I was not expecting him.

At first I didn't realize who it was. I saw a caramel pile of muscles and sinew answering the door and was about to blush and apologize for having the wrong address, but then I noticed the hair and I jumped backwards on instinct. I stared at him. He said something, but it didn't register, all I could do was stare at him… he looked like a stranger. Maybe a cousin that I'd never met before. His face is different. It's… human? I don't want to think of it. It seems like a trick, that there was actually more than the sinister grin on the surface of his face, but I could see more. I could tell he's not used to lying because his eyes are a shipwreck of different emotions.

"It's… you," I said. Brilliant introduction that it was. But how could I say anything else? My alter ego was the last person I expected to find at Ryou's apartment.

"Yes. Me. Kek."

"Kek?"

"That's who I am now. I got to choose… this is what I chose."

I nodded. It's odd, but… I'm glad he has a name now. He never picked one when he was an emotional fragment in my head. I'd say I was proud of him, but that would sound like I was mocking him, so I just try to look him in the eyes, like he's a person and not a rejected figment of emotion I didn't want when I was ten.

"Look… I know I owe you a conversation-"

"Yes. A long one."

"Yes," I agreed. "But-"

"But right now we're talking about Bakura."

"No, right now we're trying to see Bakura." I peek over his shoulder, literally trying to see Bakura.

Kek shut the door to stop me from even catching a glimpse. I glared at him.

"What the hell-"

"No, you fucking listen. Actually listen and don't argue. Bakura's … not exactly the same as you might remember."

"What? Is he worse?" I tried to laugh. "I mean, how much more of an asshole can he be?"

"No, no. he's… okay. He's… great. But he's stupid, and he'll try to act like a badass in front of you, and… just-" Kek slammed his eyes shut and bit his bottom lip.

My mouth dropped. It was weird to see my alter like this. I wasn't sure what it meant. He opened his eyes, slowly and leaned close to whisper into my ear.

"If you hurt him anymore than you already have- If you break his heart- I will kill you. I swear to the fucking gods, I will. Marik-" Kek pulled away, his face grave, but also pleading. "Treat him gently."

I want to ask him what the literal fuck, but before I can manage to do anything short of standing there with my mouth wide open in shock, Kek opened the door and stepped inside, giving me a proper view into the apartment. Ryou's crying and curled against someone sitting on the couch.

My mouth dried, and my chest freaked out in my chest. He was shorter, darker than me, and built like a junkyard rottweiler, but I knew it was him. My Thief. It didn't matter what body he was in. I knew him.

I dwell in darkness without you. Free me.

That was the message he hid in his thievery.

Bakura whispered to Ryou. My alter- no Kek- knelt down and graced his fingers down Ryou's hair in a reverent way, as if the white belonged to an angel's wing instead of human hair.

"Let's go, Ryou," Kek whispered.

Ryou nodded. He kept saying goodbye. I watched Bakura's lips move. He muttered, maybe I won't go, but Ryou only responded with goodbye again. Ryou grabbed him. Kissed him. My hand reached out and held the door frame. I felt like I'm breaking something, just by being there. I felt guilty.

Ryou ran down the hall, still in tears.

Kek lingered, staring up at Bakura. They both stood at once, Bakura from the couch, Kek from the floor. Kek caressed Bakura's cheek. The expression on his face was tender and I felt like I'd gone mad. If I was to be honest with myself, it was beautiful to watch, but it was hard to accept that my former shadow could be so soft with anyone, let alone Bakura.

Treat him gently.

I hadn't thought much about the words when Kek had said them, but seeing them together was making me realize that Kek had been sincere when he'd spoken.

"It's been fun," Kek said.

Bakura opened his mouth, but his voice failed. Kek smiled at Bakura's silence, and leaned into kiss him as well... slow… deliberate. He walked to whatever backroom Ryou ran to.

"Should I not have come?" I asked, still in the doorway.

Bakura flinched, his eyes were silver. I liked them. He wore a red, unzipped hoodie and a indigo set of boxer shorts. It fit him somehow. He's gorgeous, but I'm not necessarily staring at his body to check him out. It was just that the curves of his chest were easier to look at than the pain in his eyes.

"I got your message," I said.

"Marik," Bakura closed his eyes, swallowed. "I wanted to see you, but I was beginning to think you didn't want to see me."

I rubbed the bridge of my nose. He was right. I yelled at him on the phone, afraid of letting my emotions slip through and cloud my judgement when I had an important job to do, and then I ignored him for six months. I stepped inside, shutting the door behind me.

"It's a long story."

"Yeah, guess mine is too." Bakura shrugged.

"Tell me," I took another step forward.

Bakura sighed. I hated the sad look in his eyes. I took yet another step toward him, wanting to run to him. Aching to, but I wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do.

"When they sent us back, the gods, we were broken. All three of us, even Atem. Our souls were like clay jars the gods tossed back to the earth. Ma'at said you'd come. She said you'd come for me, but she never said you'd take six months, and I was shattered. I needed glue to hold myself together."

I still wasn't sure what to do, but he looked so sad, so lonely standing there. I couldn't take it anymore. I ran across the living room and pulled him to my chest.