I am so pleased with how well this is going! I am also pleased that I finally got to talk to the other writer of this story, Megan. It's been ages since we last talked. She's a kewl chic and I am having fun writing this with her just so she knows because I know she is going to read this chapter some time soon. Well, here is the next chapter and I hope you enjoy. Just so you know, we are getting closer to my favorite part of the story (personally). Peace, love, and padded walls!

Bakura released Mariku's arms and returned to the comfort of his bed. He flicked his long, white tendrils from his face. Mariku was enamored and beaming like never before. He craved another passionate and rough kiss from the other who's lips were tender, but could also be rough just like he wanted and preffered.

"Is there anything more you need?" Mariku looked away. He wanted to declare his desire for love, but he felt he would be asking too much of Bakura. The tomb robber leaned back making himself look more appealing. He knew what Mariku wanted, but he had to hear it first.

"Um…" Mariku said in a dull whisper. "I want you so badly, but I fear I am asking to much of you. I don't want to scare you away," he was thinking and wanting to blurt. His mouth would not open and he could not say what he wanted. He didn't understand it. "Who am I to be afraid to speak my mind?" he muttered. "What do you want?" Bakura asked kindly and again waited for an answer he was not likely to easily receive.

The tomb robber leaned back a tad bit further on his bed, "Well, if you aren't going to say anything, I am going to bed." Mariku sunk to the floor and leaned back against the wall. "This is ridiculous…" he again muttered. "Normal nothing is this hard for even you," Bakura remarked. He gave a curious look and sat up to look down on the struggling male.

"This is different, Bakura." The palid-haired male rose from his bed and stood over the other. "I think I know what you want," he said in a deep and alluring voice. Mariku grabbed Bakura by the shirt and dragged him down his level, then wrapping his arms around the other's waist. Bakura became really annoyed by the pathetic way Mariku was acting and carefully attempted pushing him off. "Forget it, you aren't even worth my time. Get off."

"I won't…" Mariku replied childishly. He clung tightly to Bakura not showing any signs of giving up with ease. Bakura stopped caring that Mariku was injured, and pushed a lot harder to free himself of the other's grip,"Get off, you little leech!" He said louder and more upset.

Suddenly, Mariku lashed out at Bakura. The tomb robber didn't fall, but he did have a "great" (I love sarcasm) looking red mark where he had been hit. Mariku balled up and covered his face with his lightly tanned and strong hands. He peered through his fingers and looked at Bakura with fear, for the first time ever, existant in his striking purple eyes. Mariku waited to be beaten for his insolence. Bakura rolled his chocolate eyes once again and roughly grabbed Mariku by the collar of his shirt. He lifted him to his feet and threw him onto the bed. Slowly he moved onto Mariku and furiously kissed his neck. The tomb keeper's eyes had widened immensely with surprise. "B-B-Bakura?" he moaned.

"Stop acting so surprised…its annoying."

His hard-ass expression had become that of a playful, but none the less, sexy and thoughtful grin. "Bakura…" Mariku again moaned with pleasure. "Just shut up…" he whispered in Mariku's ear. He captured the other's mouth in a heated and passionate kiss. Mariku didn't bother pulling away, nor did he want to. This is what he had so desperately wanted for the longest time.

Bakura's actions were getting far too rough for the injured male. The tomb keeper wanted to cry out in pain, but he didn't want Bakura to stop. The palid-haired one could sense this feeling of pain and softened his touch. His lips traveled to Mariku's jaw, and he was very careful.

However careful he was trying to be, it wasn't helping any. Suddenly, Bakura could feel Mariku's body fall limp. Amongst all of the pain and utter excitement, he had fallen unconscious. Bakura backed off of him and shook his head. "Well, I gave you what you wanted. Now you can't complain."

Bakura returned Mariku to his own home without Malik's notice. He put him into bed and covered him carefully, then left. Not long after Mariku had been brought home, he slowly came to. "Bakura?" he uttered. Mariku looked around through half drawn eyes, but realized that he was in his own room and Bakura was not there. For the remainder of the early morning hours, all he could think about was Bakura.

Morning came slowly, but surely it did come. The large gold doors to Mariku's bedroom crept open and Malik peered into the room. He saw Mariku awake in his bed and sitting upright. "Was it all a dream?" Mariku thought to himself. This was the same question that he continued to ask himself as the image of Bakura kissing him continued to play in his head.

Malik padded into the room with a tray of food in his hands. "I brought you breakfast, Mariku," Malik said in a happy tone. He set the tray down on Mariku's lap. Surprisingly, it was in a brown paper bag and smelled remarkable. "I hope you like Egg-MacMuffins," Mariku grinned and left the master bedroom. (I love those things!)

The little Hikari felt so good that he decided to go for a walk. It was a gloomy and grey, but beautiful day for a walk. (I rhymed? O.O) He fetched his faux brown leather jacket and left without telling Mariku.

With a delightful skip in his step, he padded down the snowy sidewalk. He whistled and delightful toon as he went. A bit further down the sidewalk Malik spotted Ryou walking along the same path in his direction. Ryou glanced up from pavement and saw Malik. "Malik? How nice to see you again," Ryou said trying to sound cheerful. "Hello, Ryou." Malik grinned idiotically. "Oh, I have been meaning to talk to you, Ryou."

"Is that so?" Ryou said exhaustedly and readjusted the heavy shopping bags in his arms. "Do you mind?" Ryou shook his head. He was happy to talk as long as he could rest a little bit. Malik took a few of the bags from Ryou and set them down on near a bus bench. They sat down together on the bench.

"So, what's on your mind, Malik?"

"Well, I am quite upset that Mariku didn't inform me that he was running away and that just makes me angry, but he has also changed in a way." Ryou couldn't help but laugh aloud. "I think the point of running away is that you run away from something or someone without telling anyone," Ryou pointed out. Malik frowned at Ryou, but continued the conversation.

"As I was saying," Malik said uninterested in Ryou's ridicule. "He hasn't beaten me in a while, I'm actually being fed regularly…everything has changed." Ryou looked away from Malik and respired. His long white tendrils danced on the breeze that had picked up.

"it's the best change in the world, but I don't understand it…" Malik prattled on. The sandy-blond Hikari acknowledged that Ryou was not paying attention and waved his hand in front of his face. Ryou pushed his hand away and looked up at him. "Sorry about that," he appologized. Malik nodded and smiled. He thought it was adorable how the other Hikari looked when he spaced out.

"My Yami has been acting strange as well…"

"How is that?"

"He hasn't beaten me in so long. It worries me." Ryou said with the saddest of expressions.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"I guess, but he's more uptight and angry, to the point where I think he will…" Ryou paused not wanting to think of how the anger would be used against himself or anyone else. "Will what?"

"You see, my Yami is very unpredictable. When you think he will do a certain thing he goes off and does something completely different. I fear for myself and others." Malik looked directly into Ryou's lightly colored chocolate eyes.

Suddenly, he drew him into his arms and held him clost to his body. The reason for this affectionate hug was not apparent to either male, but it didn't matter. Ryou thought for a moment to see if he could come up with a suitable example to give Malik.

"Oh, when he has been getting really upset, and it seems like he will hit me, he doesn't."

"So, now, he's unpredictable?" Malik looked so clueless that it was awfully cute. Ryou sighed and gave Malik his own cute look. "I mean, you never quite know what he is going to do. Normally, when he gets mad, he beats the fluff out of me, but for the past few days he hasn't." Ryou again attempted to explain, but he couldn't help but feel that communication was flat out failing.

"I see," Malik said with a grin. Secretly he didn't understand a single thing Ryou had said. He just knew that Ryou was beginning to look really good right about now. Malik looked him up and down, and Ryou noticed him eyeing him up and down.

His alabaster skin took on a light rose color. He turned away and sighed as he caught onto another thought of unhappiness. "Sometimes it feels like my poor Yami is suffering in some terrible way or another. He blocks me from seeing his thoughts, but I can tell that something is wrong."

Malik brooded for a moment. There were so many possibilites, but one struck him above all. "Could it by any chance have something to do with Mariku?"