Game. It hadn't taken him long to make his way here and wait, having felt his other personality waiting in there. And now that he had his own separate existence, somehow, there was just so much more he could do...

Yami Marik followed after his light counterpart for a distance, until they came to the mouth of an alleyway. With a quick move he had grabbed his other self, one arm around his neck, the other about his waist, holding him in place. He pressed his lips against Marik's ear, much in the way he had when he had been mocking Ryou when they had been together. He was holding the other like a toy, something he owned completely, but was being just slightly gentler than usual. "Well, look at this... my dominant personality!" He breathed, laughing and sounding cheerful enough that it seemed he was greeting a long-lost brother. Which, in a way, he sort of was. "Now, what brings you out and about at such an odd hour? Shouldn't you be in school right now? Or following around your new masters like the useless little puppet they made you?"

He laughed again, darkly, taking his time to lick at Marik's earlobe. "Such a shame that you've been reduced to this... and you used to have such a strong will, too, my dominant personality... not quite as strong as mine, if I recall, but still something to be respected, for sure..."

Marik could feel his heart racing in its ribcage when he felt his darker half's arms laced around him- almost protectively. His eyes narrowed to a glare as he looked at the bigger Egyptian holding him close. He found it increasingly hard to concentrate, having him so close like this. This was the being that represented all him anger, hatred, and rage for the pharaoh. This was the being of darkness that he created- a being that has now turned human, seemingly asking him for something. "What do you wa-ahh-nt," he said in reply, cursing himself for letting that moan come out of his lips. In truth, he felt rather aroused with the way his darker half held him- almost like how he would want to treat Ryou if he was given a chance. "I want the pharaoh dead... But I want something more now," the Egyptian whispered before prying himself off of the former rod-keeper's arms, utterly serious. "I want Ryou, my darker counterpart. I want him for myself... And the only way to do that is to... get rid of the thief king."

He placed a hand on his waist before looking at him intently, "Take the thief so that I can have Ryou for myself."

Marik's darkness chuckled deeply as he was pushed away. Truly, Ryou and Bakura had done a good job of changing his other self if this was the reaction he was getting. But he couldn't complain much, as he was being asked by his other personality, who he would do nearly anything for in one way or another, to complete a task that would prove to be far too much fun. But it still wasn't enough; Yami Marik had another intention in mind, which had been why he followed his dominant personality all the way here in the first place. "Is that really all you want?" He asked. "Because I can easily grant that wish... but I thought you might like to know something else, first."

He felt the hand on his waist and mirrored the action, only instead of putting his hand on Marik's waist, the darker half of the Egyptian tangled it in his long blond hair. He gripped it hard, enough for it to sting pleasantly. He leaned in close and whispered, "They've changed you, my other self. They altered your memories and changed your personality so you will follow them without question... but that is not really where your loyalties lie. I want you to see who you used to be... and if you don't believe my words, then get the Millennium Rod and search through my memory. We are one and the same, so naturally our memories should match... once you find out the truth, then I will get you what you desire."

Marik could not help but yelp and groan a little the moment he was yanked like that. He hated getting hurt in any way but then again, the tomb keeper could not believe that his darker counterpart was still acting at least a little more gentle with him in comparison to what he would do to other people. The Hikari's lips formed in a small smile, looking up at his darkness. "I know that they controlled my gestures and I also know that they used the Millennium Key to brainwash me. But you forget as to who brought the Millennium Items back to the house. Upon acquisition of the Millennium Key, all of my memories went back from before. However," he whispered before flipping their positions and slamming the other Egyptian against the wall. A sly grin was present on his lips as he licked them a little, "I do not care about the pharaoh anymore for my task is finished. I have something that I want now and I am certain that you want the other end of the bargain as well." His tongue grazed against Yami Marik's neck before grinning against it, "Do we have a deal?"

Hearing his other half's response, Marik laughed. He raked his nails down the other's arm, licking his ear again and biting down. "Yes..." he whispered. "That's more like it, my dominant personality... I was starting to wonder if you were going to realize. But this makes things so much more interesting... you're being your usual manipulative self again. Though I'm surprised you want to go after the person that took your precious sister from you..." Or maybe he could have said their sister. After all, he was a part of Marik, so technically Ishizu was a sibling to both of them.

Yami Marik tugged on his light counterpart's hair, laughing darkly. "I live to serve you, dominant personality," he whispered. It was his way of saying he agreed to the deal and would see it through to the end... whatever that end would be. Marik's darkness wasn't intending to simply go along with whatever his other self had planned without questioning it. He had always had a separate will, despite never having a separate body, and different goals too. "I will do whatever I can to get little Ryou in your possession."