Notes: well I'm back. Its amazing how writing with music playing can make all the difference.

Ne this chpt is just an intro into malik and Ryou's lives and some background.

To anzu/tea fans: don't worry I don't bash her in this fic. I like her.

To anzu/tea haters: don't worry anzu doesn't appear in this fic that much and mostly in flashbacks.

Rated- PG-13 - (may change later)

Disclaimer- no. but I do own saiyuki box sets one and two.

Pairings: MalikxMarik, RyouxBakura, JouxOtogi, SetoxYami, MokubaxShizuka, IsisxShadi

Mentioned Pairings: MalikxRyou, SetoxJou, YugixAnzu

Thank you all my reviewers. So hot…

' blah ' = dreams/flashbacks

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In the Twilight

Chapter One

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"I see."

Nodding his head in understanding Ryou Bakura scribbled on the pad in front of him. His patient rambled on.

"I mean I just wanted to make him happy, but nothing I did was enough. Is there something wrong with me?" she sniffed.

Eve Rinka was 27 years old and supposedly had horrible taste in men. This problem had plagued her all her life. From what Ryou had read so far about her it seemed all the men in her life were all creeps. From her last boyfriend to her father. The shrinks, as Malik liked to call them, before him had the suspicion she was trying to find guys like her father. The whole she wants to save him nonsense. At least that's what the file said.

Ryou on the other hand had the feeling that wasn't her problem. From what he had been able to tell about his patient she was spoiled, manipulative, and wasn't above using any means to get her way. She hadn't grown up yet it seemed. Not that he could tell her he thought she was a stuck up brat who used her fathers brief escape into alcohol as an excuse for her behavior. In all honesty he sympathized with the boyfriends more than her. Having put up with her must have been a hassle.

"Well, Eve I think you're giving too much of yourself all at once. It scares guys away when women tell them they love them after the first date and cry during sex saying it was the best sex they ever had."

"What!" she said shocked.

Hadn't been expecting that, he thought. From what he could tell all of her previous shrinks had never said anything like that. He had a feeling none of them had ever said it could actually be her fault. Most of them had fed her that nonsense about it being a psychological thing when it really wasn't. Her father had only become a drunk for two months before he stopped and reformed his life. To hear her tell it, though, it was like he was still out there somewhere drinking himself to death. It was people like her he hated dealing with the most.

"You should try to hold back a little until at least the third or fourth date. Better yet the tenth date would probably be best, or just wait until he says it first. Other than that I don't see any major problems. Well," glancing at his wrist watch he smiled at her. "It seems our time is up. We'll pick up next Thursday, okay."

Mouth still open in shock she got up and walked out of the office dazed.

Maybe now she'll actually take a look at her life, but Ryou doubted it.

Looking down at the doodle of a rabbit being chased by a cat he sighed. It had been so long since he had last gotten a patient who really needed his help, it was depressing. Maybe it was time for him to move on from here.

"Hey Ryou! Are you done yet!" a voice yelled from outside.

Sighing again Ryou pushed his white hair out of his face and stood up. Malik was waiting. Last time Malik had come to pick him up he had had a patient. Malik had burst through the window scaring the poor Mr. Evens . He could still remember the terrified face Mr. Evens had made. Needless to say Ryou never saw poor Mr. Evens again. He had moved on not soon after as well. The people had started to talk about him and it was getting too dangerous. Malik never did that again, but Ryou wasn't taking any chances. He no longer had a room with a window.

Smiling at the memory he yelled " I'm coming", and grabbed his jacket.

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If anyone had said to a stray passer bier that the two men sitting at the table by the window at the Ritz were friends they would have laughed. Never had they seen two people who had been so different.

The one on the right looked classy and sophisticated. Yet somehow he gave off an air of innocence. He had long white hair that seemed to glow in the dark. It framed a delicate face that seemed to belong to a teenager. He had pale white skin and brown eyes. If anyone had just met him they would have thought he was the picture of purity, whatever that was. That he had faced no major hardships and had been sheltered from the world for the most of his life.

That was until they looked closely into his eyes. They possessed a knowledge that seemed to belong to someone far older than him, as if they had seen more than one person should have.

He wore a black suit with a black silk tie and matching black gloves. He seemed to be the perfect image of the blue blood, aka rich.

The man across from him was totally opposite. He seemed to give off a air of recklessness and danger. His violet eyes were lit with surprised humor and violence. He had tan skin and shoulder length sandy blond hair that made him look like an Egyptian. He wore tight black leather that seemed to hide nothing yet showed nothing. It screamed sex. On his arms he wore gold arm bands. He was the kind of person people usually tried to stay far far away from, unless they wanted to party or had a death wish. But if people looked close enough they would see the same ageless knowledge reflected in his eyes as in the others.

Despite all their differences they seemed to threat each other with a familiarity that suggested something deeper than friendship. Maybe the rich kid had wanted to experience life on the wild side…

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"People are staring again," Malik committed. His violet eyes laughing.

"Really," Ryou mused, not looking up from his menu. "Maybe if you didn't wear so much leather they wouldn't look at us so much."

"Hey! I resent that. I'll have you know that leather is the latest fashion now. If anything its you who's out of place, with your suits and silk tie, not to mention always wearing those black gloves with everything. Why don't you change the color every once and a while, eh? I know you're a shrink, but jeez always dressing like an old fogie doesn't suit you. I remember how you used to dress in leather just like me, but now that its actually accepted into society, finally, you no longer want to wear it. You looked so sexy then," Malik whispered suggestively.

Ryou flushed.

"Not that you don't look sexy now," Malik continued. "All-"

"Shut up Malik," Ryou mumbled his face hot. "You're embarrassing me."
"I know." Malik smirked at him ignoring Ryou's glare.

"You're so cute Ryou, why did we ever break up again?"

"Calling, partners, friends for life and all that. Actually I think it was your idea."

"Nuh-uh, it was a mutual decision."

"If you know the answer why bother asking the question, now be quiet. The waitress is here." Looking back down at his menu Ryou flipped the page. Where oh where was the good wine section?

"Um," flustered the girl looked at Ryou and Malik, her hands began to tremble. " I-I w-would yo-u like to t-take you-r order-er. I-I mean are you r-ready to order?" Flushing the girl looked down.

Sensing her unease Ryou smiled at her when she looked up again. Saying his order he glanced at Malik silently telling him to be nice. Malik sent him I-know-already-so-knock-it-out-it-only-happened-once look.

It was even my fault, he thought, but knowing Ryou, Ryou will probably never forget about that time he…Well it had been an accident. It wasn't his fault the waiter had been stuck up and wouldn't serve them their food. Though, smiling at the memory, the way Ryou had blown up when he had refused to serve him his wine had been funny. A sight to remember.

Then Malik did something he never did.

"I would like to order a hamburger, raw, nothing extra. Oh and some water."

"Um," writing as fast as she could the girl slowly turned red again. Taking pity on her Malik tapped her arm and handed her his and Ryou's menu.

"This guy wants your most expensive red wine too."

Throat dry she nodded, then scurried away.

"That was…weird," Ryou committed. "Anyway I thought you gave up meat a long time ago?"

Malik shrugged. "I'm hungry. It's been a month since we last fed. I'll take any blood I can. That is unless you want to go hunting tonight.?" Malik gave Ryou his best hopeful look, going as far as to make puppy eyes. Ryou could never resist his puppy eyes.

"I can't," Ryou said weakly, trying not to get drawn in. Must resist, he thought, must resist. "I have one more patient tonight."
"Okay then we'll go when you're done. It's been a month Ryou. A whole freaking month. I'm surprised I'm still able to stand never mind breathe!"

Weakening, Ryou nodded. It had been a month since he had last fed as well and he was starting to feel faint. Just yesterday he had fantasized about sucking to blood out of one of his patients.

Not a good sign.

"So now that that's out of the way, why are you seeing a patient so late? Usually you stop seeing people after 5 o'clock."

"Well, he's-"

Coming back with their orders and the wine the waitress set their plates down in front of them, then scurried away again.

In silence they switched their plates and Ryou examined the wine. Fingering his empty wine glass Malik frowned.

"She forgot my water."
"She brought the wrong wine," Ryou murmured, "this is that cheap pig wine."

Raisin his eyebrow at that Malik held out his wine glass. Last time Ryou had been served what he called "pig wine" he had almost killed the waiter. It had taken all of Malik's strength to pull him off. What happened to the waiter was best left unknown. No one got between Ryou and his wine.

" When in France and all that," Malik commented. Ryou probably wouldn't do anything to the waitress. Probably.

Giving a defeated sigh Ryou opened the bottle and poured Malik a glass.

"We're never coming here again."

Nodding in agreement Malik took a sip of the wine and made a face.

"Even after all these years I still don't like the taste of wine. How can you drink this stuff Ryou, you're like a freaking collector?"

"Well I am a collector of wine," Ryou pointed out. "And don't judge all wine on this…this…pig's piss!"

"You're really snotty when it comes to wine Ryou," Malik commented. "Maybe even obsessed."

"Oh shut up and drink your pig piss. It's not as good as the real stuff but it will have to do."

Turning his noise up Ryou sipped his "pig piss". Malik rolled his eyes.

"Even with crappy wine like this he savors it," Malik muttered under his breath. "Wine alcoholic."

Ignoring him Ryou took a bite of his food. It was cold.

Making a face he passed the plate away.

Glancing wearily down at his burger, Malik took a sample bite and choked.

"What's wrong?"

"They bloody burned it! Those bastards. I can't taste a drop of blood for crying out loud." Glaring at the burger in his hand he pushed it away.

"I say we feed on the waiter girl."

"Maybe," Ryou said. "Maybe."

That out of the way Malik leaned forward and rested his head on his hand, tilting it.

"So tell me about this "special" patient."

"Well," leaning forward as well Ryou studied his nails. One was longer than the others he noticed. He'd have to fix it later. "Normally I wouldn't take a patient so late, but apparently he can't come out until after dark, something about not being able to go out in the sunlight."

Taking another sip of wine, ah if only it was the real stuff, he continued.

"So I decided to go take him after dark, only he won't come out of his room, so I have to visit him. Apparently they had asked some other people the same thing but none would come."

"Is that safe?"

"Of course. I haven't survived all these years for nothing. Besides if I get into trouble you'll come bursting through the window and save me like you always do, now where was I?"

Closing his eyes Ryou took another sip of wine.

"Oh, right, so they hadn't really been expecting me to agree to their terms."

"Then why'd you?" Malik asked.

"It's been a long time Malik, since I found a patient who really was hurt. Who needed to really be helped. Yugi hurts.Even from far away I could feel it as I talked to someone named Yami. Heck even Yami feels as if he hurts. I want to help them Malik, I have to."

" Hell. Your obsession with saving people is even worse than your obsession with wine." Sighing Malik looked at Ryou's determined face. "What am I going to do with you," he wondered.

"I don't know." Tired Ryou laid his head on the table. "Sometimes I don't even know what to do with myself."

"So what's wrong with Yugi what's-his-name?" Laying his hand gently on Ryou's hair he started stroking it.

"I don't know. Yami and the people who live with Yugi don't know either. Yugi had always been in bad health apparently, but it hadn't been so serious until a month ago. He stopped eating, and refused to see people as well. He's been getting weaker and weaker, and soon their afraid he'll die."

"Why don't they just take him to a hospital or call a doctor?"

" They can't. He won't leave his room and they think it may be something mental. I think it's more than that, but I won't be able to find out until I go there."

"What are you hiding," Malik asked after a moment of silence.

"He…Yami seemed to hold Yugi in disgust. As if he was some vile thing he wanted to get rid of, but couldn't until he no longer need him for his purpose. It was a disturbing feeling Malik. I wonder if seeing him really is the right thing, if he had to live with that."

"Don't worry Ryou," Malik crooned. "It will be alright. I'm sure you'll do the right thing when you get there, you always do. I just hope you do it quick enough so we can catch that horrible waitress when we feed. You know how humans have become more and more cautious these past years. Never going out after dark and all."

Smiling softly Ryou relaxed under Malik's stroking hands.

"Yeah," he said.

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Somewhere else two boys sat in a room. One had shaggy blond hair while the other had straight brown hair. The blond haired one was laying on a bed while the brown haired one was sitting in front of a computer typing away.

"He's really coming?" the blond haired one asked. His brown eyes hopeful.

"Yes."

"You're sure this time right?" he repeated.

"Yes."

"You're really, really sure right?" he repeated.

"Yes." This time the other's voice was clipped.

"You're really, really, really sur-"

"How many times do I have to say yes until you get it mutt!" Snarling at him, Seto Kaiba, computer genius of the era, shutdown his laptop, but not without saving all his data first, of course; and faced the annoying "dog" who was pestering him.

"How many times have I told you not to call me that Kaiba!" Snarling back Jounouchi Katsuya shook his fist in mock horror, his brown eyes betraying his laughter. "I have every right to worry. We've been through like ten shrinks by now." His tone was serious, his eyes now worried.

"The psychologist," Seto said coolly, his anger under check, "is different from the others. He's from a small business so he probably just needs the money. In my experience greed inspires people to do stupid things."

Jou looked at him doubtfully.

"Are you sure this is wise?" his voice oddly serious. "I'm worried about Yugi, but this person might get hurt coming here. Plus it will be dark out. What if he gets attacked?"

There last shrink hadn't been cautious enough, he had been found dead the next morning the blood drained from his body. Lately the vampires had become more and more active. No longer caring to hide the fact they were feeding, and were real.

Seto's eyes softened. "Don't worry. Nothing will happen. I've taken extra care with the security. Yami was worried about the same thing, so I designed a bracelet that will…repel, you could say, Yugi if he gets too close. Not that it looks like we'll have to worry. Yugi can barely move, feeding should be impossible. As to the matter of him getting here safely, well I've put up safety camera's on the rode, so if he's in danger will be able to send him help, but that will only when he gets around 10 or so miles near here. He's on his own until then."

Ignoring the tiny flicker of pain at Seto saying Yami's name Jou sighed.

"I guess that's the best we can hope for." Jou agreed.

"Besides," Seto continued. "Where Yugi is concerned will have Marik watching Yugi's room on the monitor. He'll warn us if Yugi suddenly attacks. Worse comes to worse I'll buy the psychologist off."

"You know you're a really cynical person Set. But, uh, what happens if you can't buy him off?"

Seto smirked.

"Never mind, we'll cross that bridge when it comes as they say," Jou said haltingly.

"Ah is the little puppy afraid." Pushing Jou underneath him Seto licked his lips.

Laughing up at him Jou reached up and pulled Seto down into a kiss.

"You wish."

Smirking in response Seto nipped Jou's bottom lip. His blue eyes lit with passion.

Outside a figure watched, and waited.

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AN:it's so hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!urg.