When Bakura woke up he felt the same weight he had the day before. Looking down he saw Marik curled up against his chest. Instead of freaking out he tightened his grip a round Marik taking comfort in the fact that he was still here. He had never allowed himself to enjoy waking up next to Marik. It was nice to be able to just enjoy this moment without having to worry about anything else.

Marik began to wake up as soon as he realized he was laying on top of Bakura he jolted up. "I'm sorry" Marik said as he moved away getting off the bed. He went over to his dresser pulling out the top thing before opening an out her draw and pulling out an item of clothing. Marik made his way to the door "You don't have to handle me with kid gloves"

"Good then I going to take a shower in here" Marik said making his way the bathroom. "Ryou's shampoo is terrible."

"My shampoo is fine I just don't spend a hundred dollars on a bottle of shampoo!" Ryou said appearing in the doorway.

"We spent over three hundred dollars on our diorama for our shadow game?"

"That was for a hobby and I still have that diorama in my room."

"You kept that?" Bakura was surprised he had assumed that it had been destroyed in the duel.

"After how long I spent painting that palace do you really think I would let anything happen to it." That was true Bakura had never known Ryou to get rid of anything from any of the campaign he or created.

"He wanted to have it displayed on the coffee table." Marik said

"I told you that we could have made the decor work." Ryou said his eyes widen hoping that he might be able to finally Convince Marik this time

"I would vote for that" Bakura interjected. Marik shot him a death glare as soon as the words were out of his month. "No fair trying to bully the tiebreaker." Ryou said quickly moving to stand in between Bakura and Marik

"I swear if I come home to a wall full of anime girls I burn down this entire place."

The smile on a Ryou's face faltered. "Your really going to murder them they did nothing to you?"

"They dared to clash with my decor they deserve what's coming to them to them!"

"This is getting ridicules" Bakura laughed. he was surprised that Ryou and Marik became friends back and forth between them. When he was in the ring the two of them never interacted. Bakura normally being the one in control. He would not have pictured them as Friends. It made him wonder what he missed in the shadow realm.

"Yeah I was coming to say breakfast is ready." Ryou said interrupting Bakura's train of thought.

"Why don't you take a shower, and change clothes. I'll help him finish everything!" Marik said.

"Okay." Bakura agreed Marik lead him to the bathroom. when they entered the bathroom Marik opened up what Bakura assumed was a linen closet and pulled out a towel Marik Placed it on the counter in front of the mirror. The counter was full of various bottles that Bakura had no idea what they did.

"Use whatever you like there's shampoo and conditioner in the shower." Marik said as he walked over to the shower turning it on.

"You're going to let me use the hundred-dollar shampoo." Marik laughed

"It's not that expensive, besides it's worth it." Bakura looked around the bathroom the black marble tile granite counter top mahogany cabinets with gold handles. It all looked so expensive it he didn't know beforehand that Marik was a mob boss he would have wondered how to college kids were able to afforded it.

"I see you still have gaudy taste."

Marik finished testing the water "When you grow up without basic human necessities it makes you appreciative of the finer things in life." Marik said drying his hands on his shirt smiling as he left him alone to take his shower. He steps into the shower the warm water felt good against his tight muscles he had not realized how filthy he had felt till he began to clean the grim off his skin. he finished his shower and dried off.

He picked up the clothes that Marik had brought yesterday. It was the same blue striped and Jean combo that he wore on the blimp in battle city. One of them must have been trying to make a joke. He went to the living room where he saw an entire spread of food on the dining table off to the side of the room. How were they able to get all of this made already?

"How long was I in the shower?" Bakura asked

"I had most of it already made when I came to get you." Ryou answered. The three of them took their seat at the table. Bakura packed his plate with food and devoured it acceptable table manners damned.

"I see your table manners haven't changed."

"I haven't eaten anything in years till yesterday so sue me!" The three of them fell into a comfortable rhythm of playfully jabbing each other though out the meal. "We're going to need to get you clothes" Marik said after they finished the meal and they started cleaning up

Ryou would you mind coming with me to get clothes for Bakura?"

"Like hell I going to let the two of you go shopping for me!" Bakura raised his voice before Ryou could say anything.

"You want to go clothes shopping?" Marik asked surprised.

"I don't want to be here by myself all day." It was more than that Bakura had to do something. he had been lying in bed all day. He had to do something he couldn't just sit around again "Are you sure there's going to be a lot of people there!"

"I'll be fine" Bakura said. he had been to a mall there wasn't anything he had to worry about:

"If you're sure!" Marik said uncertainly. Bakura nodded his head. "I'm going going to take a shower and we can leave." Marik said as he left the room.

Ryou started cleaning the dishes Bakura went and sat on the couch he stared down at the remote he didn't want to turn on the TV. His mind was going back to what Ryou had said this morning about the diorama. he could not explain it but he needed to see it. Bakura got up and went to Ryou in the kitchen. "Do you really still have the diorama?"

"Yeah it's in my Room."

"Can I see it."

"Yeah give me a second." Ryou said drying his hands. They went into Ryou's room. Ryou's room was mostly the same as when he was possessing Ryou monster world figures and books scattered everywhere. Ryou walked over to a coroner of the room where a desk sat with a white sheet draped over it. Ryou carefully pulled off the sheet reviling the model of ancient Egypt. Bakura walked over to the model everything was the same as when the shadow game ended. The turned over Zorc figure in the middle of town on his way to destroy the palace. The Pharaoh standing in triumphant over his enemy. Bakura turned his head and saw the area representing Kul Elna. He carefully ran his hand over the walls of the ruined city.

He remembered what a pain in the as it had been to get the texture right for the dirt roads of the town, and not have it look like some a mature painted them. He felt that it was the least he could do for his people to get the city right. He saw the millennium slab the figure representing him turned over in the dirt. He picked up his figure cradling it in his hand. Did anything he did even mean anything. Were the spirits of his people still trapped in the items were they able to pass on to the afterlife.

"What happened after the duel."

"We all went with Yugi for the final duel for the pharaoh to pass on Ishizu said that once the Pharaoh n passed on to the afterlife the other spirits would be freed." At least he was able to make sure that Zorc wasn't able to trap his people's souls any longer. He places his figure back on the model.

"What happened to the items" Bakura asked Ryou looked up at Bakura from his spot on the bed "The temple collapsed when the duel was over Marik said that Ishizu lead an excavation to recover the item. There in her museum now." Bakura wanted balk at the idea of keep the items in one place, but before he could say anything Ryou held his hand up. "They lost all of their power when the spirit passed on their useless hunks of metal now." Ryou explained. That Made Bakura feel a latte better, but he still thought that they needed to be separated.

Even though he knows that Zorc is in the shadow realm he still made him feel uneasy that all the items are still together. If there was even a one percent chance that he could come back Zorc would figure out how.

"Marik tried to tell Ishizu that but you know how she is?"

While he never really interacted with her he had a good idea of her personality from the stories that Marik told him. She probably thought that there was nowhere safer for the item then in her museum. Forget the fact that Marik had already broken into her museum and stole two of the god cards when he was thirteen.

Looking at the model brought up a lot emotions and feelings that Bakura was not ready to deal with. Bakura didn't know what to do. His People had moved on and he what to do next. He had spent his entire existence trying to save his people or enslaved to a demon. he had never lived for himself in all of his years of being alive. Bakura put his figure down on the mode before covering up the model with the sheet as in.

"You okay?" Ryou asked Bakura shrugged

"I don't really know how I am." Ryou stood up and gave Bakura a hug

"That's okay you don't have to know right now." They went back into the living room. Ryou went back to finishing up the dishes Bakura picked up one of the books on the coffee table and began reading.

After a while Marik came out of his room. He was wearing tight black jeans and a long sleeve shirt. His hair was styled the same as in battle city, though the only Jewelry that he wore were his gold earrings "You look like a mob boss!"

"That's what I was going for. "Marik laughed "are you ready to go."

"Yeah!"

"Ryou I'm stealing your car." Marik said into the kitchen as he made his way to the front door.

"Keys are on the rack!" Ryou called from the kitchen. Bakura followed Marik out the door.

"I wouldn't you'd get rid of your motorcycle."

"I just don't drive it when I going s hoping it's a pain in the ass keeping all the bags from flying everywhere." Bakura followed Marik to the parking garage and got in the front seat of Ryou's car.

Bakura stared out the window silently on the way to the mall. he did not know what to say to Marik. He had kept all of his emotions regarding Marik locked away. Afraid of what would happen if Zorc found out. Without that constant fear, he didn't know what to do with the emotions that were swearing around in his chest. Things only got worse when they got to the mall.

Bakura had thought that Marik stupid for being concerned with him going to the mall, he had gone hundreds of time in Ryou's body he assumed that it was going to be just like any of those other trips he was wrong.

Just walking inside from the car wore him out. Then when they got inside the noise was deafening. He placed his hand over his ears to block out the sounds. He had never seen anywhere this crowded before his body began to tense up. Marik watched him noticing his discomfort.

Without saying a word Marik grabbed Bakura s wrist and lead him though the crowd. as the two moved though the sea of people Bakura became more and more agitated. luckily Marik only dragged them a few hundred feet to the nearest rest room was. Marik lead him across the empty room to the far wall. Baker leaned against it and slid down to the floor. Bakura took several deep breaths calming himself down as he slowly started to relax. Marik knelt down in front of him

"We can leave right now if you want!" Marik stated as he gently brushed the loose hair out from Bakura's face, and of hair behind Bakura ear. Bakura Shook his head.

"I'II be fine." Bakura said he was too proud to ever admit defeat on anything, and he was for damn sure not going to lose to a fucking crowd. They stayed there for ten minutes till Bakura stood up claiming that he was better. Walking though the mall was easier now that Bakura knew what to expect, but Marik still tried to push them through as quickly as possible.

The store that Marik walked them into was significantly less crowded than the common area out, they went through finding a Varity of clothes for Bakura to try on. Things went well for about the next half hour before Bakura began to feel overwhelmed again. When that happened Bakura would go into the dressing room till the episode pasted, and calmed down enough to continue s hoping. Every time Marik would suggest they go home but Bakura all ways refused.

The episodes where Bakura needed to be alone were becoming more spaced out as the day went on. By the time they had finished shopping it had been four hours so the two decided to grab something to eat. The food court would be too crowded so the two left the mall to grab some fast food before going to the book store. Marik drove to a nearby drive though, after they got their food he parked the car for them to eat.

"You know this is kind of our first date!" Bakura said breaking the silence.

Marik gave a humorless laugh "No, this is not our first date." Marik was pointedly looking down at his salad avoiding eye contact.

"Why not this has been the most domestic thing that we've done together?"
Bakura asked.

"This is running errands, I would come up with something better for a date." Marik said stabbing it with more force than necessary before taking another bite.

"Oh, like what?" At Bakura's question Marik turned to look at

"If you want, I'll take you on a date and show you." There was a ting of uncertainty in Marik's voice as he said this. Almost like he was asking for Bakura permission.

"You going to try and seduce me?" Bakura said with a hint of sarcasm to answer Marik's unspoken question. The way that Marik perked up at his response Bakura knew he understood.

"Trying implies there's a chance I'll fail, that's wouldn't happen." Mark said matching Bakura tone playing along.

"You sound confident" Bakura's good humor suddenly disappeared as a thought came into his mind "Have you been on a lot of dates?" He asked. Marik was beautiful of course he had been on with plenty of people. The thought of Marik being with another guy shouldn't bother him but he couldn't help the feeling of jealousy that he was feeling.

"No." Marik said taking a bite of his food. That should have made him happy, but it didn't. I just made Bakura feel guilty for disappearing after Battle City.

After they finished eating Marik turned on the car and drove to the university books store. Bakura went in with him. Marik pulled out a sheet of paper with his and Ryou's classes next semester. They walked down the aisles a stack of books caught Bakura's attention. He walked over to the books and Picked it up

The cover had a picture of the galaxy on the cover he flipped open and thumbed through the pages. He came to a section showing and listing the different consolation. he traced his fingers over the lines connecting the stars letting his mind wonder. he shook his head as soon as he realized that his minded drifted off and close the books.

He looked up to see Mark staring at him with a smirk on his face. He didn't say anything just waited for Bakura to follow him collecting the rest of his book. After they checked out and went to the car Marik, looked down at his list

"I forgot one of the books" he said unlocking the car and putting the bags in the car "Wait here and I be right back" Marik turned around and went back into the book store. It only took a minuet for Marik to return with a bag in hand, and they went back to the apartment.

When they had been in the middle of shopping it didn't seem like that much but it had somehow ended up as 12 bags of clothes and 6 bags for Ryou and Marik's text books. Ryou had met them outside to help carry everything in. Ryou was excited to see they had got he suggested putting on a fashion show, Bakura flat out refused. Instead Ryou looked through all the clothes as he helped Bakura organize it, while Marik made room in his closet and draws for the new clothes. Once everything was situated Marik handed Bakura a book. Bakura was confused till he looked down and saw that it was the same book that he picked up at the store.

"You didn't need to get this" Marik just smiled

"That was the most interested I've seen in anything, I did have to get it." Bakura took the book deciding not to argue with him. He was honestly happy to have the book and he was excited to read it. he took the book in to Marik's room and he put up all the clothes.