~*What He Don't Know, Won't Hurt Him*~

            "Tea, what is it?" Yami asked groggily, his fingers lazily caressing her face.

            "It's Marik," Tea replied in a shaky voice. "He's back. I thought he was to return at a later time. If he finds me here…he would…he…"

            Yami leaned forward, kissing Tea deeply. His kisses seemed demanding mixed with lust. He then released her, gazing into her eyes. "Go. Forget what has happened. Do not speak a word of it."

            "Yami, I cannot forget such thing." Tea picked up her clothes, exiting his room. She ran down the hallways and into Marik's bedroom. She let out a huge sigh of relief as she noticed Marik wasn't in the chambers…yet. Quickly, she tossed her clothes aside, jumping on the bed.

            Meanwhile, Marik slowly made his way to the dining table with a glass of wine in hand. He sat across from Shadi, who was cutting up a few potatoes.

            "Marik," Shadi looked up at his friend. "Why have you come back so soon?"

            "Apparently, one of Kaiba's messengers gave me word that he had left to visit me." He ran his fingers through his hair. "That Kaiba has problems of making up his mind."

            "Yes, I have sensed that flaw within the pharaoh of the north."

            Marik's eyes shifted quite uncontrollably. After a long minute, his hand reached for an apple in the fruit bowl.

            Shadi arched an eyebrow, watching him. "Marik, is something the matter?"

            Taking a bite out of the apple, Marik shifted his gaze to the floor. He then rose from his chair, the apple still in his hand. "It's nothing."

            "Are you sure about that?" Shadi held up his millennium key.

            "I don't want you seeing into my mind Shadi. I hate it when you do that."

            "I have seen through the mind of your escort." Shadi grinned. "And the secrets she hold are of those I dare not explain."

            "You know better to not keep secrets from me." His back was facing him. "You are, after all, my advisor."

            "I know sir." Shadi said quietly, placing the potatoes in a bowl of red wine. "But I am in no position to tell you such feelings."

            "If I were to be honest with you," Marik locked his gaze towards Shadi. "Is there any chance you would be honest in return?"

            "That depends on what subject is being spoken." Shadi sipped on his tea. "I know that…"

            "I seem to have a thing for little Miss Anzu." Marik cut his advisor off, pacing around the kitchen.

            "Sir," Shadi looked up at him strangely. "You know as well as I know that a master has feelings for one such beauty as she."

            "I am aware of that." Marik tossed the remains of the apple on the table. "Damn."

            "What is it?"

            "I don't know." He sat back down on the chair. "I…I just don't know. The young girl, she is much different than my other escorts. I vowed myself to not bring myself to this level."

            "You seem happy, yet upset. What is up with that?"

            "You remember that…that girl? That bitch who nearly destroyed me?"

            "Don't feel up to mentioning her name?" a small smile curled Shadi's lips, tilting his chair back.

            "That damn bitch better be lucky she still holds her job. I would have sent her mind to the shadow realm like she deserved."

            "Did uh…did she deserve it though?" Shadi downed his drink.

            "Well…" Marik started to say.

            "I believe Marik deserves more than the words you speak of." Bakura entered the kitchen, his millennium ring dangling from his neck. "His body dripping wet to the floor, a towel wrapped around his waist, a soft laugh escaping his lips.

            "What makes you say that?" Marik shifted his gaze towards Bakura before looking back at Shadi. "Shadi, is there something you're not telling me?"

            "I…" Shadi did not dare to take a glance at Bakura.

            "The master deserves to know what you have seen through Anzu's mind with that little key of yours," Bakura smiled. "Don't you think so Shadi?"

            "What have you seen Shadi?"

            Thinking fast, Shadi decided to change the subject. "I hate to be rude Marik but shouldn't you check on Tea to see if she is all right?"

            "Good point." Marik rose from his chair, making his way towards the entrance. "But I expect you to do some explaining later on."

            "Wait Marik," Bakura called out. "Before you go, I have to tell you about…"

            But before Bakura could speak any further, Shadi quickly rose from his chair, grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl and shoved it inside Bakura's mouth, trying to silence him. Bakura struggled within Shadi's grasp, screaming in muffled sounds.

            Marik stopped, glancing behind him. "What is it you wish to tell me Bakura?"

            Shadi was holding Bakura with one hand while the other held the apple in the mouth, smiling. "He says he aggress with me. Don't you Bakura?" he forced Bakura's head to go up and down.

            Marik smiled. "Well then, I will see you in the morning." He then disappeared down the halls. As soon as he was out of sight, Shadi released hold on Bakura, who spat out the apple.

            "What the hell was that for?" he glared at Shadi.

            "You think it's such a good idea for Marik to know about his escort's love affair so soon?" Shadi hised.

            "He will find out. But you heard him earlier, he's falling for Anzu."

            "Yes, and the escort has one more love in mind."

            "And I already know," Bakura crossed his arms over his chest. "Anzu loves both Marik and Yami."

            Shadi was taken back by what Bakura had just said. "What gave you that idea Bakura?"

            "Don't play second fiddle with me." Bakura raised his fist towards a rather calm Shadi. "I found Yugi in the bath Marik usually uses while I was washing up. Odd, I thought he was sleeping at first. But only then I found out he was drugged."

            "Drugged you say?"

            "There was a faint scent of cinnamon lingering within his skin."

            Shadi's eyes widened. Suddenly, he knew who was behind all of this. "Cinnamon?"

            Bakura nodded. "Yugi finally came to and told me of Anzu's love for his brother and for her master. He said he saw who his attacker was but when he tried to remember the face, it was all blank to him."

            "I believe I know who attacked Yugi." Shadi spoke quietly.

            "You do?" Bakura looked at Shadi curiously. "Who? Who is it? Who?"

            "I don't tend on revealing it." Shadi turned around, slowly heading towards the doorway.

            "What? Why?"

            "I believe Yugi's attacker has more of a motive to do this."

            "You said you know who did it Shadi. Who is it?" Bakura demanded.

            Shadi smiled. "Wouldn't you like to know." He then left the kitchen, leaving a very confused Bakura standing there.

            Marik silently made his way down the halls and reached the entrance of his chambers. His door had rotted a few weeks back so it was replaced with a curtain. He entered his bedroom, seeing Tea sleeping soundly on the floor. A small smile played his lips as he looked down at the helpless girl before him. Making his way towards his escort, he gently picked her up from the floor, trying not to wake her from her slumber. He then sat on the edge of the bed, rocking her gently.

            "Tea," he whispered softly. "What is it you are trying to hide from me?" he then leaned forward, pressing his lips onto hers. Tea lazily kissed back, her fingers stroking his hair.

            Soon enough, he pressed her body down at such an angle on the bed, holding her wrists down, his tongue slipping inside her mouth. As their tongues wrestled, he felt Tea's fingernails running down his sides.

            Marik kept his eyes on Tea for some time, noticing that she was still asleep. Her face, for the first time he realized, was of a benevolent angel. His fingernails lightly caressed her face before he too drifted off to sleep, his body still pinning her down, his head nuzzled her chest, feeling her fingers intertwined with his.

~*To Be Continued*~