WARNINGS:

A) Isis is even MORE OOC in this chapter… Rishid might be OOC too… I DON'T KNOW! ^_^"

B) Innuendo(s)…

C) Some depressing parts

D) Things get a little confusing when it switches form Isis' to Bakura's POV quickly, but I couldn't find a better way to do it...

ALSO! If you call someone by just their name with no honorifics in Japan, then that means: "…that the speaker has permission to address the person in a very intimate

way. Usually, only family, spouses, or very close friends have this kind of permission. … it can be gratifying when someone who has earned the intimacy starts to call one by one's name without any honorific. But when that intimacy hasn't been earned it can also be very insulting." I am pointing this out because Marik and Bakura don't call each other by honorifics… XD

Chapter 26: Approval

Isis

"Come on Marik," I said to myself out loud, "Get here!" I was pacing around the house waiting for Marik to show up, if he showed up… He better show up. I had finished making the salmon and the house was already sparkling, so I had nothing to do to keep me preoccupied while I waited. When will he get here?

I ran up the stairs just because and looked out of my bedroom window to see Marik as son as he appears on the street. I knew he would be walking because he wouldn't have the money to buy another motorcycle like the one he has in storage in America, and he doesn't believe in taxis ("why pay someone to take you where you're going if you can drive yourself or just walk?" he used to always say). I wonder if he even knows I have the Millennium Necklace… he probably doesn't, he didn't know much before he left. If he had stayed longer… well… something very bad and slightly good would have happened, I'll leave it at that.

I got fed up looking out of the window for him, so I ran back downstairs and decided to try and read a magazine or something. I glanced over a paragraph before the doorbell rang and I jumped up to answer it. "Hello?" I called as I flung the door open.

It was Marik!

"Marik!" I say as I hug him, "You came!" it's then that I notice there's something in between us, something fluffy. I stand back form him and notice that he's holding a white cat with a red collar. I look at the cat and smile, "I always knew you'd buy a cat," I say, but inside I'm thinking, The Necklace never said anything about a cat… though I'm glad that vampire's not with him. "You always loved them more than people…"

"I did not!" Marik denied his unusual liking for cats, "Cat's are just… Cuter?" he said with a little smirk. Why he smirked, I don't know, but his cat let out a low growl.

"What's his name?" I asked curiously.

"Um…" he hesitated a little bit, though I don't know why, "… Fluffy…" The cat stretched and jumped down from his arms after he said that. He seemed to be mad at something…

"Why'd you name him Fluffy?"

Marik smirked, "Because he is! So… why did you call me here?"

I smile brightly, "I just wanted to see my baby brother!"

Marik scowled, "I'm not a baby Isis, how many times have I told you that?"

I sighed, "Marik, you'll always be my baby brother. Live with it," I swear I just heard a cat-like laugh, but that's insane… I must have just imagined it… "Don't just stand there!" I tell him, "Come inside!" I step aside to allow him entrance. He walks in and immediately starts closing the blinds while his cat walks around, exploring his new surroundings. "Why are you closing the blinds?" I ask him curiously.

He smiles at me, "I'm tired of my tan skin and trying to make it more pale," he says very seriously. I blink at him. "Oh… okay…" what can you say to that?

"Besides, vampires would trust you more if you looked more like them right?"

"… Right…" I swear, if this vampire brainwashed Marik or something he's going to die. I walk towards him, "I made salmon. You're favorite."

Marik stares at me with a blank face, "Isis," he says carefully, "Why did you call me here?"

I sigh and sit down on the couch, "I told you, I wanted to see my brother…"

He sits down next to me, "You always have a reason for things Isis, you never do things just to "see people." So why am I here?"

I looked at him, and almost felt like giving him the Millennium Necklace right then and there, but if I did that he'd leave right away. I smile innocently instead, "Okay, you caught me. There is a reason I called you here, but I'll tell you about that later, right now I want you to tell me everything that's been going on with you!"

Marik blinked a couple times and a light blush (very light; so light only someone who was used to seeing Marik's skin color would notice it) came to his face and he scratched the back of his head and said, "Um… I've been collecting the Millennium Items…"

"By yourself?" I ask like I really am curious. I already know the answer, but I want to see if he'll lie to me.

He swallows and says, "No… I've been collecting them with… um, a vampire?" he asks the last part in a question to see my reaction.

I take a deep breath - at least he didn't lie to me. I smile, trying to show only support, "Okay…"

Marik's eyes widen, "Wow, I thought you would've started yelling at me Isis."

"… I'm trying not to," I say closing my eyes and rubbing my temples, "Marik, do you have any idea how worried you've made me? Running off like that, befriending a vampire," I realize my mistake and correct I before Marik realizes it, "I mean, I just find out that you've befriended a vampire… don't you remember that one girl?"

"Yes," Marik cut me off coldly, "Bakura wouldn't do that. He can't."

"His names' Bakura?" I ask genuinely. That was one of the things I didn't know. The Necklace doesn't give you audio, it only has visual, usually only images or flashes too, so I didn't know the vampire's name.

Marik nodded, "Yes."

"Are…" I begin, "… Are you having fun?"

He smiled, "Yeah, surprisingly. It's fun to find these Items. Though Bakura likes to tease me a lot."

Okay, I swear I heard that white cat chuckle. Maybe he had a hairball or something… I sigh, "Well, as long as you're having fun…"

Marik smiles. "Wow Isis, I though you would be a lot angrier."

"Well, you already befriended him so…" I pause before asking, "You're not brainwashed are you?"

He laughed, "Of course not! Seriously Isis, Bakura's an okay guy, once you get to know him."

"… I see…" my little brother's comments make me wonder how much of the future I've seen had happened… "And… you're friends?" I ask.

Marik nodded, "Though it took him forever to admit it."

I bite my lip, unsure if I should ask my next question, "And… you're just friends?"

Marik looks confused, "Yeah, what else is there?"

I resist the urge to sigh in relief, "Oh, never mind. Just making sure he's not using you for your blood or anything like that."

Marik shook his head, "Bakura isn't like that," I see him hesitate like he wants to say more, but it seems as if he skips past it and says something else, "I've learned that vampires have a lot more powers too… like," he glanced at his cat, who was currently sleeping on a chair, but he looked to tense to be sleeping, "… did you know vampires can turn into cats?"

My eyes widen, "Really? That's amazing!" I say in a sort of awe-struck voice. But then my face freezes and my blood runs cold. I turn my head slightly to the 'cat' sleeping on the chair. I look at the cat fiercely for a second before turning my head back to Marik, "So… that cat is actually your vampire friend?" I ask, trying to keep the hate out of my voice.

Marik could obviously hear it anyway because he gulps and says, "Yeah… Bakura, you can come out now…"

The cat doesn't move at first. It opens one eye sleepily, yawns, jumps down from the chair, and then starts expanding until it forms a tall, very pale young man with white hair and brown eyes. He's dressed all in black, which brings out the contrast of his pale skin even more. The only color on him is a red bracelet around his wrist. Wait a minute… that was the collar that was around his neck… why does he have a collar?

I force a smile on my face, "Hello… It's… nice to meet you…"

That white vampire smirked at me and said, "Aw, you don't have to pretend for my sake. It's obvious you hate me, just say so. You don't want to teach you baby brother to lie do you?"

Marik glared at him, "Don't call me that!" he says angrily.

The vampire glared at him too, "Well, I told you not to call me Fluffy and you did anyways!"

Marik smirked, "But that's your new cat name 'Kura!"

The vampire growled, but I interrupted before he could day anything more, "Marik," they both turned to look at me, the face on the vampire told me that he had forgotten I was even there, "why don't you go set the table? Me and Bakura-san need to have a little talk."

Marik seemed worried for a second, "I'm not hungry yet… you can still talk though!" he said, relaxing more on the couch, signifying that he wasn't going to move anytime soon.

I sighed, "Oh come now Marik, what do you think is going to happen?"

Marik raised one eyebrow, "Gee, I don't know Isis, why don't you tell me?"

I crossed my arms, "Oh come on! I won't hurt him or anything!" I could tell that the vampire was a little angry at my last comment. He probably thought I wouldn't be able to hurt him. Stupid arrogant vampires, always doubting humans. He probably doesn't think I can hurt him 'cause I'm girl too! I've always hated that, ah well, it gives me an advantage 'cause then the vampires don't know what hit them.

Marik stood up angrily, "You better not! I know you don't like vampires much Isis, but you have to give them a chance! Isn't that what mom always said?"

I felt my anger leave me in one steady gust. I sighed, "Yes… yes she did… But you have to understand Marik, considering your past with vampires… not even including that one girl -"

"Don't bring that up!" Marik said angrily. I blinked a couple times and glanced at the vampire. He had one eyebrow raised; the only indication that he didn't know what I was talking about.

I looked at Marik again, "Please just go set the table, what can happen in that small amount of time?"

Marik was about to say something, but then a ghostly white hand appeared on his shoulder, "It'll be fine Marik," the body belonging to the hand said, "I'll control my anger and I can always just run away if your sister gets too mad at me," he smirked, "I'll probably be gone by the time you get back anyway."

I felt the anger come to me again, "What are you insinuating? That I have an anger problem?"

That idiotic vampire shrugged mockingly, "I didn't 'insinuate' anything, maybe you're just sensitive to your problems."

I was about to yell at him, but then saw the look on Marik's face. I took a deep breath and smiled at him, "See? I'm fine…"

Marik rolled his eyes, "You're about as fine as a vampire around blood." The vampire glared at him and he smirked back, walking away from the hand that was still on his shoulder, "I'll be right back. Don't kill each other, and don't make Isis mad Bakura! She will hurt you!" he yelled at him just before he went into the kitchen.

The vampire rolled his eyes, "He has no faith in me, even though I've saved his life plenty of times…"

"How many times?" I asked.

He smirked, "Does that catch the big sister's interests?"

I felt my eye start to twitch, "You're not exactly making a good impression."

He shrugged right before he plopped down on the chair, "Maybe I don't care what you think of me?" I say down as well, and then he asked me, "What did you mean when you talked about Marik's history with vampires? He already told me about the seduction thing - I can't do that by the way - but it seemed like you were 'insinuating' more than that."

I smile slightly, "Well, it seems that Marik hasn't told you everything, has he now?"

He glares at me, "He's told me plenty…" Yes! My comment got to him! Ha ha! Take that you arrogant vampire!

I shrug, "You'll have to ask him, I'm not going to tell you anything." He rolled his eyes and it was silent for a moment. "Why do you wear that collar?" I ask curiously.

He smirks, "Ah, well, you see, your little brother got it for me. Wasn't that sweet of him?" his smirk deepens, "He got it for my cat form… thought it might come in handy later…"

I feel righteous fury and disgust fill me, "How dare you…! Even imply that… horrid! Nasty! UGH!"

He laughs boisterously, "I was simply implying it will come in handy in case people find me in cat form and wonder who I belong to. And I can't change back because it's daylight. What did you think I was implying?" he smirks knowingly.

I feel my face turn red with anger, "You know exactly what you were implying! Don't deny it!"

He chuckles, "All right fine. But you know, it's not really an impossibility since he already got me the collar… I mean, I can't read his mind… and he was talking about getting a leash…"

I glower at him, and he just laughs at me, clearly enjoying himself. After we both calm down it's silent once again. I clear my throat, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, whether or not you'll get the truth is an entirely different story all together," he responds as he inspects his nails carelessly.

I hesitate, wondering if I should ask when the answer already points to 'no,' "… How do you… I mean, do you… like Marik?" He freezes up. "You can tell me the truth; all of these rooms are soundproofed," I narrow my eyes dangerously, "my dad liked to 'teach the vampires a lesson' before he killed them. That's how we found out where the vampires were hiding. And of course he taught these 'lessons' to all of us."

He's standing as still as a statue, then he smirks, "Well he is good looking… I wouldn't mind spending many a night with him."

I almost feel a growl come up my throat and through my mouth, but I stop it just in time and say, "That's not what I meant and you know it!"

"But it's the truth you know," he says with a snicker, "He's such a pretty boy… no wonder you're worried about anyone getting close to him. You worry about that every day don't you?" I just glare at him, not wanting to say anything lest he twist those words around too.

The smirk disappears gradually from his face until he looks like he's concentrating, contemplating, probably deciding what to tell me. He's as still as glass again, avoiding my eyes. He sighs, "Is it that obvious…?" he says running a hand through his hair with a sort of disappointed yet honest, faraway yet so close look in his eyes. As I notice many other emotions flicker across his face, I feel my own eyes widen in surprise. He's not lying! He actually cares for Marik? But… The way he was talking earlier only made it seem as if he was attracted to him… and I didn't even think vampires could love humans! Didn't they just want to drink their blood and not deal with them ever again? Well, this certainly changes things. I thought he was just using Marik, but he actually likes him? Why? What happened? Wow, Rishid was right. And so was Marik. My eyes widen again. Does Marik even know?

Bakura

"Is it that obvious…?" I ask Marik's sister. Wow. I thought I was a better actor than this, I thought I could hide things better than that, but… it was that obvious? How was she able to tell that fast? Is it my eyes? My body language? My words? Do my words betray me? Do all of my actions just scream, "I like Marik fucking Ishtar"? How did she find out? If she could see it, then how long till Marik…

I don't get it. I just don't get it. Here I thought I was being clever, being careful, being - dare I sat it - patient, but it was that obvious all along? But… all those times… It didn't seem like Marik understood at all… it seemed as if he was clueless to my feelings…

Maybe he's the actor? Maybe he knew before I even knew and he's using that against me… Maybe he's just fooling me into thinking I have this secret - this confession - just so that I'll stick with him and collect these stupid Items - cause who knows what other idiot would help him collect these stupid things. That evil, scheming bastard! How dare he do this to me! And here I thought I was slowly bending him to my will, and he was slowly bending me to his! And here I thought… wheat about that kiss? He seemed to enjoy it just a little… was that a lie? And he seemed so happy when he found out I wasn't dead, was it just a little acting to pull me along like some puppet?

Screw love. Fuck it! If this is what love is like then I don't want it. Never knowing if the person you like likes you back. Doubting all of their actions. Misinterpreting all their actions, never knowing what he really means or how he feels. Anger that he might not feel the same way. Impatience that he's not getting how you feel right away. I don't want any of that!

I should just leave, I should just go. I was better off on my own - I was better off before Marik showed up in my fucking life. He showed up and brought all this stupid emotions and doubts with him… I should just leave. I should just find a new house and stay there. Marik can find the rest of the Items without me - he has his sister now anyways. He probably won't care, he'll probably be happy - he doesn't have to deal with my crap anymore. He doesn't have to listen to my teasing. The more I think about it, the more I think that it would be better if I just left. Yes… I should just leave. It's the perfect solution!

I'm about to storm out of the room angrily when she shakes her head and says, "It's not really obvious, but I'm an older sister. I have intuition regarding this sort of thing."

And with those two sentences, I feel all my anger evaporate. Of course, I say to myself, older sister intuition… I've heard of that. So that means… that Marik doesn't know? It's not obvious? He's completely oblivious to my feelings? That means he's now just playing me like some guitar? That means I should stay and help him with his ridiculous quest?

I feel a sort of happy fluttering in my stomach as I think this last thought:

That means I still have a chance?

Isis

I shake my head, deciding to finally answering his question, "It's not really obvious, but I'm an older sister. I have intuition regarding this sort of thing." I decided not to tell him about the Millennium Necklace just yet.

He raises an eyebrow at me, "Doesn't that bother you?"

"What do you mean?"

He shuffles his feet, "You know… How I feel about him," he glances at the kitchen door just a little nervously, probably worried Marik's going to walk through the door any second. "Are you sure these walls are soundproofed?" he asks.

I smile, "Yes. So I'm guessing he doesn't know?"

He avoids my gaze, a light pink blush coming to his cheeks (though his extremely pale skin enhanced the blush to make it look almost as red as his collar), "No…" He stares at the carpet.

I smile happily, but then I narrow my eyes suspiciously in the next second, thinking that he might be lying to me just so that I won't be suspicious of him. "How can I be sure you're telling me the truth?"

He glances at me, "If I was lying, why would I avoid your gaze? Why would I care if he's going to walk through that damn, flimsy-looking door? And why would my stupid face heat up?" he sounds mostly angry at himself for the last one as he puts his head into his hand in anguish.

I shrug, "Maybe you used to be an actor before you changed into a vampire. I don't know."

He glares at me angrily, "If I give you my fucking word that I actually do…" he hesitated just a little bit, "… care… for your brother, will you stop bringing it up?"

I look at him coldly, though I am amused that he can't say 'love,' "A vampire's word is about as trustworthy as a liar's."

A small smile comes to his lips, "Or as trustworthy as a thief's?" I nod and he snickers. "How unlucky, I qualify as all three."

I glare at him, but jut then Marik comes out, "Done! Come and eat!"

Narrator

Two Ishtars and a vampire sat at a kitchen table eating baked salmon. Although, the vampire wasn't enjoying it as much as the Ishtars - he would much rather have blood. A certain someone's blood.

Anyway, Isis was asking Marik tons of questions, to which he answered honestly to each one. She was trying to ignore the vampire because she was certain that he would only anger her. Plus, she still didn't trust him. Bakura knew this, but he didn't know how to change her mind about it. Why did she hate him so much anyway? Of course he probably hadn't helped matters either…

"… and that's how we got the Millennium Eye," Marik concluded the story of Pegasus' Island.

Isis seemed very enthusiastic about this story, "So that vampire almost died?"

Marik sighed, " 'That vampire' has a name Isis."

"But he did almost die, correct?"

"Yes," Bakura answered, "I almost died," to protect your brother, The words went unspoken between them, though Isis chose to ignore them. She knew of a vampire that had went to more drastic measures than risking their life to get blood. Vampires were known to be daredevils because of their enhanced skills and endurance.

"Anyway," Marik interrupted the glaring contest between his sister and his friend, "we don't know where the rest of the Items are, so we're going to travel around the world to find them."

Isis turned to look at him, "When are you planning on leaving?"

"We haven't decided yet," Bakura said for him, "we still need to but the tickets."

Isis stared coldly at him, "I wasn't talking to you."

"If it was up to you, you'd drive a clichéd steak right through my heart, so I don't care if you weren't talking to me."

She narrowed her eyes dangerously, and Marik intervened by reaching across the table for some butter, "Excuse me."

Isis smiled at her brother, "Of course. Marik, could you clean up while I show… Bakura-san," she still didn't like to call the vampire by his actual name, "around the house?"

Marik glared at her just a little bit, "Anything but the basement."

Isis rolled her eyes, "Of course I won't show him the basement! Have some faith in me Marik."

"It's kind of hard when you've been trying to kill Bakura with your eyes." Isis was about to retort, when her eyes got all glassy. Marik looked at her worriedly. "Isis?" he asked, "You okay?"

She looked at him woodenly, "… You just called him Bakura…"

Marik and Bakura shared a look that said, "She's gone crazy…"

"Yes," Bakura said, "That's my name."

"… You called him Bakura instead of Bakura-san…"

They both seemed confused, "Yeah… and?"

"You don't use honorifics?"

Marik blinked once, "We tried once, but it didn't work. They're a pain anyway."

"Oh… I see…"

"What's in the basement?" Bakura asked curiously. Isis couldn't believe that dropping the honorifics was so easy to them…

"Oh just some…" Isis started, then glanced at Marik, in case he didn't want Bakura to know.

Marik looked at Isis and sighed. "Torture devices," he said looking at his friend, "for vampires. "My dad… was very fond of them."

Bakura looked at Marik, "… I see…" It seemed that every thing he heard of Marik's father only made him want to kill the horrid man more and more… "Well, skipping that delightful room," Bakura says, "I would love to see the rest of your charming little house."

"Knock off the sarcasm Bakura," Marik chastises.

Bakura smirks, "But my dear Marik, that's who I am." He revels in the anger in Isis' face - he was hoping that comment would get to her.

She walks out of the room and Bakura follows her. As soon as the kitchen door closes she turns on him and says in a hushed, angry whisper, "Who gave you permission to call him 'my dear'? Because I certainly didn't!"

He laughed loudly, "Who says I need permission from you? Marik didn't seem to care or mind at all!" he laughs for a few good moments before calming down and saying, "What do I have to do to make you like me?"

"You can't do anything," Isis says with her arms crossed, "You're a vampire, and as long as you stay one I can't be certain that you're not just gonna go and drain my brother because he does something you don't like!"

Bakura sighed impatiently, "I'm not just going to drain him!"

"How can I be sure you're not just lying? Vampires are prone to say anything for a bite."

Bakura scrunched his face up, "That's racist."

"No, vampires are a different species all together. If anything it's specist." Isis said "specist" in English because it's easier to make up words in that language.

Bakura raises an eyebrow, "Specist, really?"

"Just follow me," Isis says as she stalks off.

It's silent for a while until Bakura says, "What if I told you that a, friend of mine is making a cure for vampirism?"

Isis stops instantly and turns to him. "… What?" she says, obvious disbelief written all over her words, "That's impossible! Once you change there's no going back."

Bakura shrugged, "He says he's almost gotten the cure done," of course it appears that he's been saying that for months but she doesn't need to know that, Bakura wisely keeps to himself.

Isis stares at him. "And… when he finds the cure, you'll take it?"

Bakura avoids her eyes for a second. To be completely honest - Bakura didn't know if he'd take the cure. It was kind of like Pegasus' potion all over again; he still had some hesitation. I mean… as long as he was a vampire, he and Marik had a special connection that you don't get if you're human - Blood Packs. As long as he remained a vampire, he had a special connection to Marik that no one else had. That made him feel special (which he liked to feel), and filled him with just a little more hope. He didn't just want to take it away like that. If he was human that connection would be… just… gone. Not to mention that being a Blood Pack has saved both of their lives. How could he just give that up?

But… as long as he was a vampire, Isis wouldn't trust him it seemed. Why is life so unfair? Why couldn't it just make him and Marik two regular people who meet each other and fall in love that way? Why did it have to make all these stupid complications? First, he's a freaking spirit inside of a ring, and he doesn't even have a body, and then he turns into a vampire. Marik grew up to be a vampire hunter, but then he turned rebellious. Against all odds, they found each other and are now working together for a common goal, but Isis can never trust him because of what he is! It's not fair! Why couldn't fate just be humane and killed Bakura off a long time ago - in ancient Egypt, when he should have died? Why did it have to even make vampires in the first place? If there were no vampires there would be no need for vampire hunters, and then Marik wouldn't have had to have such a horrid childhood.

But… if Bakura had did when he was in Egypt, then he would have never met Marik… There was no way that could be an option. And if he wasn't a vampire and Marik wasn't a vampire hunter… then would they have met in the first place? The whole reason they had met to begin with was because Marik needed a vampire to help him with his quest…

Maybe fate isn't so cruel after all.

So it all came back to the previous question: "Would he take the cure?" He still didn't know. He still wanted that special connection, but it would also be a good idea to have the person of his affections' sister to like him too… Besides, the odds of Yugi ever finding the cure are against him, so… "Yes," Bakura says, his voice sure, "I will take the cure. And when I do, you'll approve?"

Isis narrows her eyes, "… We shall see… Your voice sounds true, but you might just be a bigger liar than I thought. So only time will tell it seems."

Bakura crosses his arms, "You know what? No matter what I'll say you'll just think I'm lying won't you? So it's obvious I need to do something to prove to you that I'm not just toying with Marik and using him for his blood. And I think I know just the thing…" he decides that it's time to test out that shadow-entering thing that vampires can do. He closes his eyes and imagines himself slipping into the darkness of Isis' shadow… melting into darkness, becoming the darkness… he starts to feel his body ebb away into a more intangible form, and he knows he must be doing something right because he hears Isis gasp. Soon Bakura feels normal again, like he hadn't done anything at all and he had just been standing there. He opens his eyes to see what went wrong, and finds that he's staring up at the ceiling. He turns his head and sees Isis standing above him. He tries to look down and just sees darkness. No, a shadow.

He's inside Isis' shadow.

"Bakura-san?" Isis says, clearly nervous, her voice ringing with defense as she moves around cautiously, picking up a lamp in case he sneaks up on her.

"Boo," Bakura says spookily, watching in amusement as Isis turns around, swinging the lamp in a downward motion. He can't help but notice that if he had been standing there, he might have actually gotten hit. "Down here," Bakura says, bringing her attention to the floor. Her eyes widen as she puts the lamp back on the table from whence it came, "Bakura-san?" she asked like she didn't believe it was really him, "How did… another vampire power?"

"Yup, now come on, we don't have a lot of time before Marik realizes we'll be gone and comes looking for us." Bakura concentrates on Isis' legs moving and is pleasantly surprised when they do so forcefully. She stares at her legs - her eyes wide with shock, "How, how are you doing that?" she asks, just a little scared. But only a little.

"Just another perk of being a vampire, come on! We don't have a lot of time," he concentrates on making her run and she starts to do so.

Isis found herself being completely lost - her father never told her what to do if a vampire did this, and what could you do anyway?

Marik

I finished washing the dishes in a few minutes since there weren't that many, and I hurry through the house to try and find my sister and Bakura before something really bad happens. I don't necessarily mean death, but… Look, my sister really hates vampires, especially ones that I interact with, even if I'm just fighting them. I know Isis is overprotective, but it was all right because Rishid understood that I needed to grow and help Isis back at the most important times. I wonder where Rishid is… if only he were here, then I wouldn't have to worry about finding a bloody mess somewhere with both of them saying the other started it or some other immature, kindergartener phrase.

As I wander through the house, I'm starting to wonder where they could have possibly gone. I mean, it's not like this house is a mansion, where could they have gone?

I freeze as a picture of Isis using one of the torture devices on Bakura enters my mind. I shake my head to get rid of the ridiculous thought while I resist the urge to run down the stairs and crash through the basement doors screaming at the top of my lungs, "STOP!"

… Instead of doing that I take a deep breath and tell myself that Isis would never do that, not unless Bakura really pissed her off…

I start running down the stairs.

I mean, I'm sure Bakura would be able to handle it himself, but… what if Isis did catch him? I don't really want him to be tortured by those horrible machines - they haven't even been cleaned in a year. They're probably not even sharp…

I run faster as a picture of Bakura's severed head enters my mind.

Maybe I'm just a little paranoid, but you don't know some stuff… My history with vampires isn't a very good one. That seductive-vampire-girl was the worst by far but… Let's just say, Bakura's not the first vampire I befriended…

I come face to face with the basement door as I remember the first vampire I tried to befriend:

"NO!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, "You can't kill him dad! You can't!" I'm only nine years old at this time. I had made friends with a little boy whom I found while out on one of my first vampire steak-outs. We had got along great, we were just one nine year old talking to another, bonding, finding stuff out about the other - typical friend stuff. There was only one problem.

He was a vampire.

"He's a vampire Marik!" my dad yelled back at me while he slapped my hands away from his. He had a nine-year-old vampire kid held tightly in his grasp - bleeding all over so that he was weakened and couldn't escape. "He shouldn't even be alive!"

"But he's just a kid!" I yell desperately as tears well up in my eyes, "He's just a little kid like me! How can he be evil?"

"All vampires are evil son! No matter their age! It's our job to kill them, not befriend them!" I make one more desperate attempt for my friend, but my dad slaps my face this time, sending me to the ground in a painful descent. I rub my cheek as tears run down m cheeks freely. I stare at the nine-year-old one more time.

His eyes are so sad… he doesn't understand what's happening to him. I talked to him before. He didn't even understand what he had become. He told me that one day he just woke up and he felt thirsty… but not for water. He told me that when he tried to walk outside in the sun, he got burned. He told me that he felt scared, that he felt so alone now… though he didn't know why. He told me that he couldn't go back to his family anymore because he felt… he felt like ripping people's throats out and drinking their blood, and he was afraid that he'd do that to his family. He was scared. He was only a child. He was just going through blood lust. I was sure if we just got him some blood that he'd be better and then we could help him control his new blood cravings, but my dad wouldn't listen.

"How dare you disobey me!" my father roared at me, "I'm doing this for your own good Marik! Nothing good can come from being friends with a vampire, nothing!" he picked me up by my arm too and started carrying us both to the basement. "He's evil Marik!" he continued to tell me, "No matter how innocent he feels, no matter the age before the change, he is still a vampire! He is still a danger to humans! He's an even bigger danger as he is now because he doesn't know how to control it!"

"We could teach him!" I scream desperately at my dad, despite knowing that he'll just slap me again - which he did, but I keep speaking anyway, "We could help him control it dad! Please! Just -"

"YOU CAN'T HELP VAMPIRES CONTROL THEIR NEED OF BLOOD!" my dad roared at me before he descended into the dark basement. He turned on a flickering, dim light bulb as he placed my friend into a chair. He started putting the straps around his wrists and ankles, and I rushed forward, trying to stop him, the tears like little streams running down my face. He slaps me away once again and says, "I will show you what this vampire deserves Marik!" he says as he puts his hand on a lever, "I will show you what all vampires deserve!" he pulls the lever down and I shut my eyes tight as the blade comes down, splitting him right into two pieces. I curl up, not wanting to see what happened to my friend, though I already know what he'll look like. I flinch as I feel arms wrap around me, thinking it's my dad and he's going to force me to look at what happened to my friend. But the hands are too gentle for them to be my dad. I look up and see my mom's worried face. She was crying too. "It's okay Marik," she whispered, "I'm sure that poor child's in a better place now…" she wraps me up in a hug as she starts to cry herself, "It's okay… It's okay…" It sounded like she was trying to convince herself of that fact along with me. I buried my face into her shoulder, and she started to carry me up the stairs so I wouldn't have to see what happened to that poor nine-year-old. "What do you think you're doing?" I hear my dad's voice call out angrily just as my mom's foot hit's the bottom of the stairs. I feel her turn, and she says, "Trying to preserve my son's innocence," right before she ascends up the stairs, away from the hate and the pain of the torturous basement.

I would tell you the name of the vampire child, but my dad erased it from my memory, just like he erased all of my other vampire friends form existence.

That is why I'm afraid of leaving Isis and Bakura alone. That is why I'm terrified of this basement and find that I can't take one lousy step into the dark abyss of misery. That is why I'm so afraid that my dad will find me. I'm afraid that he'll kill another of my vampire friends once again.

I'm afraid that he'll take Bakura away from me.

Narrator

While Marik was reliving his painful memories, Bakura was leading Isis to the nearest book store. He thought that it was time she read a little novel entitled, "A Vampire Story."

However, she did not know what Bakura had in store for her: "Where are you taking me?" she demanded to know.

Unfortunately for her, Bakura had no intentions to tell her what he was planning anytime soon, "Patience, patience," Bakura responded cryptically, "just hold on a second more."

Isis just grinded her teeth; it's not like she had much choice in the matter, considering Bakura was controlling all of her leg movements. She tried to gain control of her legs, but found this to be very difficult and headache-inducing. Even still she tried again, afraid of where this strange vampire would lead her.

But she needn't have worried of feared, for Bakura soon came to his destination (one of the only places he knew how to get to): the library. He walked right inside, up to where he knew where "A Vampire Story" was, and forced her to take it into her hands and flip to the page where it first explains what a Blood Pack is.

"What are you doing?" Isis asked in a whisper, "Why am I looking at a book?"

"Just shut up and start reading."

She was about to yell at him for being so rude to her, when her arms jerked upward, pushing the book into her face. She scowled but started reading, not wanting to create a scene and have people start staring at her. "Can I at least sit down?" she mumbled quietly, but soon had to suppress a little shout of surprise as she felt her legs move towards a chair and force her into it. "Thanks for being gentle," she muttered crossly, receiving only a deep chuckle in return. She sighed and started reading whatever the heck this blood-sucking vampire picked out for her.

One passage later, Isis was staring at the book in shock. She could not believe what she had just read. She glanced at her shadow, where she knew Bakura was hiding, "… Bakura-san," she said calmly, "what exactly are you trying to tell me here?"

"What do you think?" he snapped back, obviously annoyed.

She stared at the page. "Are you telling me…" she began, "That Marik is… a Blood Pack?"

"Yes, but he's not just any Blood Pack, he's mine."

Isis gulped at how possessive those words sounded. She was silent for a minute before saying, "And exactly how was this supposed to make me like you better?"

"Because, it says that vampires are overprotective of their Blood Packs. I wouldn't be able to stand it if Marik died. I don't even want to think about it."

"But it also says that his blood tastes the best to you, so that means he's even more of a temptation for you, which means that you might just suck him up one day."

She could feel Bakura's frustration, "What did I just say? I. Couldn't. Stand. It. If. Marik. Died! Get that through your skull!"

Isis didn't speak for a moment, so Bakura spoke again, "Besides, did you get to the part where it tells how Blood Packs are decided?"

"Yes," she interrupted smoothly.

"And…?"

She scowled, "I still don't give my approval… and I'm going to need some proof of this, this, 'Blood Pack' thing first."

Bakura sighed, "Fine, it's time we went back anyways." He forced her up and she scowled. "I can walk back to my house!" she said in a huffed yet quiet voice.

"Fine," Bakura said, relinquishing the power over her legs. She had to move them to get the feel back in them again, but then she started walking back to the bookshelf to put the book away, and then on to her house.

"I'm not liking these new vampire powers at all. And I thought that seduction thing was bad enough, now I find out Marik's a Blood Pack? Something that I wasn't even aware existed? How much more can one sister take?"

She heard Bakura chuckle, "This all sucks for you, doesn't it?"

If Bakura had been physically there at the time, she would have glared at him, but as it was she could only fume silently, "Yes. Yes, very much so." He chuckled again.

They walked on in silence while Isis tried to organize her thoughts.

If Marik really turned out to be a… Blood Pack… then that means that he was probably safer with Bakura than with anyone else. If he really was overprotective as he said, but he could just be lying about that too. Heck, for all she knows, Blood Packs don't even exist! Maybe Bakura's just using his knowledge of vampire novels to trick her so that she won't worry about Marik anymore.

But… if it turns out he's telling the truth… then she saw no other reasons not to trust him. But she didn't have to like him - oh no, she didn't have to do that. She could still hate him purely for the reason that she doesn't think he'd be good enough for her brother. Not because he's a boy, but because he's rude, mean, arrogant, stuck-up, a know-it-all, and last but not least, a vampire! Honestly, she could care less if he was male, female or whatever! That didn't matter to her - she had always kind of assumed that her brother swung in that direction anyway, but she still didn't have to like him did she? There was no rule saying she had to like him was there? Besides that, Marik seemed so… happy with him. He seemed happier than she'd seen him in a long time. Even when they had started arguing, he had still had fun.

Shouldn't that be enough for her? Shouldn't she be happy for her brother that he's found someone that can make him so happy without even trying too hard? Then why wasn't she happy? Why did she hate this vampire with such a strong passion?

Because he's not what you expected Isis, she answers her own question, he's not what you expected or wanted for Marik so you're dead set against it.

She stifled a sigh, why couldn't she just be happy for Marik like Rishid? Rishid didn't seem at all affected by the fact that Marik was hanging out with a vampire. "As long as Marik's happy, I'm happy," he had said to her when she asked.

If only it could be that simple for a sister.

As Isis' thoughts toned down, she asked Bakura, "Do you know why Marik wears those golden accessories?"

"You mean the jewelry?" Bakura clarified, "he told me it was for protection, but he wasn't sure from what."

Isis sighed, "It is for protection," she said, beginning the story of the golden accessories, "those access-"

"Jewelry," Bakura interrupted, "It's jewelry, there's no denying that."

Isis was about to deny this, but then she sighed, defeated, "All right… yes, it's jewelry. But don't tell him that."

She could feel Bakura's smirk, "I already have, you were saying?"

"Right, that jewelry was forged by the best blacksmith in the world. He still is the best by the way, even though he's dead. Anyway, they were forged from fire and holy gold, and interspersed with magic. Not a fighting magic, or a protective magic, but an absorbing magic.

"That jewelry was worn by the strongest vampire in existence - I'm fairly certain he still is too - and they absorbed all of his strength, so that whoever wears them will be able to regain his strength in times of need."

There was silence, then, "Why are you telling me this?" Bakura asked.

"Because I know Marik, and he'd hate himself if he ever hurt you or anyone on accident. And I have a feeling that you're going to anger him a lot in the future," having a feeling, seeing the future, really the same if you think about it, "so I'm telling you this as a warning."

"Aw, I didn't know you cared," Bakura taunted.

She ground her teeth, "How the heck you make my brother happy is beyond me." She quickly closed her mouth as she realizes what she just said.

"… He's happy?" Bakura asked, having the same emotion he was asking about.

Isis sighed, "Happier than I've seen him in a long time." She was shocked as she felt this warm… pure happiness just envelope her. But it was strongest at her feet, at her shadow. Her eyes were wide as she felt how happy he was at that one comment. … Well, she thought, I can't say he doesn't care about Marik anymore can I? "Can I ask you something?" Isis directed at her shadow.

"What is it?" Bakura asked, trying to tone down the unwanted emotion he acquired.

She paused, debating how she should ask this. "… I have the Millennium Necklace," she starts out with.

"What?" Bakura asks, stopping her in her tracks, "What did you just say?"

She pretends she's looking at the scenery around her as she says nonchalantly, "I have the Millennium Necklace."

She can tell Bakura's trying to decide how to respond to this. "… Oh… and, you're going to give it to us?"

She nodded slightly, as if she was approving of what she saw in the city (if her father had taught her anything it was how to adapt to unusual situations - and a vampire inhabiting her shadow definitely qualified), "Yes. But don't tell Marik I have it yet, I want it to be a surprise. You do know what the Necklace does, right?"

"It can see the future," Bakura said without hesitation.

"Right."

"That's how you found Marik!" Bakura deducted.

"That's right. That's also why I don't like you. I've seen you with my brother…" she didn't want to say what she had seen farther than that.

Bakura seemed to get it anyway, "Oh… Hm, if I was in your position I probably wouldn't like me either."

"Has it already happened?" Isis asked, dreading the answer.

"Has what already happened?" Bakura asks, simply to torment her.

She grinds her teeth as she gains control of her legs and starts walking again, "Have you… kissed yet?"

It takes Bakura a while to answer. "Yes," he finally says, filling Isis with dread, "but they didn't really mean anything… they were mainly because we bet each other on stuff."

Isis sighs in relief, "Good. Do me a favor and don't tell me if that changes."

Bakura chuckles, "Will do. Does this mean you approve of me?"

"Don't get your hopes up vampire. I don't approve of you, but I guess I have to deal with you."

"You should call me brother."

"Never!"

Soon, Bakura and Isis returned to the house. "Marik!" Isis called, certain that Marik realized they had left already, "We're back! Sorry for not telling you where -" she stops as she sees Marik staring at the basement door - one hand on the handle.

She feels panic rip at her heart and she runs forward, "Marik!" she says taking his hand off the door, "What are you doing? Are you okay? Talk to me Marik!" She shakes her brother as she sees tears glisten in the corners of his eyes. He shuts his eyes tight, then opens them again, looking around frantically. "Where's Bakura?" he says like he's gone insane, "Where is he?" he asks more hysterically.

"He's fine Marik!" Isis assures him - just a little angered by how much he seems to care, "He's fine Marik, we just went out for a little stroll, that's all."

Marik closed his eyes and bowed his head. "I was remembering… when I was nine…" his voice had so much pain inside it, so much pure agony that Isis immediately hugged him, "… that poor kid…" a single tear rolled down Marik's cheek, "He didn't even know what was going on! And dad killed him!" he wrapped his arms around Isis, "I don't want that to happen again! I don't want Bakura to die!"

Isis felt tears well up in her eyes as well. "Oh Marik…" she chokes out, her voice thick.

Bakura

"I don't want Bakura to die!" I hear Marik's voice cry out frantically, like he's scared that that's going to happen soon.

I have so many questions: "What kid? What happened when he was nine? Why is Marik so afraid that I'm going to die when I'm perfectly fine?" but I can't ask any of them. Frankly, I don't want to ask if it causes Marik so much pain. Right now, all I want to do is hug him and make sure he's all right, I want him to stop crying. I hate it when people cry, and I hate it even more if he's crying. I don't want him to feel this pain, this pain that I don't even understand. I'm fine! Why is he talking like I'm not?

I come out of Isis' shadow and walk hesitantly towards Marik. No matter what my intentions are, it doesn't change the fact that I suck at comforting people - even Marik. I touch his shoulder with my hand, and he instantly turns to look at me. His eyes go wide and he hugs me, "Bakura!" he says, "I was so worried…" he doesn't say anymore, but that's okay. I hug him back.

"It's okay," I find myself saying in a steady voice, "I'm not going anywhere… now stop crying, I don't care how much you look like a girl, you're not one. Are you sure you know that?" Wow. My suckiness at comforting people amazes even me - that was probably the worst thing I could have said to a crying person, but I'm not good with comforting - only with sarcasm, so that's what I use.

But… since it's Marik, that might have been the best think I could have said. He looks up at me, tears glistening in his eyes and slightly on his cheeks, and smiles. "Thanks…" he says before he takes his arms away from me and wipes at his face. "I need to go and… clear my head," he walks out of my embrace and out the front door. Right before he closes the door behind him, he turns and says, "And I know I'm not a girl. But you're definitely a cat," and then he slams the door shut.

Marik

After I had remembered the nine-year-old incident… I just froze up. I felt cold, hard fear and panic grip at my chest, immobilizing me, filling my head with all kinds of images and doubts. Making me think that Bakura was down there right now, being tortured and killed by my dad, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. I couldn't do anything because my dad would just hold me back, and he'd make me watch. I know he would, because he made me watch all of my friends be viciously murdered when I was older, and he made sure that mom never found out. He told me if I ever told her that he'd cause me more pain than a simple whip or knife ever could. What I don't think he understand though, is that watching my friends get hurt was already worse than any physical pain. It's worse than any cut, bruise, scar, scrape, wound, or any other pain that he could have possible brought me. It was worse than the time I thought my mom was being hurt for my sake.

And when I thought that he might do that to Bakura… I just froze. I didn't want to think about it. I couldn't. It was too horrible, too painful. It was like I was imagining myself being killed - only worse than that even.

Bakura… dead… those two words don't mix. Not to me. I don't even want to think of what would happen if Bakura… died… He's the longest friend that I've had.

And that'll just make it worse when he leaves me.

Let's face it - we will have to depart from each other eventually. He's helping me collect the Items - that's it. After we're done with that, we'll go our separate ways again. But… I can't imagine that right now. I can't imagine him not with me. If I do… it seems wrong. Right now, I feel as if we could be friends forever - always by each other's side. It'd be just like it always is. We'd argue, but we know it's all just in fun. We'd laugh at funny things, we'd joke around with stuff, it'd be just like that all the time. And any other way just doesn't feel right to me. Not at all.

So when I remembered that poor kid… and that Bakura's a vampire, and that if my dad found him… I just snapped. I started panicking. I couldn't move, I think I even stopped breathing at one point. Who knows, if Isis hadn't returned when she did I might have died from suffocation. Thoughts of Bakura… dead… just like at Pegasus' castle… they filled my head. Tormenting me. Reminding me that "you can't have any friends - you're a vampire hunter, not a friend maker. Your life is a lonely existence, but it's necessary for the world to be safer." Safer? Yeah right. How is murdering little children making the world safer? We could have helped that little kid. We could have helped him control his blood lust. We could have let him see his family, one last time… but no. My dad wouldn't listen. He thinks all vampires are evil and he won't ever think otherwise. And I know, that if my dad ever finds Bakura… It won't end well. It won't end well at all.

I don't even want to think about it.

Narrator

Bakura stared at the front door where Marik just left. He slowly turned around to meet Isis. She had one hand up to her mouth, the other arm cradled around her body. "He shouldn't have looked at the basement," she said quietly, "He knows he can't stand that basement. Why did he even go near it?" She seemed to be asking herself these questions more than Bakura, so he interrupted, "What did he mean when he said 'that poor kid'?"

Isis looked up at him, tears still flowing from her eyes. She took a deep breath, deciding that Bakura had a right to know what was going on. "When Marik was nine, he was allowed to leave the pyramid in Egypt where he had done vampire training for eight years straight - just like all of us had to. Father sent him out to go hunt his first vampire, since he had heard there was one in this area, but instead of hunting him… he made a friend.

"He found another nine-year-old boy, just like him, sitting in the woods. Only, he was a vampire. He was scared, and alone, and so, so confused. He didn't know what was going on, he didn't know what he was. All he knew of was this new thirst, and with this thirst fear. He was afraid. He knew that he couldn't see is family, or else he might kill them as he had already done to a poor girl just walking home from work.

"Marik tried to help him, he really did. He told mom about the vampire and asked what he should do. Mother told him to make sure that dad never found out and that they'd think of something, but… he found out somehow.

"He cut that poor kid up, weakening him so that he wouldn't put up a fight and escape. He brought him to this very house, into that damn basement, and… killed him…

"Marik was devastated. That was his first friend. Can you imagine, watching your friend get murdered like that? By your own father none the less? Despite all of you pleas and begging? It hurt him, it hurt him so much.

"He didn't have much luck with other vampires either… every friend he made and tried to help, dad killed. And when he couldn't get through to the vampires, they cut him badly. Marik almost died so many times… but he was strong. And he managed to wield a sword despite his pain and not wanting to kill vampires.

"That's his past with vampires: either he made friends with them and watched them die, or they tried to kill him and he had to make them die himself. A couple almost succeeded in killing him, not to mention that brain-washing incident… That's why I don't trust vampires. They have caused Marik nothing but pain, and yet he still tries to help them." This is the only part in which she paused in her story telling, and only because the tears were building up in her throat. Bakura just stared at her, shocked by this knew knowledge he has acquired. "I just…" Isis tried speaking again, "I just don't understand why he wants to help them so badly!" she buried her face into her hands and started sobbing. Bakura stared into space, barely hearing her loud cries.

Marik… he thought, Marik… you've had to deal with so much… How did you get through it all? Bakura sat down on the couch, frozen with shock. … He watched his first friend… die… no wonder he was so worried when he couldn't find me, he was afraid I'd gotten killed too…

Like hell if I'm letting that happen.

As long as I have any say in the matter, neither of us are dying. I will never put Marik through that ever again. As long as I'm around, none of Marik's friends are going to get hurt.

Hell no.

…

After a while, Isis and Bakura were sitting on the couch drinking tea, waiting for Marik to come back. They weren't watching TV, it just didn't feel right.

"… Well," Bakura spoke into the silence, "Now I know why Marik left home…"

Isis turned to him, her face still stained with tears, "He didn't leave just because of that."

Bakura cocked his head to the side, "What do you mean?"Isis stared into space, "There were a lot of… other factors as well."

"Like what?"

Isis stared into her tea. "If he didn't tell you," she said, "then I'm not going to either."

Bakura looked at the ground. So there's more to his story? Before he had time to figure any of it out though, the door opened. Two heads turned simultaneously towards the door, but it wasn't Marik.

It was Rishid.

"Rishid!" Isis cried as she ran to her brother and hugged him, "I didn't eve realize the time!" Rishid hugged her back, knowing now was not a good time for words. He looked up at Bakura, and he just stared back. Rishid was bald, completely bald. But it looked good on him somehow. His skin looked perfectly smooth, but it was a different shade than his brother or sister, reminding Bakura that Rishid was adopted. He had broad shoulders, and looked very strong - stronger than Marik anyway. He wore jeans a shirt that said, "Bald is Beautiful" in blue, English letters across his chest.

When Isis was done hugging him, he stepped inside, closing the door behind him. He looked around, then straight at Bakura. "Where is Marik?" he asked. His voice was deep, and it was almost in a monotone so that Bakura couldn't tell what his emotions were.

"He went out for a walk," Isis answered for Bakura, "He was… looking at the basement…" tears welled up in her eyes again as she remembered how sad Marik had looked.

Rishid's eyes turned softer, and he patted his sister's shoulder comfortingly. Then he turned to Bakura again. "I am guessing you're the famous vampire that Isis has told me so much about."

Bakura nodded. "Yes." He didn't feel much like talking after he found out what happened to Marik so many times.

Rishid stared at Bakura for a little longer and then turned to Isis again. "Isis," he said in that deep voice of his, "Do you think Marik would want you to be sad?"

She quickly wiped the new tears that were building, "No… no, of course. You're right," new tears formed, "But you should have seen his face Rishid!"

Rishid dropped the suitcase he had been carrying, gripped Isis by both of her shoulders and stared into her eyes. "I understand your concern Isis, but Marik is strong, he will get over his pain. But if he sees you crying as well he'll feel worse, so please. Just forget about it. Let us talk of something else, something more… cheery…" he turned to the vampire, "We haven't been properly introduced. I'm Ishtar Rishid. Marik's oldest brother, though I am adopted. Your name is?"

"Bakura," the white-haired boy said, "my name's Bakura."

Rishid nodded. "It is nice to meet you Bakura." He turned back to his sister and wiped the rest of her tears away. He offered her a small smile, to which she returned.

"… Why are you wearing that shirt?" Isis asked, pointing to the blue lettering.

Rishid smiling, "I knew it would make Marik laugh."

Isis giggled. "Come on, I'll make you some tea." She walked into the kitchen and Rishid sat down on the couch next to Bakura. He stared into his eyes, and then he smiled, "You'll take care of Marik… Won't you?" the words were harmless enough, but they carried a silent threat in them that Bakura knew would be carried out if anything ever happened to Marik.

He nodded, "Of course."

"Good," Rishid commented. He hesitated before saying, "I hope Isis hasn't given you too rough a time?"

Bakura smirked, "Oh no, she just hates me and probably wishes that she could kill me slowly and painfully."

Rishid laughed, "Yes, you're probably right… I apologize if she did anything… too bad."

Bakura snickered, "It's fine, though she doesn't approve of me."

Rishid smiled, but his face was serious. "Do you like Marik?" His voice was serious, having a clear tone that said, "I need to know before anything else."

Bakura was about to speak, but found his mouth suddenly go dry. He felt like just nodding, but something about the way Rishid carried himself made him think he should speak out loud. "Yes," he managed to say in a steady voice.

Rishid smiled, with just a little happiness in his face. It was hard to tell since it looked so serious. "That's good. Does he know yet?" Bakura shook his head. Rishid chuckled. "He probably won't figure it out for a while… are you prepared to deal with that?"

Bakura smiled, "I was ready when I decided how I feel."

Rishid stared into his eyes again. His eyes were brown, and they held a fierceness in them that made you want to look away, but also froze you so you had to look into them. "Are you prepared," he began, "to deal with rejection?"

Bakura felt his stomach knot. He swallowed the saliva in his mouth, "Honestly? I'm not planning on taking no for an answer."

Rishid's face broke out into a smile and he captured Bakura in a headlock - completely and utterly surprising him by the way - and started messing up his hair, "That's what I wanted to hear! Teach my brother how to love okay? You may not have my sister's approval, but you have mine. Can I just call you Bakura?"

Bakura took his head out of the headlock with a huge grin on his face. It had been so easy to win the brother's approval. "Sure. Marik already does."

Rishid smiled and was about to say something else when Isis walked into the room with the tea. "Here you go Rishid!" she said happily as she handed him the tea. Just as he took it and thanked her, the front door opened and Marik walked in. "Sorry about that…" he began to say, "I just -" his voice cut off as he saw his brother. A smile broke across his face. "Rishid!" he ran forward and hugged his brother, almost spilling the tea, "I can't believe you're here! When did you get here?"

Rishid laughed, "Just a few minutes ago Marik. I missed you too."

Marik stood up and smiled at his brother, then he took the seat next to Bakura's, which was the only seat available. "Bakura," he said, "This is my brother Rishid. Rishid, this is Bakura, he's been helping me collect the Millennium Items."

Rishid smiled, an amused look on his face. "I know."

Marik blinked, "You know already?"

"We just introduced ourselves, plus Isis told me what you were up to."

Marik seemed confused. "How did she know what I was doing?" he looked at Isis who had a guilty look on her face. Bakura was just smirking, thinking that Isis was finally going to get busted.

Now Rishid was the one who was confused. "Through the Millennium Necklace," he took one look at Isis' face and said, "Didn't she tell you that she had it?"

Marik narrowed his eyes dangerously at his sister, "No," he said curtly, "No. She didn't."

She smiled sheepishly, "Ah… Yes, that was the reason I called you out here in the first place…"

Marik's eye started to twitch, "Why didn't you tell me that before?" he demanded to know.

Isis glared back at her brother, "Because if I gave it to you you'd have left right away!"

Marik face-palmed himself, "Why do you think I'd do that? I want to spend time with my sister! I wouldn't just leave right away!"

"It's true Isis. San," Bakura interrupted the sibling's feud, "he wouldn't shut up about you."

Isis turned to Bakura and blinked, "… Really?" she asked hopefully.

Marik blushed pink, and he was about to say something but Bakura interrupted him, "Oh yeah!" he said, "Every other word out of his mouth was, "Onee-chan, Onee-chan!""

Isis smiled, "You still call me Onee-chan?" Bakura noticed Rishid trying to hide a smile too as Marik blushed more, "Well… I mean… You'll always be my big sister…"

Isis bent down and hugged him, "I love you too Marik!"

Marik hugged her back, but whispered in her ear, "Isis… you're embarrassing me…"

She stood up in a huff, "Oh! So it's perfectly fine for you to hug Rishid, but not okay to hug me? Fine! I see how it is." She walked over to a chair and sat down with an adorable-looking pout on her lips.

Marik sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "That's not what I meant… Hey!" the last part was addressed to Bakura, who had stood up, grabbed Marik by his hands and was pulling him out of his chair, "What are you doing?"

"Hug your sister," he whispered in his ear.

"What?" Marik whispered back, "Why?"

"Do it or I'll kiss you."

Marik stared at him horrified, his face going noticeably brighter, "What? You wouldn't dare! Not in front of…" he didn't want to finish his sentence.

"Try me," Bakura dared. Marik suppressed a shudder and walked towards Isis, enveloping her in a hug. "C'mon Isis," he said in a believable voice, "You know I love you!"

Isis stopped pouting and hugged her brother too, "Thank you Marik! Now say it again."

"… No…"

Bakura cleared his throat and Marik tensed up. "I mean… I love you… Onee-chan…"

Tears of joy came to Isis' eyes. "I'm so happy to hear you say that!" This was every overprotective, older sister's dream come true!

Bakura tried desperately not to burst out laughing, and one look at Rishid told him that he had heard Bakura's threat. "Hey Isis," Bakura said, "Do I have your approval yet?"

Isis glared at him coldly, "Not even close vampire-boy."

Marik stood up straight and stared at his sister, "Approval? Approval for what?"

Bakura slapped a hand on the back, "Why, to be your best friend of course! Rishid already gave me his approval!"

Marik blinked and cocked his head to the side, "… Best friends?"

Bakura froze, not realizing that he had said best, "Um… yeah!" he said believably.

Marik stared into space. He'd never had a best friend before… He could feel tears build up in his throat again, but he fought them down and smiled instead, "Okay!" he reached out and shook Bakura's hand, "Best friends!" then he grinned mischievously and hugged Bakura. "I love you 'Kura!" he said jokingly.

Bakura froze at those words. I love you… How the hell could Marik say them so easily? He felt his face start to heat up as he wrapped his arms around Marik too, "I-I…I" he stuttered, "… The same…" Rishid and Isis suppressed giggles, and Bakura gave them a chilling glare that said, "Shut up!"

"It was so nice seeing you again Marik!" Isis said as she hugged him as he was about to leave one last time. Marik hugged her back with a smile, "It was nice seeing you too Isis!" He had a shiny, golden necklace in his hands as he hugged her.

"I have one more thing to give you," she said as she dug into her pockets and pulled out a first-class plane ticket. She smiled, "Something told me you might need this."

Marik took the plane ticket, "… Yeah…" he still didn't like the idea of going on a plane, "Thanks…" he blinked at the ticket, confused, "Wait, where's the other one?"

"Other one?" she said with mock confusion, "Oh! You mean for the vampire! Oh darn, I must've left it in Egypt…"

Marik rolled his eyes, just as another first-class ticket was shoved in his face by Rishid. "Luckily, I didn't forget," he said with an amused look at Isis, who was glaring at Bakura yet again.

"Will you ever like me?" he asked shook her head, "Nope." It was at this time that she realized that Bakura never proved that Marik was in fact a 'Blood Pack.' Ah well, too late now I suppose… she thought, just as Marik said, "Ow!"

"What's wrong?" Bakura asked.

"I got a stupid paper cut on the plane ticket!" Marik said, disbelief all over his voice as he looked at his finger that had a drop of blood on it.

The smell hit Bakura instantly, but he was still aware enough to notice Rishid and Isis both tense up. Huh, and he thought that the brother trusted him… He took Marik's finger and licked the blood off, enjoying the blast of taste and pleasure he got from it. He smiled as he watched it heal up. "There, all better. I feel like a kindergartner teacher."

Marik smirked, "You're more like a first aid kit," his eyes widened, "Hey! That's what you are! You're a First Aid Kit!"

Bakura blinked and then burst out laughing. "You mean, like you're my Blood Pack?"

Marik nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah!"

"I'm sorry," Rishid interrupted, "First Aid Kits, Blood Packs? What are you two talking about?"

"Isis can explain," Bakura said grinning at her.

Isis glared at him, and then smirked, "Oh, but Bakura does so much of a better job than I…"

Marik stared at Isis, "Wait, you know about Blood Packs?"

Isis nodded, then her eyes widened, "Wait, you know about Blood Packs?" she said disbelievingly. She was surprised Bakura told him, especially the part where it says how they're decided…

Marik nodded, "Yup! That means that I can be healed instantly!"

Isis blinked, then she looked at Bakura, who was giving her a look that said, "He doesn't know all of it." Isis looked back at Marik and smiled, "Right! Isn't that cool?"

Marik nodded, "Yeah! It really is."

"One more thing before you go Marik," Rishid said as he produced two cell phones from his pocket - one navy blue and the other dark purple. "These are for you - for emergencies. I'm guessing you don't have cell phones?"

"I have one, but it's pretty old," Bakura said as he grabbed the blue one, "Thanks."

"Thanks Rishid!" Marik said as he grabbed the purple one, "I'm guessing you're on speed dial?"

Rishid nodded. "Yup. Isis is number two and I'm number three - for both of the phones. Number one is the emergency line obviously. I've added yours into each others as well - that's number four."

Marik smiled, "Thanks for the great gift Ri! But we better get going -"

"Oh!" Isis interrupted. Bakura was starting to get the impression that Isis was just stalling them so that they wouldn't leave. "I forgot to tell you, we changed our names. My knew name is Ishizu Itane, and Rishid's is Odion Kalabara."

Marik smiled, "Okay… You changed your names so that dad wouldn't find you, right?"

'Ishizu' nodded. "Yes, that's right."

Marik laughed. "Okay, well, see you later, Ishizu and Odion, it was fun seeing you again!"

"You better call often!" Isis said before the door closed.

Marik walked off, shaking his head. "I love my sister," he said, "but she's just so darn protective of me!"

Bakura chuckled, realizing that he was sort of protective of him too… "It's just how she it, get used to it."

Marik sighed, "I know…" he grinned cheekily at Bakura, "So, best friend, what do you want to do now? We've got a few hours till the sun rises, and these plane tickets are good for next week so…"

Bakura smirked, "Well, you know what I'd like to do?"

"We're not going to a bar," Marik said stonily.

Bakura laughed, "All right, fine. Let's go… to laser tag."

"Laser tag?""I've never played laser tag…" Bakura admitted.

Marik smiled, "Oh! In that case, let's go! I'll teach you - it's not that hard."

Bakura smiled. "Great. Lead the way," Bakura said as he gestured in front of him. Then, getting a moment of randomness, he grabbed Marik's hand. Marik turned to him with a confused look on his face, accented by a light blush, "What are you doing?"

Bakura shrugged, a smirk still on his face, "I don't want to get lost," he said batting his eyelashes playfully.

Marik rolled his eyes. "Let go of my hand."

"Or what?"

"Just do it."

"Oh, come on, I actually threatened you to get you to hug your sister."

Marik jutted his bottom lip out into a half-pout. "But that threat won't work on you… let go of my hand or I'll call you Fluffy all the time."

Bakura dropped Marik's hand like it was fire.

Ah, the feel of a chapter being posted… HOW I'VE MISSED IT SO! TT_TT I'm sorry for the long update, and I'm not gonna lie, if I didn't have spring break right now you wouldn't be even reading this right now… seriously… ^_^" hopefully the longness of this chapter made up for the lateness? XD

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I tried to balance the depressing stuff with fluff… er, half-fluff… Stuff that made me laugh okay! Get off my case! ^^" I almost cried while writing Marik's nine-year-old memory... TT_TT It's so sad! :'(

Check out my profile! I have a poll that I would like to get at least on vote on… oh! And Review please! XD When was the last time I asked that? 20 chapters ago? Lol. But seriously, I love any and all reviews XD Who doesn't? I also posted some Thiefshipping one-shots if you want to check 'em out… one's in Bakura's POV and the other's in Marik's (his is longer…) Ha, I've never promoted my stories before… ^_^"

~~~{REVIEW REPLIES!}~~~

Bec: Ha, I've written more insight to Marik's past in this chapter ^_^" I didn't plan that actually, it happened as I wrote it… And I tend to write first-person in present tense, it just makes more sense to me I guess…
I like Isis, to me she seems like she'd do anything for Marik and I can just see her as an overprotective sister… And she's jealous that Marik likes Rishid more than her XD
I don't think most people remembered the in-story timeline, that's why I wanted to remind ya'll, but it could've been a little treat too… Haha, I don't know…
That's an interesting question… would Ryou die if he took over his own body long enough? I never thought about it… at first I was thinking 'no' because the dangerous part is going through the actual change, but once you make it past that it's smooth sailing from there. But then I got to thinking… that would make an interesting development… so I'm gonna give you a strong 'maybe' on that ^^" Sorry I can't be more specific… (Sorry for short reply, I'm very tired right now…)