Konnichi wa! I am totally sorry for taking so long to submit the last chapter, but my shoulder has been killing me. I had to take a rest. Anyways, I am trying really hard to update more often. Sorry. Peace, love, and padded walls.

Not far down the street, the fragile palid-haired male was walking in Malik's direction. He had left the house to run a few more arrends that Bakura had forced upon him.

Meanwhile, Malik was sitting on the bus bench not far from his house, and he had a handful of snow to his forehead where he had been wounded when Mariku threw the vase out of anger. (You all know this, but I thought I should mention it twice just for the hell of it.)

He tossed the crimson tainted snow aside and scooped up another handful for his his head. The area around the wound had already bruised in the ugliest of ways, and the blood had not yet clotted.

Ryou spotted Malik just up ahead and crossed over to the side of the street he was on. He was smiling brightly, but that smile faded away when he saw the blood stained snow on the ground and the handful Malik was holding against his head.

"Malik, what happened?" Ryou was quite worried about the wound even though he too was accustomed to being wounded. "Mariku was angry for some reason…" He tossed the snow aside and pushed his bangs out of the way, "He threw a vase at me."

Ryou examined the gash carefully. It was very adorable how concentrated he was while overlooking the injury. "He's so depressed and frustrated…" Malik heavily sighed. He feared the mood shifting and emotions would rip his Yami to bits and ultimately cause him to become suicidal.

Ryou pulled a tissue from the pocket of his white trench coat and dabbed at the wound. Malik flinched and pulled away quickly. "Oops, sorry." Ryou tried to be a little more careful. Malik smiled thinly. "I just wish I could read his mind, but that connection was severed years ago…." He leant over and burried his face his arms.

Ryou put the tissue into his pocket. "I think the reason he is so frustrated is because of Bakura."

"Bakura? What does this have to do with him?" Ryo9u sat down next to the other Hikari. "Well, ever since they ran into eachother, Mariku continues to visit my home and I guess that makes Bakura upset."

Malik looked away and thought about it for a moment. "I was wondering where he kept going…" he muttered.

"Bakura still carries that grudge against Mariku for sending him to the Shadow Realm. I don't think he'll ever be able to forgive him." Ryou put one arm around Malik.

Ryou pulled his shopping list from his pocket and looked at it sadly. He had not gotten the groceries yet and Bakura was probably going to yell or something like that. He put the list back into his coat and stood from the bench. "Well…Bakura just wants him to stay away."

Malik nodded and leaned back up. He shivered slightly and just suddenly realized that he wasn't wearing a coat or anything. He had just dashed out of the house in a huge hurry.

"You should get home, its too cold to be out in the snow without a coat.," Ryou said noticingly.

"I'm not going home," Malik replied almost defiantly. Ryou rolled his eyes and leant down in front of Malik. "Then you shall stay with me as my guest."

Malik glanced up at Ryou with his brow arched, "You really want me to?" Ryou nodded and smiled. "Well, I have to go get my backpack and some. I'll just sneak in without Mariku's notice."

"Do you want me to help you, or will you be fine on your own?" Ryou asked in his most cute and helpful manner. "I should go alone, it'll be safer." The two Hikari's walked off in opposite directions for now, Malik to his home and Ryou to his.

Malik slowly opened the creaking door and quietly made his way up to his room on the second floor. He slipped into his room and delved deep within his unorganized closet to find his backpack and something to wear that wasn't trashed.

There was a snapping noise, and the door to Malik's room slammed shut and the lock clicked. "What are you doing, Malik?" inquired the dark familiar voice of his Yami. "I was-"

Mariku was quick and had his hand wrapped tightly around Malik's fragile neck. "I know where you are going," Mariku's hand clenched tighter around Malik's throat. Malik gasped for air and struggled, but the tomb keeper's grip was too tight.

Mariku dropped him back onto the floor. Malik couched and gasped as he drew breath. "You are my Hikari, and you aren't going anywhere, understand?" Mariku angrily spat at Malik.

"I'm going…to be with Ryou…" Malik whispered defiantly. Malik sat up and glared at Mariku. His Yami laughed loudly, but his laughter did not last long. "I want you nowhere near either of them…" He kicked his Hikari in the chest, the other cried out in pain.

By now, Bakura had thought a few things over thoroughly. He had decided to straighten things out with Mariku.

"That's not an option!" Mariku raged and kicked his Hikari again. The door knob quivered and the door opened. "Why don't you give the weakling a break," a strong voice said. "What do you want now?" Mariku snarled, not turning to acknowledge the intruders presence.

"Let your Hikari go…I need to have a word with just you," The silver-haired robber said without even a hint of emotion in his tone.