WARNING!
A) Isis is OUT OF CHARACTER (OOC). She is not as serious as she was in the original here because I see her as an overprotective older sister, so that's how I portray her.
B) The Millennium Necklace does not see a definite future, it just shows what could be.
C) This chapter is kind of filler-ish.
D) Marik gives 'Kura-Kitty a bath (just a little incentive to make you read :3 )
Also, I did this chapter with some of the character's POVs because I wanted to try it… it's kind of fun ^^ Maybe I'll do it more often… Hope you enjoy this chapter! (even if it sucks.)
REMEMBER!: It's late-January in this fic, which means Valentines Day hasn't come to their world yet… XD
Chapter 25: Anxious… Waiting…
"What?" a female voice said into a phone, "What do you mean your plane got delayed! Why didn't you tell me earlier!" she sounded very upset, but there was an underlying of worry in her voice that made it seem as if she cared for whoever was talking to her on the phone very much.
"I didn't want to wake you. You are in Japan right now right? I'm in America, the time zones are all messed up," a deep voice said on the other line. He seemed to more or less trying to reassure the woman on the other line that everything would be all right.
"I don't care if I get woken up!" the female said outraged, "You should have called me right away! Or texted me or something! You will get here by tomorrow though right?"
"I should get to you by 6:00 PM tomorrow evening in your time if all goes well."
She sighed, "I suppose that will have to do, I hope I can convince him to stay that long."
"Why don't you just see if all goes well?"
"Because I don't like to do that! It feels wrong somehow… Besides, the future's always changing isn't it? How do I know that something won't happen to change the future that I see by the time he gets here?"
"I suppose you have a good point… Just talk to him, I'll be there when I can. I'll see you later 'Ishizu,'" he put extra emphasis on the name Ishizu.
"Yeah yeah, same to you 'Odion'" she put extra emphasis on the name Odion as well, as if that wasn't their real name. They hung up, and the girl ran a hand through her long black hair. "Ugh… I hope Marik comes…" She had been laying on her bed when she had been talking to 'Odion,' and now she turned her head to the side to look at her bedside table. On the top of the cherry wood was a golden necklace with the Millennium Eye symbol on it. It was the Millennium Necklace, and it possessed the power to look into the future. She looked at it, thinking that maybe she could use it for just a second… just to see if Marik comes or not… no, no. The future is always changing, always. Back when the thing was created, the future didn't change that much because everything was, let's face it, kind of slow. I mean, in the American War of 1812, an entire battle could have been avoided if their communication was faster. Nowadays, everything goes by too fast, things can happen in the blink of an eye, so now the future can change in the blink of an eye as well, which makes it much more difficult to accurately tell the future. And she did not want to get her hopes up, not for something important like this.
She looks back up at the ceiling. I should have told him dad's not with me… she thought, Then he would have come for sure… But I wanted to see if he would come anyway… Her eyes widen as she thinks of something else. Oh gosh… Please let him come alone, please! Don't let that albino vampire come with him! I haven't actually met him yet… but from what I've seen… Pictures of Marik and that… that… Ugh! She couldn't even think of a proper word to describe him! That… bloodsucking, arrogant, vampire… together, laughing, joking around, having fun, hanging out… ugh! How could her little brother have gotten so friendly with a vampire? She understood Marik didn't think they were all evil, but surely he knew of the dangers! Just like you don't think bears are evil, but you don't approach one! So how could he have gotten so buddy-buddy with a vampire? It wasn't just that though, it was the… other images she's seen that bothered her.
Her little brother… kissing that albino freak! What has happened to her little brother? She put her hands up to her face, What has happened to Marik? Don't get her wrong, she has no problems with homosexuality, but what bothered her was that it was a vampire. A VAMPIRE! What if he was just toying with Marik? What if he was just using him for his blood, and when he got too annoying or whatever he would just drain him and be done with him? That was what bothered 'Ishizu' the most. Didn't Marik remember when he got controlled by that one vampire girl? She certainly remembered when 'Odion' told her about that despicable woman. She had immediately wanted to rip out that girl's heart for messing with Marik like that. She wanted to rip her heart out slowly and then make her drink the blood that she craves so much from her own self! That would teach her!
…Okay, some would call her just a liiiittle bit of an overprotective (and violent) older sister, but wasn't it a sisters' job to be overprotective of her little brother? Right? Right.
She couldn't stand it anymore, she had to do something while she waited for Marik to show up - if he decides to show up at all - tomorrow. She reached her hand out to the bedside table. She reaches for something, her hand pausing on the Millennium Necklace, and then she grabs the remote and turns the TV on.
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Marik
I've been a nervous wreck for the past few days - I'm testing Bakura's patience here, I can tell. I can't help it though! Isis found me! She actually found me! But how? HOW? Was I that obvious? Am I that predictable? Geez! I'm so anxious! Honestly, hearing from Isis had been nice, but what if dad's with her? No. Fucking. Way. Do I EVER want to see that man's face again. Honestly, I probably would have gone to see Isis right when I saw her letter if it wasn't for the fact that I have NO IDEA IF DAD IS WITH HER OR NOT! If dad is there, I'm definitely not going. If he's not there, I'd be running over there right now and entrapping my sister in a death hug 'cause I miss her so much.
I suppose you all are wondering why exactly I hate my dad so much - Bakura certainly is, even if he doesn't out rightly ask me. I can tell he wants to know what my dad could have done to make me hate him so much. I mean, I have told him about some stuff he's done - like confiscate my Halloween candy and cause my acrophobia - but I haven't told him everything. Honestly, I don't know if I want him to know, but I suppose I'll end up telling him sooner or later, that seems to be how things happen around here. When will I start learning about his life? Oh whatever.
Anyway, to really understand why I hate my dad with a burning passion and also fear him like I do heights, then we'll have to go back to a time I remember well - age five. (Yes, my dad expected too much of me when I was only five. Yes, this is after I became afraid of heights. Yes, I probably could have killed a vampire when I was five years old. No, I wouldn't have wanted to). Huh, it's weird, I have no problems telling you this because I've basically been having nightmares of my dad ever since I got Isis' note. And the worst part is, the nightmares aren't made up - they actually happened.
Nightmare number one: I'm in a pyramid somewhere in Egypt (dad would never specify where exactly we were) and I wander through the maze-like stone walls. He's trying to teach me how to be silent so it's like I'm not there at all and how to blend in with the shadows (which is what vampires can do, I wonder if Bakura already knows this, he certainly seems like the type to sneak up on people and scare them half to death, or till they are dead). I'm doing pretty well, but then I take a wrong step and trigger a trap set up by whoever built this stupid pyramid in the first place. Before I know it, poisoned arrows are coming out of the walls and I'm dodging them like I was trained to block vampire's fast clawing motions. Then I take another wrong step and I find myself upside down. My dad comes out scowling from some dark corner or some other secret and dark place (I still say he can go through walls, but Isis says that I'm just being paranoid). He comes over and slaps me across the face, telling me to "Watch where you're going! One wrong move and you could be someone's meal!" I would like to tell him that I don't think when I'm hunting vampires that they'll have traps set up, but I know he'd just hurt me more for that, so I just nod and say I'm sorry.
Too late, he brings out the whip.
I ask Isis if she ever got hit with the whip, and she says yes, but I don't believe her. I believe Rishid when he says he was hit all the time, because for some reason I can see dad hitting Rishid, but not Isis.
Crack! The whip goes across my back, sending searing pain throughout my whole body. At least he didn't make me take my shirt off first. (Yes, my dad whipped me when I was five-years-old. Yes, he's caused me more pain than that. Yes, my dad is an insane psychopath who strikes fear into my very core. No, I probably won't tell Bakura; I don't want people to feel sorry for me.)
It seems like that was my dad's answer to everything - the whip. Every time I messed up - whipped. Every time I didn't do things exactly the way they were supposed to be - whipped. Every time I talked back (which was a lot of times) - whipped. Sometimes he would change it up and bring a knife in the picture. When my mom found out about the knife, she hid it, which is when he started to use the Millennium Rod as a sharp implement to cut my skin and 'teach me a lesson' through blood and pain. That was how I found out about the Millennium Rod, while he was teaching me a lesson, he noticed my curious stares (I'm actually pretty curious myself - don't tell the Kitty) and told me of it's powers. Then he told me there were six other such Items, all with incredible power. He wouldn't tell me why they were made until I turned twelve though, for some reason.
Back to present time: I'm at the kitchen table staring at my cup of tea like I'm trying to see the future. I hear the Tap! Tap! Tap!ing Of Bakura's mad keyboard typing (gosh, how does one person type so fast? I swear, his hands are a blur) and it's almost hypnotizing me. My mind goes blank, and my eyes blank out as well while I remember one of my dad's 'lessons' as if I'm re-living it again:
{Blank out}
"My name is Namu Kenta," my dad has me say in Portuguese. He made us all have fake names and alibis ready so that the vampires never knew who we actually were. Apparently I messed it up somehow, because I felt a sting go across my cheek, and him saying, "Wrong! Say it again!" back at me in Portuguese (actually, I barely understood him at the time, I was never really adept at learning Portuguese, but I know it fluently now; thanks to years of constantly being corrected right away). I repeat the line, but it's wrong again and I feel the familiar sting that goes along with failure. I begin to feel anger. How am I supposed to do it right if I don't know what I did wrong? I feel like asking my dad, but know that will just get me in more trouble. I try the line again, this time earning an agonizing cry and him leaving to go find either the whip or the knife. (Mom actually tried to hide the whip along with the knife, but then he started hurting her for hiding it on him, so I made her stop doing that).
He comes back with the Millennium Rod. I stare at it, mesmerized by the golden eye. It wasn't until he told me what it's powers were that I realized he was using it to make me hold still, because usually if I could, I would run. He unsheathed it and cut me across my arm, making me bleed crimson all over the floors and my pants, making me cry out in pain, making my anger boil even more. But the pain, oh the pain, that was the worst. I felt a searing hot sensation go across each cut and linger there, as if the dagger was on fire and the fire was staying on my arm. Hell, maybe the dagger was on fire and he was just using the Rod to mess with my mind and not allowing me to see the fire (Yes, the Millennium Rod can do stuff like that. Yes, I have tested this out with different objects. No, I will not be telling Bakura that bit of information anytime soon).
My eyes stop blanking out and I look at my arm. I can still feel the burning sensation, even though my skin has healed. But even though it's healed, and it's only ghost pain, I feel my anger rise again.
My dad would have done worse than that if it wasn't for my mom. She was always the one who would calm dad down, always the one who would stop the pain. Whenever Rishid or Isis tried to stop him, they just got hurt as well, and that made my pain worse. So not only was Mom always the one to stop him, she was the only one who could. I don't know how she did it. I had assumed that dad released his anger on her than on me, and so I told her to stop it and that I could handle it. I couldn't stand even the idea of my mom getting hurt. He could hurt me, I didn't care about that, but when he hurt my mom, or Isis, or Rishid… then I felt truly horrible and that's when my anger really reached the limits, that's when I started to feel unbearable pain that couldn't go away until their scars were gone. Yeah, I couldn't stand it when my family got hurt for my case, I hated it. I hated it even more than when I got hurt. So I told my mom not to get hurt for my sake, and she laughed (that beautiful, angelic sounding laugh of hers) and told me that she didn't get hurt, and that even if she did get hurt than it was worth it to see me in less pain or - even better - no pain.
I smile as I remember my mom. She was wonderful, she was wonderful in every way, shape, and form. Whenever I was in my bedroom back at that hated pyramid in Egypt, she would come in and comfort me, even if dad had told her not to. She would even sneak Isis and Rishid in if they weren't out hunting vampires in Denmark or Cuba or Canada or somewhere else far away. Oh right, I forgot to tell you that while I was undergoing vampire training at the pyramid that my father sent out my family to wherever to kill vampires. Which means I was usually alone with my father. Alone with all that pain and hatred. My mother always tried to do her job quickly so she could come back here and help me through it all. I really love her, she's the best person ever. Why the hell did she marry my beast of a father? I've pondered this a lot, I still can't come up with a good explanation. I've asked her many times as well… but she just says something like, "I saw the good in him," or, "He's really not that bad when you get to know him," or, "You just have to try and understand him Marik, he's a good guy." So, he's a good guy who likes to beat his children? Yeah, that makes perfect sense. But, I don't argue with my mom, even if I don't see her point.
Suddenly, I see Bakura's hand come crashing down on the table in front of me. I look up at his no-emotion-here face, and he says, "If we do end up traveling, you'll have to quit that job of yours." I can tell he's telling me this simply because I've probably been sitting here angrily and nervously for the past - I glance at the cock quickly - three hours. Wait, three hours? Geez, I should pay better to attention to the time.
"Yeah," I say. This ticks Bakura off, I can tell he wants me to stop sitting here like a depressed suicidal person and stop thinking about tomorrow, but I can't help it.
"I got you another job anyway," he says, completely throwing me.
My eyes widen, "You got me another job?" I ask incredulously, "How?"
"I sent some of your drawings in to my publisher and she said that if you wanted to be my illustrator that would be fantastic."
I smile slightly, "Isn't that the lie we told Anzu and Yugi when they came over the first time? That I was your new illustrator?"
"See, we were telling the truth, we just didn't know it then."
I sip my tea, and instantly my face scrunches up - cold tea does not taste good. "Yuck, this tastes awful."
"Maybe it's because you've been sitting here doing absolutely nothing for the past three hours," Bakura says sarcastically.
I chuckle, "Yeah, that probably did it."
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Bakura
Marik has been sitting at that ugly kitchen table for the past three fucking hours doing nothing except worrying about tomorrow. He had decided to go ahead and see Isis, but I could tell he was second guessing himself the closer it came to tomorrow. And his eyes kept blanking out and filling up with pain and sadness and, anger. So, much, anger. I didn't know Marik was capable of so much. I immediately associated the anger with his dad, and I almost felt like asking what he was remembering, but knew he wouldn't tell me. He hated his dad and hated talking about it, so I don't ask about it much. He'll tell me when he's ready to tell me, I won't push him further (oh god, when did I start caring about what people wanted? I've changed so much in such a short time span… Soon I'll start baking cookies for the homeless shelter or the orphanage or the insane asylum or something).
I offered to come with him when he goes to see his sister, but he says that's not a good idea because Isis has this thing against vampires. Apparently, she doesn't think they're evil per say, but she thinks they're dangerous and shouldn't be associated with. I think he's just worried she'll kill me or something, or I'll kill her, or we'll kill each other… I kind of hope it's the first one he's most worried about though. He also says that Isis still can't get over that seduction things vampires can do, she absolutely hates it he says, and he also said she had wanted to kill that one vampire who did it to Marik (I would secretly like to learn that seductive technique, seems useful… not that I would tell anyone with the last name of Ishtar that). However, I convinced him to at least consider me coming along. I mean, if the dad is there, it's a better shot if we're both there to fight and struggle - we're stronger together. (Besides, I fell the need to make a good impression on his sister… Considering… yeah, you get it {stupid yaoi-loving fan girls…}).
I can't help but wonder what his sister is like… I've only seen her picture, and I've only seen her smiling, so does that mean she's a genuinely happy person? I wonder what she'll think of me… she'll probably hate me 'cause I'm a vampire, so I'll have to show her I'm not too evil. I wonder if she'll believe Marik cured my want to kill? I mean, killing had lost it's appeal when I became a vampire, but I still liked to do it, but now Marik cured me somehow. Whenever I'm bored I don't think "I'll just go kill something" like I used to, now I think of what me and Marik could do together (I'm so glad neither of us can use the Eye, some of the things I come up with are… suggestive… I'll let you twist that how you want).
Dammit! I wish Marik would stop staring at his tea like that! It makes me feel so… weird! I don't want him to look depressed, I want him to look happy and smile that way he does. I want him to laugh and joke around and get angry when I tease him. I want him to stop staring at his tea like it's his favorite soap opera! Dammit Marik! Stop being so depressed! I thought you liked your sister? And surely your dad would have just come here already if he knew where you were? Surely you sister realizes how much you hate your father and wouldn't bring him here? Can't you realize that and stop looking so depressed? I know I know, I should tell him this, I should tell him that his dad is probably not there, but I know he won't believe me! He won't believe me until we're actually there to see that Isis is alone and no one is with her!
I turn my attention back to the writing on the screen, I type a few short sentences, am dissatisfied with them, and delete them. Ugh, I don't feel like writing right now, I feel like going over there and cheering Marik up, but I have no idea how to do this. I open up a different story I've been writing entitled, "My Journal." Not the most creative name, considering it actually is my journal. Ever since Marik showed up and told me about the Millennium Items, I've been keeping this journal because I had a feeling this was going to be one big adventure, and I was right. I had thought about getting it published later, but (after certain developments) I've decided it's too personal, so now it's just my journal.
What I like most about this journal is that I can put anything I want into it, and I put everything. All of my thoughts, what I wish would have happened, I can write anything I want. So you can guarantee there's a lot of sarcasm and random jokes in here that would make some people laugh and others stare at me like I'm insane. Marik would probably do both, but like hell if he's gonna read this thing. Like I said, I put everything in this thing - everything - including my feelings. I feel the need to do this for some odd reason. Maybe it's 'cause I always want to remember every second I spend with Marik…
If any of you tell him that I swear I will go to your house disguised as Santa and I will fucking kill you.
I start typing about what's been happening lately, noticing that my hands are moving so fast that they're a blur before I really concentrate to try and get my mind off Marik (that blonde-haired idiot, he has no idea how much I think about him does he? Of course he doesn't, he's Marik).
My phone vibrating shocks me out of my writing hypnosis, and I glance at the caller ID. It's my publisher (who's name I can never quite remember… hey, technically she's Ryou's publisher anyway). I feel excitement, I hope she's calling about that one thing I asked her about…
One phone call with my publisher later (Marik didn't even glance up when I started talking he's staring into his tea so deeply) and I feel very, very happy. She has just approved Marik to be my illustrator. You see, a few days ago, I took some of Marik's pictures he drew and sent them in, saying that I wanted a publisher and that this guy seems qualified. She agreed, saying, "These drawings are fantastic! It would be wonderful if he would illustrate your books!" 'Fantastic.' My words exactly. Only more about the illustrator than the illustrations.
I walk into the kitchen and slam my hands on the table in front of Marik. I stare at him, blocking all emotion from my face and say, "If we do end up traveling, you'll have to quit that job of yours." I can tell my statement completely throws him, and after a quick glance at the clock, he says, "Yeah."
… Yeah? I've been sitting in that living room worrying about you for three fucking hours, and all you say is "yeah"? This extremely pisses me off, stop acting so depressed dammit! Tomorrow is far away!
"I got you another job anyway," I say, trying to keep how pissed off I am out of my voice.
His eyes widen in surprise, "You go me another job?" he asks disbelievingly, "How?"
"I sent some of your drawings in to my publisher and she said that if you wanted to be my illustrator that would be fantastic."
He smiles slightly. Wow. I thought he would be super angry that I took some of his pictures without asking first, I guess he doesn't care anymore. Hm… should I be happy about that or not? It's hard to tell - this is all so new to me, I've never felt this way before, so I'm pretty much learning as I go along (if this were a class, I'd be failing right now. Horribly, epically failing). "Isn't that the lie we told Anzu and Yugi when they came over the first time? That I was your new illustrator?" Marik says, interrupting how mad I thought he was going to be.
"See, we were telling the truth, we just didn't know it then." Finally you're talking and not depressed! God, if I had known that all it would take to get you smiling again was to talk to you I would have done that two hours and fifty nine minutes ago!
He sips his tea, and his face scrunches up in disgust. "Yuck, this tastes awful."
"Maybe it's because you've been sitting here doing absolutely nothing for the past three hours," I say sarcastically.
He chuckles, "Yeah, that probably did it."
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Narrator
Bakura decides to sit next to Marik so that he won't go back to his overly-depressed state, and Marik figures he should stop thinking so many depressed thoughts if it was actually starting to worry Bakura so much.
"So, what should I draw?" Marik asks to keep the conversation going.
"You need to draw a picture of a girl who is about to fall off a cliff, and the only one present to help her is a man who is possessed by the devil."
"… What kind of sick things do you write?" Marik asked incredulously.
"I could write things that would make you shiver," Bakura answered, his voice low and seductive.
"You already make me shiver…" Marik mumbled, completely missing the seduction in his voice.
Bakura burst out laughing, earning him an odd stare from Marik. "What?" he asked, "What's so funny?"
"D-do you realize what you just said?" Bakura managed to say while laughing loudly.
"What? What did I say?"
"Wow, you really don't get what you said do you?"
"I think you're just being weird…" Marik said while Bakura was laughing so hard that he was starting to shake.
"I-I already make you sh-shiver Marik? That's good to know!"
Marik rolled his eyes, "I don't get you sometimes Bakura."
Bakura laughed for a good two minutes before he calmed down and looked at Marik, "So," he said, "will you be my illustrator or not?"
"Of course I will!" Marik said excited, "I love drawing, so why not get paid for it? Besides, I already have the job apparently," Marik's eyes widened as he realized something. "Wait…" he said slowly, "You took my pictures without asking!" he accused angrily.
Bakura chuckled, this was the reaction he had been expecting, "Yes, yes I did."
"Which ones did you take?" he demanded to know.
"The ones that seemed random. I didn't give away any pictures of your family if that's what you're wondering."
Marik sighed in relief, "Good, I was worried there for a second."
"Oh please Marik," Bakura said jokingly, "do you honestly think that I am that insensitive that I would rip out pages of your precious family and ship them off to some person you don't even know, knowing full well that you would never see them ever again?"
"… Yes, actually, I do think you would do that."
Bakura snickered, "Well I didn't, so you're wrong."
Marik laughed, but then he stared back at his tea, and thoughts of tomorrow crept back in. Bakura stood up and walked away. Marik didn't blame him, after all he was acting very depressed, Bakura didn't want to deal with that. And he was right, Bakura was steaming that Marik was still depressed, and he couldn't take it anymore. He walked into his bedroom and took a few deep breaths. He did NOT want Marik to be depressed any longer. Absolutely not. But what could he do? He weighed his options, and decided that the best coarse of action would be to…
.
..
…
..
.
Marik was sitting at the kitchen table still. Bakura had just stormed off, and he was staring at his still-cold tea while he thought of his sister. But then he felt something soft press against his leg, and he heard a "Meow" that sounded annoyed somehow.
Marik looked down, and his face brightened. By his leg was a fluffy, pure white cat with a little red collar around it's neck. Marik bent down and picked him up. "You actually like the collar?" he asked.
"Sure," Bakura said, not wanting to say anything else.
"How'd you get it around your neck?" Marik said while he felt the soft hair between his fingers.
"I just imagined it there…" Bakura said, although he honestly didn't know. He had just figured the only way to get Marik to stop being so damn depressed and smile again was to turn into a cat, so he did. He hadn't even thought of where the collar would go, he figured it would disappear like the Millennium Ring, but it wound up around his neck… weird…
… Magic collar…
Anyway, Marik hugged the Kitty and found himself feeling better. "Thanks 'Kura… You want to meet my sister?"
"Why not? Is she anything like you?"
"Um… I don't know, you'll have to decide that for yourself. Time for a walk!" Marik said as he stood up while still holding Bakura, "I should have gotten you a leash too…" Marik said in thought.
Bakura wondered how dense one man could be to his own words.
Marik walked outside to take the Kitty for a walk, and he felt considerably better for the rest of the day. However, things took a change for the worse when a very large dog chased Bakura up a tree. But even that turned funny when Bakura jumped down from the tree and landed right on the dog's face, clawing him all up until the dog was all bloody and ran away crying. Luckily it was a stray dog or Marik would have to answer to the owner. Bakura was in kind of a bad mood since then, because the dog bit his tail and now it didn't look as nice. But he was in an even worse mood when a stray black female cat walked up to him and started rubbing against him. He bristled his fur and ran up Marik to his head. Unfortunately, the female cat followed him there, so Bakura had to run back down and hide out somewhere else. Marik thought he was going to crack a rib he was laughing so hard. Eventually Bakura came back covered in dirt. He glared at Marik and said, "Be glad you're not an animal Marik. Girls are desperate here or something." Of course, this statement only made Marik laugh harder and hug the dirty kitty.
When they got home Bakura was still dirty, so Marik announced with a smirk, "I think you need a bath."
Bakura growled, not wanting to take a bath, "Fine." He started walking towards the bathroom, but Marik picked him up and carried him there. He turned on the hot water and took Bakura's collar off. Bakura felt heat rise to his face. "Marik, what are you -?"
"I'm going to give my cat a bath, what's it look like I'm doing?" Marik grinned.
"… No…" Bakura said weakly. He was battling what was right and what he wanted. Right now, what he wanted was winning.
Marik turned the water off and put Bakura in the steaming water. Bakura immediately let out a meow of surprise; the water might as well have been boiling, and vampires were more impervious to cold than heat, so it actually started to sting him a little. Besides, that, he was a cat at this time, and his fur felt really heavy now. But after a few seconds he got used to the temperature and felt sort of relaxed now. But he tensed up again when Marik started washing him.
"Y-y-you really don't have to do that," Bakura stammered, glad he could say it was the water making him feel hot and stutter.
"I know, I want to," Marik said as he rubbed soap into Bakura's fur, making him look ridiculous. Marik had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. Eventually Marik declared Bakura clean enough and took him out and started towel drying him. But now before Bakura shook his fur and hit Marik with drops of warm water, causing him to laugh and shield his body best he could from the attack. When Bakura was all dry, Marik put the collar back on him.
He looked so white that Marik figured he could have blended in with Antarctica.
Bakura padded out of the bathroom and into the bedroom. There he changed back into a human. He inspected his skin, it looked cleaner somehow… how is that possible? He was already as white as a sheet! But now it seemed as if he was starting to sparkle… dammit Marik.
Marik had followed Bakura into the bedroom, and the vampire turned to his human and snarled, "Damn it all Marik!" he said angrily, "You've made me sparkle! Sparkle!"
Marik burst out laughing, "S-s-sorry, Ba-Bakura," he said between laughter, "b-but you were just so f-filthy, I-I had to make you sp-sparkle!"
"Don't do it again!" Bakura yelled, but secretly wanted Marik to do it again.
'Ishizu' was pacing around the house. It was the day that Marik was supposed to show up to visit her… She knew he was here in Japan because the house he was living in still looked occupied, definitely not like he and his… vampire friend… had up and gone to America to search for Millennium Items, which is where the Necklace said that they would go first. And then France… just in time for February 14th… 'Ishizu' groaned. "Why, why, why did they have to go to France before that day? WHY!" she said out loud, "Why couldn't they just have stayed in America?" She stopped her pacing, and decided that that particular future was most likely not to happen. After all, the Millennium Necklace had also predicted that Marik would be killed by someone in the streets after bowling by himself, but then that vampire had gone with him and he ended up staying longer than planned and avoided that. See what she meant by the future always changing? There is no definite! She sighed unhappily as she realized that she was grateful to that albino vampire for helping Marik avoid death for a little longer… but no way would she tell him that.
She looked at the clock hanging above her stove. Ten AM… Marik probably wouldn't get here till one or even two or three… She decided to make dinner in case he came at twelve. She looked in her fridge and saw some fresh salmon. She smiled, salmon was an Ishtar specialty that their mom taught them… Marik would like that. She picked it and a few other special ingredients out of her fridge and freezer and started preparing the fish. But when she was about to squeeze juice from a lemon, her phone rang, and she had to dry her hands quick and answer it.
"Hello?" she asked, though she already knew who it was.
"Isis!" the deep voiced man on the other line said, "It's Rishid!"
"I'm 'Ishizu' remember? And you're 'Odion,' not Rishid!"
"Does it really matter? Anyway, they say there's going to be a huge storm, so I might not get there until eight…""PM?" Isis asked frantically, "No way is Marik going to stay that long!"
"He will if you tell him I'll be coming -"
"But I want it to be a surprise!" Isis complained, then put on a half pout, "he likes you better than me… 'brother bond' and all that, something that a sister can't have…"
Rishid laughed softly, "You're still upset about that? Marik loves you too Ishizu, okay?"
"I know…" Isis said dejectedly. She sighed, "If only mother could have come with us…"
"You know mother had to stay back to keep dad semi-calm, if we all had left, he would have gone berserk and… frankly, I don't know what he would've done, but it wouldn't be good."
"I know I know, but Marik loved mother, we all did…" Isis paused, lost in her memories, "She was the only one who could calm dad… who could calm anybody," she smiled, "she always tried to reason with the vampires first, she said that 'killing was a last resort, unless you're father is around, then kill first and ask questions later.' That's probably why Marik believes vampires aren't evil…"
"Neither of us believe that. Though, you still think they're dangerous don't you? And you don't like that one vampire you keep seeing do you?"
She groaned, "Please do not remind me of that albino vampire, I swear, if he did anything to Marik I'm going to rip his heart out and -"
"Isis!" Rishid reprimanded, "Stop it! Didn't you say that Marik looked happy with him?"
"Don't remind me of that either!"
"All I'm saying is a good older sister would want her younger brother to be happy and not rip their friend's hearts out."
"Easy for you to say! You didn't see them…" she couldn't finish her sentence.
"If Marik's happy, that's good enough, isn't it? Who knows, maybe that vampire feels the same. You don't even know him yet."
Isis thought about it, "I suppose… Okay, fine. But if he does even one thing that's bad, he's dead!"
"Don't you think Marik would have already killed him if he was bad?"
"He might just be desperate!" Isis shouted, "Where else would he find someone actually willing to go on his ridiculous quest? I'm surprised he did find someone!"
Rishid laughed, "Just stay calm."
"I'm calm," Isis argued with a steady voice to prove her calmness.
"I know you are, but you do have a temper, especially when Marik's involved."
"Is it so wrong for a sister to care for her brother?"
"No of course not, we're family. We're supposed to look out for each other. I've got to go, I'll see you when I can okay?"
"Okay… See you at eight then Odion."
"Same to you Ishizu," he said right before he hung up.
Ishizu looked at the phone dejectedly. Eight? Eight? How would she convince Marik to stay till eight?
"Okay…" Marik said while fidgeting, "we should probably leave now…" He was standing in the living room shuffling his feet and wringing his hands nervously, looking down at the floor like he dropped something.
"All right," Bakura said, "let's go." He was waiting impatiently by the front door, waiting for Marik to man up and go and face his sister. But, like every big decision, he was having second thoughts.
"But what if -" Marik began to say quietly.
"No more what ifs!" Bakura all but yelled, "Get your butt out this door now! It'll be fine okay?" Bakura held up a hand to his forehead, "I didn't know you were such a coward Marik."
"I am not a coward!" Marik objected, "I once rushed into a room full of vampires, that's not cowardly!"
"That's not bravery either Marik, that's stupidity, now get outside!"
"I'm going! I'm going!" Marik walked toward the door and reached for the handle but stopped short. He looked at Bakura. "… Could you be a cat?"
"What?" Bakura asked incredulously.
"I think it would be better if Isis didn't see you right away… plus, your cat form calms me."
Bakura growled, "After yesterday's little walk, do you really think I'm that eager to go back?"
"Come on, please?"
Bakura growled, but Marik could tell he was weakening. "If you do I'll… Stop calling you 'Kura-Kitty for a week."
"How about you stop calling me that altogether?" Bakura suggested.
"But that's fun!"
Bakura let out a frustrated groan, "Fine! I'll be your stupid cat, but if that black cat shows up again I'm going to claw your eyes out." He walked to the middle of the room and transformed, his red collar appearing around his neck again. Marik smiled and took a deep, calming breath. "Okay, let's go 'Kura."
"Stop calling me that!" Bakura said, annoyed.
"But that's your cat name!" Marik argued.
"Do you think I care?" were the last words that rang inside the house before Marik slammed the door shut behind them and walked forward. Forward to whatever awaited him at his old house, or, one of them anyway.
… Wow… I managed to prolong that… I don't know whether to be disappointed in myself or proud… ^_^" Sorry, it's finals week and I still have the play and I know this seems like filler, but it's actually pretty important stuff… I'm sorry anyways! (I seem to be saying that a lot…) I wasn't going to post this until I got a bit further, but I felt bad about not updating, and this chapter was already getting pretty long, so… yeah… Hope you enjoyed this chapter anyways, I tried to make it funny… did I succeed? Man, I hope so… I wanted to make Marik's memories more hateful and sad, but I'll get into that later I suppose… TT_TT
… I'm failing… horribly… please bear with me…
~~~{REVIEW REPLIES!}~~~
Littlekuriboh1fan: Lol, that's what I liked about last chapter too, the fact that they're on a date and don't really notice. I think I'll just keep my title, I don't know… I also wanted someone to hit a tree, and I figured Marik should :3 And yes, you are evil.
Glad you liked the movie scene ^^ I also liked it. And, I don't know, in my mind, Bakura's ticklish… don't ask why it makes sense to me. And sure you're worthy!
Glad you like this story! =)
That's What Cheese Said: Lols, you know, I was just randomly looking on my iPod Touch wondering if you reviewed and you did XD you're an assortment of happiness and awesome yourself! Same as everyone who actually reviews this thing. And I felt like making 'Kura drunk, but spiking Ryou's drink is interesting… maybe later :3
I thought that Marik was like the girl too! And then I'm like, "Wait… she fell in love… with a thief…" I would have burst out laughing in the theatre if another song hadn't started XD I hoped you liked Isis! I wasn't exactly sure how to portray her… loveable older sister, or serious person?
And yes, two snow days ^^ They were fun, sorry you didn't get more than one though, that sucks.
Bec: Lol, that's what I think too - that this is like a cartoon series XD I'm glad you like it! And, I don't know, I just felt like when I started writing Bakura's thoughts when they were sledding that he was thinking to fast, but I didn't know how to make him think slower… if that makes any sense -_-" I'm glad you liked it though! I tend to read slowly too for the same reason, to absorb everything that happened and permanently burn it into my memory.
My writing seems to have gotten longer without my knowing it… it kind of feels nice, and I am busy, but I've been staying up late because I don't feel like going to sleep even though I know I should and I've taking up writing at my school now because ideas come to me when I daydream in class. I should probably pay attention more… And the snow days had a lot to do with it, we couldn't go anywhere so, I sat down and wrote.
I also loved writing what they were going to do for the day because they're pretty much planning a date, and I just thought that would be funny. And yeah, Bakura feels like telling him, but isn't sure about it yet, and Marik's just an oblivious little wolf or something like that. I have plans… so… many… plans… my brain is close to bursting!
Hm… I didn't actually think of the Valentines Day thing, I might actually do one of those later on, but they're still in January in this fic, so it won't appear till much, much later.
I'm glad you liked the "Yes, I don't speak Spanish," because I wanted to make people laugh there ^-^ That's why I put it there and I'm glad I made you laugh so hard! XD
I made up the title 'Chocolates and Flowers' but it might be an actual movie somewhere… I don't know. Also, I liked all of the titles you came up with especially ObliviDate, just cause it sounds cool, but I'll probably just keep it the same… or maybe I'll change it to "Unofficial Date." That was my other idea. Not really sure yet… ^_^"
Bakura's deep brown eyes: Lol, I'm glad you like my story XD And you're writing kind of makes sense… I understand it anyway, I think they're cute too XD Glad you read it all and reviewed too! I have a question thought, what does "FGSDFG" stand for? If it's personal or something you don't have to tell me, I was just curios.