NOTE: The wrong chapter was uploaded last night but I thought I caught it quick enough. Of course... I didn't and someone noticed. Wow, sorry about that. It's pretty embarrassing actually. This one's up though so yey.

This is most definitely a MarikxRyou fic. There are slight hints at a possible YamixRyou, but since Yami only seems to have feelings for Ryou and Ryou, well, isn't too sure about what he feels... yeah. (Some people were wondering). I'd never do that couple in a fic, just because it's a really complicated one to do right.

Thanks for reviewing. A lot of you think Ryou will help Marik. Yeah... you'll see. This chapter was actually named after the song by Cher! I love it!, and every time I hear it, it makes me think of this chapter. Upload it and listen if you can.

Chapter 5: It's in his Kiss

Seth bowed in Yami's presence. "Pharaoh... we have not been able to find Ryou or Marik anywhere... Though, it is presumed that Ryou is...dead."

Yami frowned. "Dead..." Looking up, he focused sad crimson eyes upon the High priest. "Do you believe that, Seth?"

For a moment, Seth faltered, but his grave demeanor was quickly upheld. "We are talking about your worst enemy, Pharaoh. I'm not saying that he's dead... but I'm also not saying he's alive. I suppose the only thing we can do is have faith."

"...Right." Interlacing his fingers, he sighed. "I'm going to find him, Seth." Sitting up straighter, he resumed his stern grace. "Whether he's dead or alive, I'll find him."

Seth raised a brow. "If he is alive...I doubt he's still a healer."

"...So do I."

"I sent one of my messenger serpents out, but they never returned. It seems that I may have to go out myself."

"You will do no such thing. I don't want to lose you as well, Seth."

Seth smirked. "You won't. Farewell, Pharaoh Yami."

"Farewell."

Darkness...There was darkness everywhere. It was cold and lonely and there was nothing but never-ending bleakness.

Then, from the darkness came a bright, and almost blinding light that erupted almost like a volcano. It spread in all directions until all one saw was white illumination.

Marik's eyes flew open and his sight was met with the vast blue sky. "-The hell was that?!" he said, sitting up quickly. "Ryou?"

A groan caused him to look down and he found Ryou laying sprawled half-on and half-off of him.

"Ryou," he said again, but he didn't respond. Dragging him into his arms and sort of cradling him, he shook him lightly and said his name slightly louder.

Ryou's eyelids fluttered open and he muttered the name "Yami?"

Marik narrowed his gaze. "Not exactly." For some reason that pissed him off.

"Oh...Marik," he said, rubbing his eyes. Sitting up he breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Well that's a first. Wait," he froze. "What happened?"

Ryou looked at him. "You were burning up and then you passed out all of a sudden. I dragged you here to get you water, but it still didn't help... So then I-"

"Don't tell me... Please tell me you're lying... You didn't, did you?"

Ryou frowned. "I healed you."

Marik slapped a hand to his forehead. "I don't believe this. You couldn't just let me heal naturally?"

"That would've been impossible. You barely had any water left in your system. After that I must have passed out. You were going to die, Marik," he said with a worried expression on his face.

"Wouldn't that have made you glad? You could've escaped yet you did not. Why?"

Ryou cast his glance downward. "I was born with the gift of healing; therefore, I have to use that gift when people need it. I couldn't escape because...I just didn't want you to die out here. Sometimes you have to let others do things for you, instead of always doing things for others..."

"...You know, that's funny coming from you..."

Standing up, he pulled Ryou along with him. Looking to his left, he saw the small oasis with the small growing foliage around it.

"You dragged me here?" Marik asked, looking unbelievingly at Ryou.

"It was really hard, but yes, I did."

Marik elevated a brow. "Hm...Well, I'm getting in. Are you?"

"Well..."

"Never mind, you're coming," he said and yanked Ryou into the warm water. "You're probably one of the strangest people I know," he said and released his arm.

Ryou looked at him, and then glanced away. Marik had kissed him four times within the time span he had been with him...and it was taking its toll. Ryou was confused about what exactly his true feelings were for Marik. Marik had stolen him from the Palace and hurt him on a number of occasions, yet Ryou still saved his life.

"Ra, you're so spacey sometimes," Marik commented.

"Did you really not want me to heal you?" Ryou asked.

Marik glared. "It's not that, it's just that as a healer...you give up life to give life."

Great. The conversation Ryou had wanted to avoid now seemed inevitable. "I'm aware of the circumstances..."

Marik focused a concentrating gaze on him. "You mean to say, you're aware of the curse...right?"

Ryou nodded. "Yes, but it's worth it," he stated.

Marik shook his head. "No it's not. Every time you heal someone you give up a part of your life. It's a wonder you're still alive now. You're not going to live forever you know."

Ryou was quick to defend. "You don't even know the details of the curse!"

"What is there to know? A healer must sacrifice some of their time in order to give others more. Right?"

Ryou looked at his wavering reflection in the water. "Yes..." Smiling sadly, a tear slid off his cheek into the water sending ripples spreading in every direction. "I never know which curing will kill me."

Marik sighed. "That's why you're always passing out. You exhaust yourself. Haven't you ever wondered why there aren't very many healers left in Egypt? They're all dying...and you've healed so many people..."

"I know..." he sobbed, leaning onto Marik's chest. "But I have to help the people. Yami entrusted me with that job."

Marik almost jumped when Ryou leaned on him, but slowly, and almost cautiously, his hands came to settle on Ryou's back drawing soothing circular motions. "You sure do care a lot about Yami..."

If ANYONE saw Marik like this, it would be cause for great shock and even laughter. Since when did he care about anyone but himself? He didn't! Yes, that was right. He was only trying to help Ryou sort out his own problems.

But when was "help" part of his vocabulary either?

"I just don't understand you, Ryou. If Yami cared about you, he wouldn't have assigned you with a job that would kill you."

"I insisted upon it," Ryou said between tears. "I wanted to find some way of helping him." Looking up into Marik's eyes, he asked, "Am I just an idiot or something?"

Marik paused. "No...That's not it. You're just someone who cares a lot about other people... Maybe too much... Let's get going, I promised we'd make it back to the hideout."

"Do you think Master Marik found Ryou?" one of the robed followers asked Rabaku.

"I have no doubt," Rabaku said. "When Master Marik sets his mind on something he cares about, he'll succeed."

"But he's never truly cared about anything in all the time we've known him."

"Not until now anyway."

"Are you saying that Marik likes Ryou?" he asked unbelievingly.

Rabaku smirked, though it remained hidden behind the shadows of the hood. "I have no doubt."

A young boy came running into the room. "Sir, sir! Master Marik and his pale friend have returned!"

The lavender-clad follower gasped. "You were right, Rabaku."

Rabaku nodded. "I know." Standing up, he said, "Let's go greet them."

Almost everyone came out to see Marik and Ryou as they appeared through the entrance. Marik looked angry, yet relieved, and poor Ryou looked exhausted.

"Sir, how can we help you?" Rabaku was quick to ask.

Marik stalked past him. "Give Ryou whatever he wants. I'll be in the mainstay. Don't let anyone bother me."

Ryou watched as Marik left, disappearing into his quarters.

"Is there anything you would like, Ryou?" Rabaku asked him.

"Actually," Ryou said. "I'm really hungry. Do you think-"

"You need not even ask. Come with me."

Rabaku started waking and Ryou rushed behind him trying his best to ignore all of the staring faces.

"So, has this little escapade made things any clearer?" Rabaku inquired as they walked.

"Hm?" Ryou said. "Actually, now I'm more confused than I was before..."

"Interesting..."

They entered the dwelling they had previously with the bright colors and beautiful decorations, and not long before they had entered, the same young, veiled girl from before greeted them happily.

"Oh, welcome back!" she said enthusiastically. Looking to Ryou her eyes seemed to sparkle. "You're still alive. I'm so glad!" She gave him a hug. "Marik seems to have taken a liking to you, plus, you're absolutely adorable."

Ryou blushed about the Marik liking him comment. Everyone seemed to be saying that lately. "Thank you."

"Oh goodness! You're sweet." Looking to Rabaku, she asked, "I'll bet he's starving after surviving the desert with barely any food. He should've come to little ol' Meera for some provisions. Will you be watching him until Master Marik comes back?"

Ryou inferred that the girl's name was Meera.

Rabaku nodded. "Yes. But Master Marik won't be coming back. He has business to take care of that will carry on into the night."

Ryou also inferred that Rabaku was talking about Malik, and for some unknown reason, that made him slightly jealous.

"Oh, that's right. I almost forgot. Oh well, come with me Ryou," she said, taking his hand and guiding him back to the room he had been in not so long ago.

Food was spread out on the floor as it had been before and Ryou's stomach started to ache.

"Why are you just standing there?" Meera asked. "Sit down and eat. I promise that nothing will kill you."

That was reassuring.

Ryou sat down and ate, and when he was finished Meera gave him a glass of wine to wash it down.

"Feel better?" she asked.

Ryou nodded. "Very. Thank you so much."

"No problem. So has he kissed you yet?"

Ryou nearly spewed the wine out. "Excuse me?"

"Oh come on, don't be shy," she said happily, "I knew it would happen eventually. When Marik didn't kill you on the first night, I knew he saw something special in you. You see, Marik's not a very kind person. I'm not going to lie; he's killed a lot of people, but only those who have gotten in his way of killing Yami."

"Marik wants to kill Yami?" Ryou asked, shocked.

"Yes. He's held a grudge on Yami for a very long time. No one knows exactly way. I think it has something to do with Malik though."

"You know about Malik?"

"Of course. I used to be engaged to him."

"Really?"

"Yes, but sadly, he didn't share the same views as I, so we broke it off."

"What views didn't you two share?" Ryou asked.

"One very important one- I liked men... and so did he."

That almost (once again) earned Meera spat out wine all over her face.

"But," she continued, her smile beneath her veil, "I was all right with that. I don't know who it was that captured his heart, but I wish I could've met him. Whoever it was made him very happy...Sadly though, one day Malik just disappeared and when he was brought back he was terribly sick and he has been for many years now."

"Is he getting any better?" Ryou wondered.

"Worse. He and Marik were very good friends, so Marik was devastated when Malik became ill. He spends most of his time with him every day."

"Oh..."

"But hey, let's not get depressed. You never answered my question after all."

"Question?" Oh yeah, the kiss. "Well..." he fiddled with his hands. "Yes, he did kiss me."

"How many times?"

Ryou blinked. "What makes you think he kissed me more than once?"

"Aw, it's written all over your face."

"Twice while here, then twice in the desert," Ryou said quietly, feeling overly embarrassed.

"Four kisses!" she exclaimed. "So it has to mean something!"

"Please don't say that so loudly-"

"No one will hear," she reassured him. "But Ryou... if you like Marik, you should tell him."

"But he's evil and mean!" Ryou retorted.

"He wasn't always like that... Along the way he steered off the right path I suppose. He hasn't had the best life. But I have faith that you can help him see the things that are good in life. You've got a kind soul, Ryou. I could tell the first time I met you."

"But Meera, I don't even know what my true feelings toward him are..."

"Well...after any of the kisses did you feel confused?"

"Yes."

"Empty?"

"Sort of, yes."

"Angry?"

"Not really..."

"Let me ask you this then... after any of the times he kissed you... did you ever want him to kiss you again?"

"...Well..." he sighed in defeat, "Yes."

"I suppose it's inevitable then..."

Ryou looked at her quickly. "What?"

"You've fallen for him."

"I have? I mean, no! Meera...perhaps there's something, er, someone you should know about first..."

"Yes?"

"Before I was brought here, High Priest Seth told me that... Yami loved me..."

Meera's eyes shot open. "PHARAOH Yami? Are you serious?"

"Yes. I don't know what to do."

"Well, I believe that you only truly love someone once in your life. You have to find out who that person is. Maybe you'll be surprised. First though, you have to show Marik that he's wrong about you. Do something that will dazzle and amaze him... something he wouldn't expect you to do."

"Marik's not the type to be easily surprised..."

"I know, but you can do it." Standing up, she helped Ryou to his feet as well. "Good luck Ryou. I'll see you later."

"Goodbye Meera," he said. Smiling, Ryou left the house finding Rabaku waiting as he had said.

"Finished?" the mysterious man asked.

"Yes."

"Glad to be back?"

"...Yes."

Rabaku chuckled lightly as he walked.

"What?" Ryou asked, slightly confused.

"So Marik has kissed you four times already?"

Ok. Ryou wanted to go crawl in a hole and die.

"We're going to go meet up with Marik for a brief moment," Rabaku added.

"But I thought he didn't want to be bothered..."

"...He doesn't."

Walking quietly through the street, they soon reached the building in shadow and Rabaku knocked loudly on the wooden frame outside. Not long after, Marik came out, a sour expression on his face.

"Rabaku, I said no interruptions," he said sternly.

"Sir," Rabaku said, "I think this one deserves attention."

In one quick motion, he whirled off his lavender cloak and for the first time, exposing his identity to Marik and Ryou.

Ryou felt Rabaku grab his wrist and suddenly felt like he was in the Palace on that dreadful day he was kidnapped. Looking at Marik, he saw his expression had changed from angry to full of alarm.

"Yes," Ryou heard Rabaku say. "You didn't think it was possible, did you. Not in all of these many, many days I have served you."

Marik's face changed to a sort of smirk. "So Egypt's finest thief has been in my presence all along. How strange is that?"

Wait, did Marik just say "Egypt's finest thief"? Only one person deserved that title...but surely it wasn't... there was no way it was... Ryou looked up slowly and looked away quickly.

By Ra, it was!

"Bakura," he barely whispered.

Underneath the lavender cloak, Bakura wore a red robe with striped garments beneath it and a small white hood that hung off the back. His almost feral features were now fully visible. Deep russet eyes and sharp facial characteristics made him almost as striking as Marik, but there was still a strange softness to his eyes if one looked hard enough that made it possible for him to pass for Ryou.

"I'm flattered, Marik, but I don't have time for idle chit-chat. If you don't give me what I want..." Turning to Ryou, he pressed a possessive and sensual kiss on his lips. "Then I'll have my way with little Ryou here," he said, turning back to face him.

Oh Ra, Ryou was starting to feel dizzy. Too many confusing thoughts at once.

"What do you want?" Marik asked, any hints of sarcasm gone.

"It's simple really. I want Malik."

Both Ryou and Marik gawked.

"You know he's sick," Marik said, baring his teeth.

"But," Bakura pointed out, "I also know about Ryou... and his little gift. Now here's the deal: You decide whether or not to allow Ryou to heal Malik, and if he does, Ryou's yours, but if not, well, he'll be mine; it's sort of like how you stole Malik from me," he said gravely. "You see, I've been waiting for so long for the perfect opportunity, and I never thought it would come in the form of a boy. A master thief waits carefully, trying to find out what would be the best thing to steal. I was really beginning to think you had no heart. I suppose now it's otherwise. So...what's your decision?"

"If Ryou heals Malik, Ryou will die."

"If Ryou doesn't heal Malik, Malik will die. You're going to have to choose... the way you chose all those years ago and got us into this whole mess."

Suddenly, things were starting to become clear.

"...I don't know who it was that captured his heart, but I wish I could've met him. Whoever it was made him very happy..."

Bakura was the mystery boyfriend? He would've never guessed that... But what was Bakura talking about? The whole mess that occurred so long ago? What was that about?

"Can't choose?" Bakura asked. "Well, I'll give you some time to think about it...That's more than you gave to me. When you have your answer... meet me outside." They started to disappear. "Oh, and Marik?"

"What?" Marik growled.

"Don't make me wait long..."

---TBC---

Well, did I surprise any of you? "Rabaku" is "Bakura" with the 'ra' moved to the front. I changed it so many times. At first it was going to be Kuraba and then Urabak, but then the perfect one hit me. This chapter might have been slightly sappy, but at least it was a break from a lot of the violence

Thanks for reading! Please review!

AmethystRoze