CHAPTER ELEVEN : Why Does Love Hurt:

Anzu entered her home, swiping her sleeve across her eyes, damp and moistened from the tears, flooding within her brilliant blue eyes.

I don't even know what's going on anymore………..why is Marik acting this way?

Slumping against the door frame she exhaled sharply. How could he accuse her of loving someone else? He knew for a fact she loved him, so why did he have to even accuse such an absurd thing!?

Shutting her eyes she relished the silence. Bakura was something she couldn't help think of as well. He use to be so cruel and devious, but now, now he seemed like a new person. He cared for her, it was obvious as he worry over her safety recently escalated with her new interest in Marik. What would she do now? Did she really over react?

She shook her head as she retreated from the door. Biting her lower lip she entered the living room, plummeting to the sofa, before she burst into strangled sobs, slumping her head down within her hands.

Why Marik?! How could you even ask me such a thing!

Her body violently shook as the tremors of her cries escalated, soaring throughout the isolated house. She hated being away from Marik, but maybe it was the right thing to do.

She gasped and looked up as the door bell rang, vibrating into her home with its sonorous tune. Wiping her eyes she arose slowly, pushing her hair behind her ears before she strode toward the door with hesitant strides forward. What if it was Marik?

Gripping the handle she turned it slowly, backing away as a gust of air bolt against her.

" Anzu…." The husky voice was tender, soothing, as a tanned arm extended forward, slender fingers lacing around her arms, looped around her waist. Squeezing her left arm he reluctantly entered as she stepped back, allowing the Egyptian youth to step inside.

" I--I didn't mean to accuse you---"

" Did you actually think I'd even do such a thing?" She snapped, snatching her wrist from his grasp as he struggled to calm her. He had to explain. He couldn't loose her.

He shut his eyes, blocking her silent sobs as the tears once again, flooded around her eyes, before spilling down her flustered cheeks.

I can't loose her. Not the only thing I've grown to love……

" I'm sorry," He murmured solemnly, opening his eyes as he gazed upon her fragile posture. He loved her so much. He didn't know how he survived without her , before he had ever entered the tournaments to achieve the millennium items and destroy the Pharaoh. To him, it felt like a nightmare, transformed into a blissful dream.

He use to hate everything with all his might, and at one time he was even disgusted of Anzu herself. He didn't know if he could go through with his plan he had delved so much, so far into. He controlled himself from crying as she leapt into his arms, clinging to him as she buried her face into his chest, muffling her sobs into stifled whimpers.

" You know I only love you, you know that," She redundantly murmured against his bosom, emitting an attracting heat that nuzzled against her cheeks. He strapped his arms around her hips loosely, bringing her svelte body against his in a protective manner. Lifting his right hand, he rested it firmly against her head, combing her lush hair with his fingers as he inhaled her ethereal scent that always soothed him.

He didn't give a damn anymore. As far as he was concerned as long as he had Anzu, the plans, millennium items and everything involved in his plans didn't matter.

Bakura, if you ever steal her from me, I'll kill you with my bare hands…….

Shifting his chin atop her head, he draped his hand down her hair, stroking the silky mane with tentative swipes of his digits. Retreating back slightly, she peered up curiously at him as he strode back, his left arm remaining around her waist as he looked down at her. Removing his hand from her hair he lowered it to her face, tracing her jawbone before he bent down, brushing his lips against hers. His warm breath whisked past her parted mouth as she shut her eyes, awaiting for the contact.

" You can't trust him!" A voice shouted with enragement as the door bust open, Bakura breathing ruggedly as he glared toward Marik who turned around swiftly.

" You heard it yourself, Anzu," He sneered, approaching her. " It was all a damn plan to get to the Pharaoh!"

Marik chuckled wryly, as he crossed his arms over his broad, muscular chest. Steering his hips slightly forward as he bored his amethyst eyes through the Tomb Robber, regaining his breath.

" Your just a jealous bastard," Marik chorused in a smug, swagger tone. Bakura turned to Anzu, his visage gaining a compassionate expression as he gazed upon her, partially hidden behind Marik, who stood affront her protectively.

" Anzu, listen," He entreated, " Marik has always been a cold hearted bastard who cares for no-one, and you know it,"

" I love him, Bakura. I'm sorry, but I do,"

Marik laughed and tilted his head upward slightly in a haughty manner as he looked at the pale boy with mockery.

" I told you. She loves me not you. So fu--"

" Marik, please," She approached Bakura, hesitantly placing her hand on his damp cheek, covered in a thin layer of sweat from the hasty jaunt from the park to her home. Marik growled behind gritted teeth, but remained still as Anzu signaled for him to stay where he was.

" Your not telling me your going to forgive him so easily, are you?" His eyes shifted down to hers, as he lifted his right hand, overlapping hers, placed on his cheek, with his. She tore her eyes from his intense gaze, unable to look into his brown eyes that leaked of passion and lust. So then, Bakura loved her? Was it possible?

" B-Bakura, do you love me?" She asked, unable to stop the question as it stumbled off her trembling lips, for she heeded Marik, shaking violently with belligerence at their proximity.

His eyes hardened, as his hand, placed over hers, tightened sufficiently.

" Yes," He breathed, a weight lifted off his shoulders as he finally admitted the emotions that had stirred through him every time he saw the gorgeous brunette. That haunted him every night.

She slipped her hand from his, dropping her hand to her side as she bowed her head. She hadn't expected him to say it, but she felt it.

" Anzu," Marik spoke suddenly, stepping forward as he prepared to grab her arm before she turned to him with wavering eyes.

" Marik, I love you so much," She began before turning to Bakura, grabbing both his hands and cupping them in hers.

"…..and Bakura. I love you too. But-but I only love you as a friend," She stated, squeezing his hands for emphasis. Hoping he'd understand. He snatched his hands from hers, repulsed she had so foolishly fallen into Marik's trap. She was only doing what he wanted.

" For once, Anzu, I don't agree," He snapped. " You know I've always cared for you, as does Ryou."

He chuckled bitterly. " But I guess that wasn't good enough," He bypassed her melancholy expression as he pulled away reluctantly.

" Marik is just pulling you along like a fool, and your going along with it,"

" Bakura, please sto--"

" No, Anzu," He interrupted, " I won't, because I want you to know that your only helping him with his plans to harm the Pharaoh,"

" But he doesn't want to anymore, Bakura," She cried. " You have to trust me---"

" Trust, Anzu?" He laughed again. " You say it so much, yet you have no idea of its true meaning," He spat.

He thought she'd be smart enough to not fall for Marik's charm. But he assumed he was wrong. He hated seeing her with that……..that bastard. He was only going to hurt her again, and here Anzu was frolicking about like nothing was wrong. He sneered, as a snarl replaced his grimace.

" Bakura please don't do this. I--," She shook her head, closing her eyes tightly. " Please don't make me choose between you two. I cant……..I wouldn't be able to do that,"

Marik growled, his teeth scraping roughly against each other as his fists absently clenched in enragement. Choose?! What did she mean, choose!? So then he was right, she did feel something for that incessant tomb robber! He couldn't believe it!

" What's there to choose, Anzu?" He questioned gruffly. Jealously flooded through his veins as she whirled around.

" You love me, do you not?" He prodded, studying her skeptically.

" You know I do!" She huffed angrily before calmly, lowering her gaze to the ground. " I don't want to loose our love Marik, but I also don't want to loose mine and Bakura's friendship,"

" Well you'd better choose fast. I'm getting fed up with this damn game your playing, Anzu," He grumbled in a sneer.

" Game!? What are you talking about?"

" If you can't figure out which you want, then I'm out of here," He muttered, as he walked briskly past her.

" Marik, stop acting like that!" She shouted.

Bakura smirked inwardly. Ah, yes, it felt like deja-vu once again.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was playing at something," Bakura stated, grinning as Marik whirled around and scowled in his direction.

" Who the hell gave you the right to intrude in our business!?" He demanded, approaching the tomb robber with rugged strides forward.

Bakura merely closed his eyes as he looped his arms over his chest.

" And what are you still doing here?" Marik growled.

" I live here you imbecile. If you so recently had forgotten,"

" Live here!? Your only here because Anzu was taking care of your sorry a--"

" Stop it already! Please!" Anzu cried. " Why can't you two ever get along?" She questioned in a slightly demanding tone.

" Hn, you expect me to get along with him? After everything he's done?" Bakura laughed.

" Who are you to say that? You weren't exactly Mister Goody Good, either," Marik snarled.

Bakura glared at him with vicious eyes that bore through his soul.

Anzu grabbed them both by their arms, dragging them into the living room and pushing them with all her strength onto the couch. Tapping her right foot against the ground, she crossed her arms over her chests, glaring down at them .

" If you two don't get along, I'll never talk to either of you!" She threatened.

" Personally, I don't care anymore," Marik prepared to arise from the sofa before he felt Anzu's hand impact into his left cheek, sending his face bolting slightly to the right, as his eyes widened with evident surprise.

" How could you even say that after--after I practically spilled my guts out to you!" She sobbed, and Bakura grimaced. He hated seeing her cry, no matter how angry he was at her at the moment. He shifted against the furniture and began to stand before Marik's hand halted him as it appeared affront his chest, preventing him from doing so.

Bakura turned to Marik, heeding the vicious glare as the Egyptian looked at him with boiling venom, swirling in his narrowed eyes. Standing up, Marik looked at Anzu with stern eyes, as she held her hand, bruised from the coarse slap she had inflicted on the handsome Egyptian. His left cheek stung, as it became slightly pink, sore from the harsh smack. He felt he deserved it, after all he had hit her once with his bare hands.

The thought brought a vile churn to inhabit his stomach before he ignored it and grabbed her hands in his.

" I didn't mean it," He murmured, eyes remaining narrowed as he heeded the tomb robbers presence.

" I-I'm sorry I hit you," She whispered.

" Don't be," He breathed as he released her hands and leaned forward before growling as he felt Bakura's foot gently nudge against the back of his feet enough to cause the Egyptian to stumble to the carpeted floor. Anzu blinked, before looking down to see Marik lifting himself off the floor with flickering eyes. His chest arose as he breathed with rasped breaths, his fingers clenching against the ground as he hoisted himself up.

" B-Bakura. I-I want to talk to you," She chimed suddenly, gaining both males attention as they turned to her. The tomb robber stood from the couch, eyes shifting to the side as he studied Marik, before reluctantly accompanying the brunette into the kitchen with slow strides. He couldn't help but chuckle inwardly upon seeing Marik fall to the floor so gloriously. He didn't think the fool would have fallen for such a childish act.

Marik, you imbecile……..

Anzu tugged him close, and he transformed, gaining a serious expression as his lean body brushed lightly against hers.

" I-I was wondering how your doing," She murmured, blushing slightly with visible embarrassment as his brow rose in confusion and curiosity.

Oh!

" Better, thanks to you," He nodded his head in appreciation before he automatically wrapped his arms around her waist. She shifted uncomfortably against him, but reluctantly slumped against him.

" Bakura…..what should I do?" She murmured against his chest, as she buried her face in his shirt.

Upon hearing he wasn't going to answer she closed her eyes. " I love him Bakura. I do, but what if its all a lie? I trust him…….but I-I can't help fear he'll use me and leave me……."

She trailed off for fear Marik may hear. He couldn't answer that. He himself didn't know. He knew what Marik was up to, but wouldn't he have gone through with his plans right now? And he doubted falling in love with Anzu so well, wasn't part of it. Either Marik was an exquisite actor, or he truly loved the brunette. Placing his head on her shoulder he exhaled softly.

" You shouldn't be asking me that," He muttered against her hair.

" But I need your help……..I don't know what I should be doing, anymore,"

Marik slumped against the wall as he listened to the pair converse in a silent murmur. So she still didn't trust him? He didn't blame her. After all she had over heard him say all those things, what wouldn't make her think otherwise? How was she suppose to trust him when she herself witnessed him say such things.

But everything they'd gone through……….wasn't it enough? Didn't she realize he loved her? Was she so blind to not see it?

I don't know what to do anymore……..

Arching his head back against the wall, he breathed sharply, listening to Anzu and Bakura speak softly in the kitchen behind him.

" Do you love him?" Bakura murmured against her ear. She ignored the heat dwelling into her cheeks as she nodded her head in assent to his question.

" So what's holding you back?" He asked.

" Well…..you…"

He released her slightly, though never allowing his arms to fall from her waist as he gazed down to her with questioning eyes, narrowed in their normal slant.

" If I choose him………I'll loose you forever…….." She began, shutting her eyes tightly, hoping the tears wouldn't fall. She'd cried enough for one day, and she hated moping in front of him. It made her feel weak and vulnerable.

" Our friendship," She specified. " But if I choose you, I also loose Marik. Who I love with, all my might,"

Marik sighed. It hurt him when she expressed herself so. It was clearly evident she loved him with all her being, and here he was, planning on using her to get to that insolent Pharaoh. But he loved her as well, didn't that count? But now the question he couldn't himself ask was:

Do I really love her?

He shook his head vigorously. Of course he did!

He clenched his teeth as realized Bakura had been clinging to his possession far too long for his comfort. Steering into the kitchen, the two broke apart, whirling around to look at him.

" What do we have here," He sneered toward Bakura. " I'm surprised you've gotten so well at pretending you care,"

The pale man's brown eyes lowered into slants. " I'll care for her more than you ever could,"

" Don't fool yourself," He spat back. " Anzu," turning to her suddenly she looked at him, fearing what he may say.

" You're my woman," He breathed, " And I forbid you talking to him," He directed his flickering gaze toward Anzu's altered companion.

" What!?" She shouted, before glaring toward Marik who looked at her.

" What? You are my woman, are you not?"

She blushed furiously, as she stumbled over her words, whilst Marik watched with satisfaction.

" Well, yes……I-I suppose…..I--"

Bakura interrupted her from continuing as he walked beside Marik, shifting his eyes to the left whilst Marik shirt his eyes to the left, both staring intently at the other.

" If I find out you've hurt her, I shall send you to the shadow realm for eternity," He grumbled gruffly.

" And be sure to stay away from her. Or have you forgotten who she belongs to?" Marik muttered in a low whisper, so Anzu would not hear their silent conversation.

" If you harm her, I might forget just that," An impish grin lifted his lips before he retreated into the living room, leaving the couple alone in the kitchen. The tanned youth scowled before he averted his eyes to Anzu, standing diffidently in the center of the kitchen.

" Anzu, come here," He ushered in a slightly commanding voice. Abiding, she welcomed his embrace as he tightened his hold around her once she was close enough for reach.

" I'm sorry I didn't trust you…….I know your good deep dow--"

He swiftly placed his lips against hers, silencing her as he ravished her mouth with rough kisses. Her legs felt weak as she fell against him, permitting his arms, bound above her hips, to support her in a standing position.

Pulling away he smirked down, satisfied as he studied her swollen lips. " You talk too much," He grumbled.

She bypassed his statement with a small smile. " I know,"

Bakura rolled his eyes from within the living room as he rested atop the couch, his lean figure sprawled across it as he listened to their exchange of words.

I'll have my chance……….knowing that fool, he'll mess everything up sooner or later….

He chuckled wryly at the thought. If Marik ever broke her heart, he'd be sure to personally kill him. Then comfort her. That he wouldn't mind doing at all. Ryou was very protective of her, but was far too weak to ever physically aid her. It was his duty. And he planned to keep it. He'd protect her till he no longer lived within Ryou.

Even if she did not feel the same, just being around her was enough for him. To a certain extent. He smirked slightly, laughing.

Marik kissed her once again, intensifying the innocent peck into rugged brushes of his lips against hers. Gasping slightly against his parted lips, she flushed as nibbled her lower lip, tugging it between his teeth. Feeling ashamed with Bakura's presence in the other room, she reluctantly tore her mouth from his.

Chest rising with a vague rapid pace, he placed his hand on her cheek.

" How are your wounds?" He asked, implying her healing bruises and scars from the incident a few days ago. She had almost been run over by that truck, if that Kaiba hadn't shown up. He was actually thankful the smug CEO was there.

" Getting better," She stated with a bow of her head before she signaled them to retreat from the kitchen

" Bakura?" Anzu questioned worriedly as she skimmed her eyes over the couch to find him nowhere.

" Anzu?" The soft voice was muffled from the stairs. Quickly she raced to them, only to find Ryou standing there with a blank and confused expression.

" Ryou….." Laughing nervously she grabbed his hand and assisted him down the staircase.

" What happened?" He questioned meekly.

" You--uh, fell asleep." She stated quickly. " You said you wanted something before you headed back to bed, right?" She lied.

He blinked as he scanned her home with an almost un-familiarity. " I did?" He asked, turning to her with large brown eyes she couldn't help think were adorable.

Smiling brightly she patted his shoulder. " You must have forgotten," She began as she looked as Marik quickly before turning back to Ryou.

" You still look exhausted. Go back to sleep, okay?" She murmured in a soothing tone. He nodded.

" O-okay." He still looked confused but abided as he headed up the stairs before stopping at the top.

" Uh, Anzu?"

" Hmm?" She arched her head to gaze up at him as he stood shyly at the top of the stairs.

" Which room am I in again?"

She giggled slightly, ignoring Marik's scowl and snorted whisper, which oddly sounded like:

" Stupid fool, can't even remember where he slept,"

" I'll show you," She mumbled, smirking toward Marik with glee as he growled and watched her aid Ryou to his room.

~*~

A/N: Hope you liked it! I couldn't think of anything else for them to do. I ran out of ideas. :/

Tell me what you think. Should she be with Bakura or Marik? Or both? ~_^

And I'm thinking of having Anzu catch Marik doing something with a girl! * no hentai thoughts now!*

But it won't be what she thinks! But will Anzu know that!? Who knows! Keep reading to find out!

Remember; Read and Review! MAKE IT A RITUAL!! :D