Twill: Chapter ten at long last. And LOOK! *points to reviews* I'm only one
away from one hundred! It's really amazing... I never thought that I'd
ever, EVER have gotten here. And with this fic that all started with one
wee little idea that decided to jump in my brain in the middle of the
night.. Thanks a bunch for liking this fic! I mentioned Yami's pov in the
last chapter, but I couldn't make it work. However, he will most likely be
in eleven, along with whoever else you would like. I have most of the rest
of this week off, and I hope to come up with some more updates!
Seth: Twill does not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its plots, characters etc. She likes to think she does, but really doesn't.
Okay! There are some bigger-than-normal hintings of yaoi. I think I've officially decided where I'm going with this. I'll let you know at the end of the chapter, in case you don't notice it in the story.
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Chapter Ten: Pandora's Box: Secrets in the Open
---
~*Marik's POV*~
Bakura's mind was recovered without incident, though when he woke up he seemed dazed. I was concerned that something had happened to him while wandering around the Shadow Realm, but knew better than to ask. Besides, Bakura had practically written the book on the place! He probably suffered from nothing more than boredom.
"Enjoy your trip?" He peered around the room without comprehending my question. "You feeling alright?" The only response was the school bell ringing, ending lunch. Who made it so loud? It seemed to knock Bakura back to his senses, as he oriented on Ryou and stared with an unreadable expression. They just looked at each other while the hallways outside filled with noise.
"Uh, guys, we're not going to be alone for much longer." Honda stood and went to hold the door shut. Jou moved the desks back into place while the rest of us did nothing but watch Bakura and his hikari. It was strange to see them looking at each other with nearly identical expressions. For a moment, it was hard to distinguish between the pair. But I pride myself on always knowing Bakura.
"So what happens now?" Yugi wondered. He was looking at the baka Pharaoh as if he knew anything. I'll admit he was useful in getting Bakura back but beyond that I didn't think he was worth the breath to talk to. Besides, he always expressed his opinion anyway.
Bakura's gaze intensified as he began to glare down Ryou. My own hikari fidgeted with the tension, torn between doing something or remaining quiet. There were knocks at the door. Yami disappeared without a word and I sighed with frustration. "One of you two is going to have to go into the Ring. Sometime soon would be nice too." I figured Bakura would happily take the chance to retreat to where he didn't have to explain anything to anyone. But he didn't budge. That meant Ryou would be giving up his body for Bakura then right? Wrong. "Bakura..."
"Marik, you and are going to talk outside. Now." Bakura turned suddenly, grabbed me by the arm and strode to the door. He pushed past Honda, threw open the door and barged through the students waiting to get in. Everything happened so fast that I doubt anyone really saw who had left. Behind us I could hear muttering as the other kids filed in and took their seats. I'd hear about it later from Malik, no doubt. To myself, I rolled my eyes.
Once outside the building, Bakura released his hold on my arm but continued walking down the street. I quickened my pace to keep up with him. We just walked in silence for a few blocks until finally he spoke.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Well, Mr. Sunshine, you tried to jump Malik and then blacked out." I gave him a flat look. "Or don't you remember that?"
"Finish answering my question." He refused to look in my direction, instead staring hard at the sidewalk just ahead of us. I placed my hands behind my head and continued talking.
"We found out that hikari's card, Ra, was trying to get to him." I frowned. "So there was this lovely plan to banish the presence in your mind back to where it came from. Unfortunately, it backfired and it was given a body, which took off."
"Look at the messes you get into without me. Probably the Pharaoh's fault."
"Probably." I could still see Ra's demonic grinning. Why had he been after Malik? "Anyway, you'll never guess who else was running around in your mind." When Bakura didn't say anything I figured he couldn't guess after all. "The Dark Magician."
Bakura suddenly laughed out loud. He continued grinning for a few minutes afterward. "I bet that was a kick in His royal pants." I chuckled and nodded. "So what else?" I filled him in and then silence fell again. A few moments later, I recognized the street we were on. Not too far from where we currently were was Ryou's home. I guessed that was where we were headed. Finally Bakura looked at me, his old cocky self-assured attitude back in place. "You would not believe what happened to me."
"Oh no? I had to witness the dreaded 'friendship phone'. I thought something like that was only urban legend. Try me." He unlocked the door and was just about to prove me wrong, I assumed, when we both forgot everything as something slapped us in the face.
The house *reeked*.
"Have you been trying to cook again Bakura?" I choked and held a hand over my nose. He was too preoccupied with the horrible stink to bother glaring at me. We split up, trying to figure out just what had spoiled or died. He took upstairs, I took ground level. Nothing in the kitchen, living room or various closets. I pushed open the half closed bathroom door and flicked on the light, now expecting to see anything out of the ordinary. It was probably just a dead bird or some spoiled food in Bakura's room (he sure could be messy). Sadly, I was horribly, terribly wrong. In pools on the floor, splattered on the walls and other places was exactly the kind of thing that would create such a smell, especially since it seemed less than fresh.
Blood. Slightly dull, but very real.
I shut the door and backed away, trying to get some clean air into my lungs. Then I hollered for Bakura who appeared minutes later. Mutely I just pointed. Normally blood would not cause me to react in such a way, as I had witnessed it many times before, within my mind and without. But this was something in Bakura's home. He was my closest, heck only, friend. And of course there was Ryou...
For a long time Bakura just stood in the doorway staring. The stench wasn't so bad once you got used to it. I got a hold of myself, muttering at my stupid reaction and stepped forward to look at the morbid scene behind Bakura. "Who's do you think it is?" I blurted out the first thing on my mind.
"Ryou... all this has to belong to Ryou. But he can't have this much in him. He's so thin and pale and fragile. And I just saw him, fine and healthy... Didn't I? He would tell me if something happened. I know he would. Even if he thought I hated him, he would." Bakura was babbling. His knuckles were ghostly white from clenching the doorknob. At this moment, I would have given anything to know what was going through his head. Blood should not be making either of us, lest of all Bakura, act so strangely.
"Bakura," I said calmly. He glanced at me sharply. "I think we should go back outside." I grabbed his arm, fought with his death-grip on the door and then dragged him to the front doorstep. He went without comment or resistance, once I had managed to wrestle the knob away from him. I myself was feeling vaguely disoriented and even a little nauseous. Once in the cooler air my head began to clear. Apparently so did Bakura's.
"What the hell just happened?" He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. I ran a hand through my hair, unsure of what to say. "All I could think about was Ryou. And most of those memories were from before... But all of that, it had to be his." He scowled, although not with his usual intensity.
I shook my head. "It can't have been his."
"Then who else? Some street rat," he smiled bitterly, "decided to waltz into the bathroom to bleed?" He sneered. "As likely as that is, Marik, I doubt it."
I stifled any aggravated reaction I might've had. "Think about it for a second would you? If Ryou had been that hurt, I doubt he would be able to walk much less go to school to save you. And blood doesn't mess with people's heads like that stuff did." Bakura merely snorted and headed back inside. I cursed at his back in Egyptian and followed in case I'd have to pull him out again. The smell wasn't as bad when I re-entered. In fact, it was sort of sweet now.
I was wondering what had caused the change when I rounded the corner to the hall where the bathroom was. Bakura was sprawled on the floor, one thin line of his own blood trailing from the side of his mouth. I rushed forward. The smell became sickly sweet, stifling. I almost thought I could feel it pressing against me. I didn't care. Something was going on and it was certainly the last thing anyone needed. And Bakura had just gotten back from the Shadow Realm. He wouldn't be completely up to strength. But before I could reach his fallen form, I felt myself tipping forward, drowning in a fog that seemed to pour from the bathroom. I couldn't see, couldn't breathe.
I hit the floor and tried desperately to get air into my lungs.
~* Malik's POV*~
It was strange to sit through the afternoon classes with Ryou while knowing it probably wasn't him dutifully taking notes and paying complete attention to the teacher while the rest of us daydreamed or dozed off. Even stranger was the fact I hadn't heard from Marik since he'd disappeared with Bakura almost two hours ago. I just assumed they must have a lot to talk about. Or they were getting into trouble. Either was quite plausible really, though my money would be on the latter.
When the final bell rung I struggled through the surging students trying to leave towards where I knew Yugi's locker was. He wasn't there when I showed up so I waited with hopes that he hadn't left already. The blonde dog walked by as I leaned casually against the wall and told me Yugi'd already gone back to his game shop to help out his grandfather. I shrugged and walked away.
"Well you're welcome!" I heard him shout after me. On my way out I was rudely shoved to the side by a tall brunette. I had half a mind to use the rod on him but decided against it. I had a lot to tell my sister, Isis, if she was home.
What a day this had been!
As I walked down the streets, now devoid of student life, I replayed everything that had happened. And still I was clueless as to what everything meant, why it was even happening. It wasn't fair that Marik was getting answers from Bakura while I was left in the dark. No doubt my yami wouldn't even tell me. It was all so frustrating.
But Yami seemed to have some sort of handle on what was happening... I altered my path and stared walking to the game shop where I was sure to find the arrogant baka. He would tell me a few things or he'd be having a very personal experience with my rod. It didn't just control minds after all.
It was only after a few moments of silent walking that I realized *everything* was quiet. There were no cards rushing down the streets, no one walking ahead or behind me on either side of the road. There weren't even any of the normal bird songs from the trees. It was eerily still, with only my footsteps breaking the peace. I quickened, not feeling very comfortable all of a sudden. I felt almost vulnerable...
A twig snapped behind me and I whirled around sharply, rod instantly in my hand. There was nothing there. I relaxed, feeling ridiculous. What was I worried about? There was nothing out here for me to worry about.
Another sound of movement to my left.
Or was there?
I tried to find out what kept making me jump with little luck. Every time I thought I had it, another sound from a different direction would make me whirl around to peer into shadows and darkness I was sure my mind over exaggerated.
"Whoever's there... Show yourself or you're in for a lot of trouble!" I glared around hoping to find some pathetic jock trying to play a joke. Someone did appear and began to walk out of the shadows. When light hit his face, I wasn't looking at a football player.
I stared at a grin full of sharp, glinting teeth.
~*Marik's POV*~
My head was pounding and my chest burned. I was still lying on the carpet just outside the bathroom in Ryou's home. I had been for the past few hours. I was completely helpless; I couldn't move any part of my body nor could I reach out to my hikari via our mind link. What was more, disturbing images kept trying to take my attention away from anything that wasn't them. From the small sounds next to me, I figured Bakura was experiencing something similar. What the hell was going on?
"Ma-rik." I wanted to look over to him. Wanted to, but couldn't. None of my muscles would obey me. I was stuck flat on my stomach and nothing I could do would change that. "Ma-rik?" His voice was oddly quiet. I could vaguely remember a time when it had always been like that, before everything changed. Damn, I couldn't let myself get distracted.
"Hey, Kura." It took a lot of will just to get two words out of my slack mouth. It was different too, but I couldn't place my finger on how.
"Today's hot." I frowned to myself. We were in his house. How was it hot? But now that he mentioned it...
"Yeah." I could feel myself baking under a very familiar sun. The carpet swam before my eyes, almost like a mirage. "Oasis?" I knew that the best place to beat the heat, was at a shady little spot close, but still quite a ways from, the Pharaoh's palace.
"Maybe Yami will be there."
I snapped my eyes open. There was no way in any realm Bakura was hopeful of seeing Yami. No chance. I coughed and tried to get the blasted sweetness out of my senses. It didn't work very well. I tried to figure out some way to do something, anything for that matter. With a supreme effort and managed to turn my head just enough to see Bakura. His eyes were half- lidded and the blood trickling from the side of his mouth hadn't stopped. Oddly, he was smiling. It was small, but it was there. I panted.
As I tried to regain my breath I began coughing. What was worse, it wouldn't stop. As soon as I'd clear my lungs, more of the blasted stink would flood in and choke me again. I convulsed violently, clenching my eyes closed and pain flowed up my throat. Something coppery filled my mouth as I continued coughing, and I could feel the slightest something slide down from my nose to my upper lip. My head pounded, my chest ached and my throat burned. But still I continued coughing.
It felt as though my lungs were on fire, slowly melting. I wanted to writhe in pain, to get up and leave this foul hallway. Most of all, I wanted to be able to call to Malik. "Hikari..." I was having trouble keeping any air in my lungs. Black spots danced in front of my eyes.
"...Malik"
---
Twill: Hiya! Well it was a bit shorted than I'd hoped but still good right? And I said I'd tell you the pairings, so, without further adieu, they are Malik/Marik and Ryou/Bakura. I'm thinking it's going to be mostly fluff but who's to say? Any other possible pairings are in debate right now. Oh! Did anyone catch the hint towards one of the other possible pairings? I bet someone did. Take a guess and we'll see what happens! I've got a bunch of requests for other character appearances, so I'll try to include 'em. And any wanted pov's, I wanna know! It makes it easier for me 'cause I don't have to make the decision myself ^^;; R&R!!
Seth: Twill does not own Yu-Gi-Oh or any of its plots, characters etc. She likes to think she does, but really doesn't.
Okay! There are some bigger-than-normal hintings of yaoi. I think I've officially decided where I'm going with this. I'll let you know at the end of the chapter, in case you don't notice it in the story.
---
Chapter Ten: Pandora's Box: Secrets in the Open
---
~*Marik's POV*~
Bakura's mind was recovered without incident, though when he woke up he seemed dazed. I was concerned that something had happened to him while wandering around the Shadow Realm, but knew better than to ask. Besides, Bakura had practically written the book on the place! He probably suffered from nothing more than boredom.
"Enjoy your trip?" He peered around the room without comprehending my question. "You feeling alright?" The only response was the school bell ringing, ending lunch. Who made it so loud? It seemed to knock Bakura back to his senses, as he oriented on Ryou and stared with an unreadable expression. They just looked at each other while the hallways outside filled with noise.
"Uh, guys, we're not going to be alone for much longer." Honda stood and went to hold the door shut. Jou moved the desks back into place while the rest of us did nothing but watch Bakura and his hikari. It was strange to see them looking at each other with nearly identical expressions. For a moment, it was hard to distinguish between the pair. But I pride myself on always knowing Bakura.
"So what happens now?" Yugi wondered. He was looking at the baka Pharaoh as if he knew anything. I'll admit he was useful in getting Bakura back but beyond that I didn't think he was worth the breath to talk to. Besides, he always expressed his opinion anyway.
Bakura's gaze intensified as he began to glare down Ryou. My own hikari fidgeted with the tension, torn between doing something or remaining quiet. There were knocks at the door. Yami disappeared without a word and I sighed with frustration. "One of you two is going to have to go into the Ring. Sometime soon would be nice too." I figured Bakura would happily take the chance to retreat to where he didn't have to explain anything to anyone. But he didn't budge. That meant Ryou would be giving up his body for Bakura then right? Wrong. "Bakura..."
"Marik, you and are going to talk outside. Now." Bakura turned suddenly, grabbed me by the arm and strode to the door. He pushed past Honda, threw open the door and barged through the students waiting to get in. Everything happened so fast that I doubt anyone really saw who had left. Behind us I could hear muttering as the other kids filed in and took their seats. I'd hear about it later from Malik, no doubt. To myself, I rolled my eyes.
Once outside the building, Bakura released his hold on my arm but continued walking down the street. I quickened my pace to keep up with him. We just walked in silence for a few blocks until finally he spoke.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Well, Mr. Sunshine, you tried to jump Malik and then blacked out." I gave him a flat look. "Or don't you remember that?"
"Finish answering my question." He refused to look in my direction, instead staring hard at the sidewalk just ahead of us. I placed my hands behind my head and continued talking.
"We found out that hikari's card, Ra, was trying to get to him." I frowned. "So there was this lovely plan to banish the presence in your mind back to where it came from. Unfortunately, it backfired and it was given a body, which took off."
"Look at the messes you get into without me. Probably the Pharaoh's fault."
"Probably." I could still see Ra's demonic grinning. Why had he been after Malik? "Anyway, you'll never guess who else was running around in your mind." When Bakura didn't say anything I figured he couldn't guess after all. "The Dark Magician."
Bakura suddenly laughed out loud. He continued grinning for a few minutes afterward. "I bet that was a kick in His royal pants." I chuckled and nodded. "So what else?" I filled him in and then silence fell again. A few moments later, I recognized the street we were on. Not too far from where we currently were was Ryou's home. I guessed that was where we were headed. Finally Bakura looked at me, his old cocky self-assured attitude back in place. "You would not believe what happened to me."
"Oh no? I had to witness the dreaded 'friendship phone'. I thought something like that was only urban legend. Try me." He unlocked the door and was just about to prove me wrong, I assumed, when we both forgot everything as something slapped us in the face.
The house *reeked*.
"Have you been trying to cook again Bakura?" I choked and held a hand over my nose. He was too preoccupied with the horrible stink to bother glaring at me. We split up, trying to figure out just what had spoiled or died. He took upstairs, I took ground level. Nothing in the kitchen, living room or various closets. I pushed open the half closed bathroom door and flicked on the light, now expecting to see anything out of the ordinary. It was probably just a dead bird or some spoiled food in Bakura's room (he sure could be messy). Sadly, I was horribly, terribly wrong. In pools on the floor, splattered on the walls and other places was exactly the kind of thing that would create such a smell, especially since it seemed less than fresh.
Blood. Slightly dull, but very real.
I shut the door and backed away, trying to get some clean air into my lungs. Then I hollered for Bakura who appeared minutes later. Mutely I just pointed. Normally blood would not cause me to react in such a way, as I had witnessed it many times before, within my mind and without. But this was something in Bakura's home. He was my closest, heck only, friend. And of course there was Ryou...
For a long time Bakura just stood in the doorway staring. The stench wasn't so bad once you got used to it. I got a hold of myself, muttering at my stupid reaction and stepped forward to look at the morbid scene behind Bakura. "Who's do you think it is?" I blurted out the first thing on my mind.
"Ryou... all this has to belong to Ryou. But he can't have this much in him. He's so thin and pale and fragile. And I just saw him, fine and healthy... Didn't I? He would tell me if something happened. I know he would. Even if he thought I hated him, he would." Bakura was babbling. His knuckles were ghostly white from clenching the doorknob. At this moment, I would have given anything to know what was going through his head. Blood should not be making either of us, lest of all Bakura, act so strangely.
"Bakura," I said calmly. He glanced at me sharply. "I think we should go back outside." I grabbed his arm, fought with his death-grip on the door and then dragged him to the front doorstep. He went without comment or resistance, once I had managed to wrestle the knob away from him. I myself was feeling vaguely disoriented and even a little nauseous. Once in the cooler air my head began to clear. Apparently so did Bakura's.
"What the hell just happened?" He pressed the heels of his hands into his eyes. I ran a hand through my hair, unsure of what to say. "All I could think about was Ryou. And most of those memories were from before... But all of that, it had to be his." He scowled, although not with his usual intensity.
I shook my head. "It can't have been his."
"Then who else? Some street rat," he smiled bitterly, "decided to waltz into the bathroom to bleed?" He sneered. "As likely as that is, Marik, I doubt it."
I stifled any aggravated reaction I might've had. "Think about it for a second would you? If Ryou had been that hurt, I doubt he would be able to walk much less go to school to save you. And blood doesn't mess with people's heads like that stuff did." Bakura merely snorted and headed back inside. I cursed at his back in Egyptian and followed in case I'd have to pull him out again. The smell wasn't as bad when I re-entered. In fact, it was sort of sweet now.
I was wondering what had caused the change when I rounded the corner to the hall where the bathroom was. Bakura was sprawled on the floor, one thin line of his own blood trailing from the side of his mouth. I rushed forward. The smell became sickly sweet, stifling. I almost thought I could feel it pressing against me. I didn't care. Something was going on and it was certainly the last thing anyone needed. And Bakura had just gotten back from the Shadow Realm. He wouldn't be completely up to strength. But before I could reach his fallen form, I felt myself tipping forward, drowning in a fog that seemed to pour from the bathroom. I couldn't see, couldn't breathe.
I hit the floor and tried desperately to get air into my lungs.
~* Malik's POV*~
It was strange to sit through the afternoon classes with Ryou while knowing it probably wasn't him dutifully taking notes and paying complete attention to the teacher while the rest of us daydreamed or dozed off. Even stranger was the fact I hadn't heard from Marik since he'd disappeared with Bakura almost two hours ago. I just assumed they must have a lot to talk about. Or they were getting into trouble. Either was quite plausible really, though my money would be on the latter.
When the final bell rung I struggled through the surging students trying to leave towards where I knew Yugi's locker was. He wasn't there when I showed up so I waited with hopes that he hadn't left already. The blonde dog walked by as I leaned casually against the wall and told me Yugi'd already gone back to his game shop to help out his grandfather. I shrugged and walked away.
"Well you're welcome!" I heard him shout after me. On my way out I was rudely shoved to the side by a tall brunette. I had half a mind to use the rod on him but decided against it. I had a lot to tell my sister, Isis, if she was home.
What a day this had been!
As I walked down the streets, now devoid of student life, I replayed everything that had happened. And still I was clueless as to what everything meant, why it was even happening. It wasn't fair that Marik was getting answers from Bakura while I was left in the dark. No doubt my yami wouldn't even tell me. It was all so frustrating.
But Yami seemed to have some sort of handle on what was happening... I altered my path and stared walking to the game shop where I was sure to find the arrogant baka. He would tell me a few things or he'd be having a very personal experience with my rod. It didn't just control minds after all.
It was only after a few moments of silent walking that I realized *everything* was quiet. There were no cards rushing down the streets, no one walking ahead or behind me on either side of the road. There weren't even any of the normal bird songs from the trees. It was eerily still, with only my footsteps breaking the peace. I quickened, not feeling very comfortable all of a sudden. I felt almost vulnerable...
A twig snapped behind me and I whirled around sharply, rod instantly in my hand. There was nothing there. I relaxed, feeling ridiculous. What was I worried about? There was nothing out here for me to worry about.
Another sound of movement to my left.
Or was there?
I tried to find out what kept making me jump with little luck. Every time I thought I had it, another sound from a different direction would make me whirl around to peer into shadows and darkness I was sure my mind over exaggerated.
"Whoever's there... Show yourself or you're in for a lot of trouble!" I glared around hoping to find some pathetic jock trying to play a joke. Someone did appear and began to walk out of the shadows. When light hit his face, I wasn't looking at a football player.
I stared at a grin full of sharp, glinting teeth.
~*Marik's POV*~
My head was pounding and my chest burned. I was still lying on the carpet just outside the bathroom in Ryou's home. I had been for the past few hours. I was completely helpless; I couldn't move any part of my body nor could I reach out to my hikari via our mind link. What was more, disturbing images kept trying to take my attention away from anything that wasn't them. From the small sounds next to me, I figured Bakura was experiencing something similar. What the hell was going on?
"Ma-rik." I wanted to look over to him. Wanted to, but couldn't. None of my muscles would obey me. I was stuck flat on my stomach and nothing I could do would change that. "Ma-rik?" His voice was oddly quiet. I could vaguely remember a time when it had always been like that, before everything changed. Damn, I couldn't let myself get distracted.
"Hey, Kura." It took a lot of will just to get two words out of my slack mouth. It was different too, but I couldn't place my finger on how.
"Today's hot." I frowned to myself. We were in his house. How was it hot? But now that he mentioned it...
"Yeah." I could feel myself baking under a very familiar sun. The carpet swam before my eyes, almost like a mirage. "Oasis?" I knew that the best place to beat the heat, was at a shady little spot close, but still quite a ways from, the Pharaoh's palace.
"Maybe Yami will be there."
I snapped my eyes open. There was no way in any realm Bakura was hopeful of seeing Yami. No chance. I coughed and tried to get the blasted sweetness out of my senses. It didn't work very well. I tried to figure out some way to do something, anything for that matter. With a supreme effort and managed to turn my head just enough to see Bakura. His eyes were half- lidded and the blood trickling from the side of his mouth hadn't stopped. Oddly, he was smiling. It was small, but it was there. I panted.
As I tried to regain my breath I began coughing. What was worse, it wouldn't stop. As soon as I'd clear my lungs, more of the blasted stink would flood in and choke me again. I convulsed violently, clenching my eyes closed and pain flowed up my throat. Something coppery filled my mouth as I continued coughing, and I could feel the slightest something slide down from my nose to my upper lip. My head pounded, my chest ached and my throat burned. But still I continued coughing.
It felt as though my lungs were on fire, slowly melting. I wanted to writhe in pain, to get up and leave this foul hallway. Most of all, I wanted to be able to call to Malik. "Hikari..." I was having trouble keeping any air in my lungs. Black spots danced in front of my eyes.
"...Malik"
---
Twill: Hiya! Well it was a bit shorted than I'd hoped but still good right? And I said I'd tell you the pairings, so, without further adieu, they are Malik/Marik and Ryou/Bakura. I'm thinking it's going to be mostly fluff but who's to say? Any other possible pairings are in debate right now. Oh! Did anyone catch the hint towards one of the other possible pairings? I bet someone did. Take a guess and we'll see what happens! I've got a bunch of requests for other character appearances, so I'll try to include 'em. And any wanted pov's, I wanna know! It makes it easier for me 'cause I don't have to make the decision myself ^^;; R&R!!