----My fanfiction muses are dead! I think it's the school year crap. Well, everyone knows it has to end someday. But I don't want it to be now, while I'm in the middle of 9-ish fics! Although I don't get that many reviews, the ones I do are so nice and great and you make me want to keep writing! So, as always, ideas are greatly appreciated because I don't want to be like everyone else I've read and just suddenly cut off. Either way, I think I've decided to make this one shorter than I first intended to.----

"Hello?" Yami asked a bit bewildered.

Marik looked at Yami pleadingly. "Is Yugi or Ryou here?"

Yami looked at Marik's yami uneasily. "No...they went out on a...date."

Marik moaned and his palm against the doorframe. "Gods damnit!"

"I can watch myself," Yarik whined like a seven-year-old boy. He stamped his foot and crossed his arms, pouting.

Looking back-and-forth between the two of them, Yami asked carefully, "When did he come back?"

"It's a long story, Yami. And I have no time for it right now. I need to find someone to watch Yarik so I can get to work!"

"I could...watch him...if you need me to," Yami offered reluctantly.

Marik looked hopeful. "Would you? It'd just be...for a few hours. I promise he won't try to kill you." He began running out, but yelled, "Behave," over his shoulder.

Yami grabbed Yarik by the arm and led him into the house. He threw him onto the couch. "Sit here and shut up. If you pull ANYTHING, you'll be in the Shadow Realm in the blink of an eye, understood?"

Yarik pouted. "You're a meanie, Pharaoh. What am I suppose to do?"

"That's not my problem."

Yarik narrowed his eyes at Yami. "Then go away! I'm not going to stare at your fucking ugly face all day."

Yami stomped out of the room.

Yarik sat back in the couch, arms crossed. He jumped up, startled. He pulled out a hunk of plastic that had been under him. He smiled evilly. Griping it, he started out of the room to bash Yami over the head with it when the plastic and glass box turned on. He sat down, transfixed, watching the flashing pictures.

---

"No! Miaka, don't go in there!" Yarik yelled.

Yami, heading for the kitchen, changed directions upon hearing Yarik's command. He walked into the living room, curious.

"Tomahome! You saved the day! Yea!" Yarik unintentionally rhymed.

"What the hell are you watching?"

"There's this cartoon...I thought it had something to do with you cause it's called something yuugi and I started watching it and there's this girl who's real dumb that everyone wants and this really nice guy with cool hair who can beat the shit out of everyone, who she's in love with, and he's saving her from some tiger cause her friend might be in enemy territory and so she goes to--"

"Slow down."

Yarik ignored Yami and started watching the show again.

Yami, with nothing better to do, sat down in the chair, as far away from him as possible, watching the show.

Yarik watched the rest of the show silently, totally drawn into it.

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever--" Yami cut himself off, seeing tears rolling down Yarik's cheeks.

"That's so sweet..."

Yami picked up the controller and pressed the info button. "It's called Mysterious Play, or Fuushigi Yuugi."

"It's so sweet..."

"Are you really Yami Marik?"

"Yarik," he said off-handily, watching the credits.

"You're certainly a lot different than I remember."

"No, actually, I was going to use the piece of plastic to jab into your skull when this box turned on."

Yami inched away from the alter ego. "Really, now..."

"I have a question."

"Yeah?"

"What's love?"

Yami coughed uncomfortably. "That's kind of...odd for you to be asking."

"It's the way Marik felt about his father. Even if he was trying to kill him. It's weird, people love people in spite of the things they do to them. Marik still loves Bakura even though Bakura keeps hurting him."

"Marik does...?"

"Yeah, if you don't stay away from Bakura, I'm going to pull your spine out and choke you with it, is that understood?"

"Protective over your omote. Maybe we're not that...different."

"You killed people for Yugi, don't give me crap."

"Well...I suppose love is...when you passionately like someone. Or when you..."

"Attraction?"

"That's one type of love. There's a lot of levels."

"Can I kiss you, Yami?"

"What?! Why?"

"You're attractive."

"I don't think we're..."

"Please?" Yarik pleaded softly, looking at Yami with wide innocent eyes.

Without realizing it, Yami nodded.

Yarik climbed over to Yami and got on his knees in front of him. "You have to come here," he said softly.

Gulping, Yami leaned in closer to Yarik. "Okay..." he said, suddenly breathless.

Yarik tilted his head and fitted his lips with Yami. Yami jumped, a bit startled, but didn't break the kiss. Yarik opened his mouth a bit, then closed it again.

Yami's breath hitched in his throat. He pulled away. "Stop it," he said breathlessly.

Yarik looked into the pharaoh's eyes. "Okay," he whispered. He began standing up.

Suddenly, Yami grabbed Yarik's hand and pulled him back into a demanding kiss. Yarik yelped, then wrapped his arms around Yami's neck, straddling his lap, and kissing back.

Because they were spirits, they didn't really need to breathe. Thus, they didn't break apart once as they found warmth in each other's embrace and comfort in the other's touch.

So this was the sight presented to the three omotes as they came in.

"Oh my god..."

"What the fuck are you two doing?!"

"Yami?!"

Yami broke from Yarik. "It's not what you think."

Yarik pulled away from Yami, heavyhearted. "It wasn't?" He suddenly ran from the room. The four still there cringed as they heard a door slam.

Yugi narrowed his eyes at Yami. "Bedroom. Now."

---

"You know, this isn't even about the weirdness I just witness. No. It's about how you can NEVER confess over anything! You hurt him! So I don't care right now what you were or weren't doing. All I know is you have to go in there and talk to him now!"

Yami nodded, breaking from his omote.

---

"Yarik?" Ryou called politely.

"GO AWAY!!!" Yarik screamed.

Marik leaned against the door that led to the bathroom. "Guys are asses, Yarik. They're willing to go all the way as long as no one knows about it. I'm sorry you got involved with one. But please come out."

"Why should I?"

"Because you're in Yugi's bathroom and we have to go, okay?"

"No we don't. You don't have anything to do. You're just embarrassed. Well, I'm not coming out, so leave me alone!"

"I kind of have to use the bathroom, Yarik," Ryou said gently.

Yarik threw the door opened and stomped past them.

"Where are you going?" Marik asked, confused.

"Away. I don't ever want to see any of you again."

Marik made a grab for Yarik. He gasped as he witnessed his yami's tears.

"Go ahead, laugh. I'm stupid and everyone knows it. No one wants me here and so I'm leaving like before. You'd all be a lot happier."

"Yarik, wait. I know you're hurt, but it doesn't mean you should be embarrassed. I care about you one way or another. Sometimes, I feel like you were--and are-- the only one who understands me. So please don't go."

Yarik wiped at eyes and ran into Marik's embrace. He cried into the boy's shoulder, as Marik rocked him back and forth. "It's okay, Yarik, it's okay."

Yarik looked up into Marik's eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "For everything. I'm sorry for ruining Battle City and for killing your father. I'm really sorry for that. I--"

"Shhh," Marik comforted him. "It's okay."

"I love you, Marik."

"I love you, too," he whispered, placing a kiss on Yarik's bangs.

Yami walked in, followed by Yugi. "Yarik, I'm sorry for what I said. I wanted to kiss you...after you kissed me. It was surprising and...I think I need to sort through some things."

Yarik gave him a pitiful look. "I don't want to be lied to."

"I'm not, Yarik. How about we talk tomorrow, okay? I need to think about some things and we need to calm down."

Yarik looked up at Marik. Marik nodded. "It sounds okay to me," Yarik said softly.

----Look!!! I wrote a whole chapter! Oh, I'm good!!!---