"God, birth sounds fucking disgusting. Why are you telling me all this?"

"Hey, I am a very excited uncle and I want my boyfriend to share in that!"

"I am not your fucking boyfriend!"

"Oh? So why am I moving away from my family to be with you?"

"Because I'm awesome, duh."

"Fuck you, Bakura."

Marik lay in bed, a hand behind his head, the other hand holding his mobile to his ear. It had been a few days since Ishizu had given birth, and Bakura had his own phone now, so they could speak in privacy without Ryou hovering in case Bakura never gave him his own mobile back.

"Is Rishid coming back anytime soon?" Bakura asked.

"Yeah. As soon as we sent him a picture of Nefertari, he said he'd sack off the rest of the trip and come straight home. I'm meeting him at the airport tomorrow morning."

"Nefertari?"

"Yeah. Nefertari-Rose Ishtar. It's a mouthful, but Ishizu likes it."

"Sounds fucking ridiculous."

"Doesn't matter, she's a baby and babies are cute."

"They so are not."

"Good thing I'm not having babies with you then."

"Damn right," Bakura chuckled.

Marik rolled over in bed and flipped open his laptop. "I'm sending you something over. Check your emails."

"I don't have a fucking email."

"Yeah, you do. Ryou says he set you one up when you moved in. My phone is crap and doesn't send picture messages, so email it is. Just check it, alright? It should be logged in automatically on your browser."

"Alright, alright." Marik heard the faint tapping of keys over the phone as Bakura typed at the old computer Ryou had given him. "Hmmm…okay, here we go. Yep, I'm in, so – holy fuck, Marik!"

Marik smirked. "Like it?"

Bakura didn't reply. Marik could only assume he was too busy gaping. He'd 'borrowed' Ishizu's professional camera the day before and set it up in his bedroom to take a few sultry pictures for Bakura's viewing pleasure. He couldn't decide which ones he liked the most, so he just sent them all.

"Well," Bakura chuckled, "looks like I just found my new background."

"Which one?"

"The one where you've got one hand in your hair and the other on your cock."

"Oh lord, please don't ever let Yugi look at your desktop."

"Pfft, like he ever comes in my room anyway." Marik heard Bakura shift away from the computer, presumably getting back into bed himself. "I have a super awkward boner right now."

"Want me to take care of it for you?"

"What, all the way from Egypt? You had god powers once, but even you can't fly."

"No, but I'm sure I can dirty talk you into making yourself come," Marik purred. "It'd be hot. Indulge me?"

"…Fucking hell, you're such a tease," Bakura groaned. "Alright, fine."

Marik giggled excitedly, feeling his boxers getting a little tighter. "Hmmm…now what would I do to you if I were there…" He stroked a hand delicately down his stomach, teasing just below the navel. "I think I'd kiss you, deep and slow, and let you know how much I missed you. Would you like that?"

"Dammit," Bakura gasped.

"And then…I'd take your hand, and lead you to your bedroom, strip your clothes off and have you undress me."

"Dammit, Marik, fuck…" Bakura was panting now. Marik very faintly heard the sound of Bakura's zipper coming down.

"I think I would take a moment to just admire you naked…and run my hands over you…" Marik slipped a hand beneath his boxers and grasped his quickly hardening cock. "And then shove you down onto the bed and drop to my knees."

"Fuck yes," Bakura moaned. "I want your mouth on me, Marik."

"Mmm…your cock would taste so good in my mouth, Kura…you want me to suck you?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Marik began stroking himself. "Can you imagine it? My tongue running up your shaft? Licking the head and dipping into the slit? I'd suck your cock, and massage your thighs, and fondle your balls until you were screaming out my name."

A loud, sexy moan came instead of a verbal response. Marik smirked, knowing he'd riled Bakura up into uncontrollable levels. "Would you let me put my mouth lower?" he purred.

"I'd let you do anything you wanted," Bakura panted.

"You'd like my tongue in your ass?"

"Yes, fuck…do it, do it."

"Imagine it, Kura. Imagine me dragging my tongue downwards and my hands spreading your thighs apart." Marik couldn't help the quaver in his voice as he edged closer to orgasm. "Then I'd press my tongue up against your hole and listen to you cry out in pleasure. You'd be touching yourself and throwing your head back, and all I'd be able to think is how fucking sexy you are."

"Fuck, Marik, I'm…I'm gonna come - !"

"Come for me, beautiful."

"Ahhh! Marik! Marik!" Bakura screamed. His breaths came ragged down the phone, sending a pleasured thrill down Marik's spine. He loved knowing that he could bring such ecstasy to Bakura without even being there.

"Oh, Kura…that was so hot," Marik murmured. "God, the things I'm going to do to you when we see each other again…"

Bakura gave a low chuckle. "Can you hold on a sec? I need to clean up."

"Sure thing." Marik continued to run his fingers up the length of his shaft, closing his eyes. In his mind, he saw Bakura spread out on his bed, gasping for breath, thighs quivering, sweat beading his brow and milky essence dappling his stomach. When I see you again, I am going to tell you, over and over again, just how beautiful you are. I'm going to kiss you and hold you, and never let you go again for as long as I live. Being away from you is more painful than I could ever tell you.

"Marik?"

"Yeah?"

"It's your turn."

"O-Oh." Marik's stomach gave a little flip. "Alright then. Do your worst, Kura."

Bakura's voice took on a soft, sultry tone. "I'd drag you up and push you onto your back. We have lube, right?"

"Of course we have fucking lube."

"Then I'd spread lube over your cock and stroke it into your skin. The pleasure in your eyes, oh…it makes me want to come again," Bakura whispered. Marik gasped, squeezing himself tighter, moving his hand faster. "We'll skip the prep. I want the pain. I want to feel alive with you."

"Oh, Kura…"

"Mmm…Marik, I'm going to ride you."

Marik's mind exploded with lustful fantasy. "Yes," he moaned. "Oh, yes. Ride my cock, Bakura. Ride me hard."

"Can you feel me, Marik?" Bakura purred. "Can you feel me straddling your thighs? I'd slide down onto you and relish you calling out my name. You'd grab my hips and buck up, but I'd pin you down and worship your body like the god you always wanted to be."

Marik couldn't hold himself back anymore. He felt the rush of pleasure overwhelming him, and he tossed his head back, moaning loudly. "Bakura! I'm coming!"

"Yes…come for me…come inside me, Marik."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck! Bakura!" Marik gasped, his eyes squeezing shut as he came harder than he'd ever done before. Boneless, he sank into the mattress, groaning in satisfaction.

Bakura made a quiet noise, seemingly pleased. "Well, that certainly was an experience."

Marik just moaned softly, unable to put his thoughts into words.

"Yep, that's how I feel too," Bakura laughed.

"Oh god, Kura…you'd better be ready for me when I get to Japan, because I am locking you up in your room and not letting you out for a full day."

"Mm, you want to lock me up, do you? Kinky. I can work with that."

"Oh, fuck you."

"You will. Believe me, you will. Over and over."

"Dammit, don't do this to me. I can't go again, not yet."

Bakura chuckled, amused. "I really do miss you, you know. Ryou and Yugi being all lovey-dovey with each other isn't helping at all."

"Kura…I miss you too." Marik cleaned himself up one-handed, yanked his boxers off and curled up back in bed, sighing. "Look, I should probably get some sleep now. Once I pick up Rishid, I'll book my plane ticket."

"Looking forward to it," Bakura replied, and Marik knew he was smiling. "Say hi to Baldy for me. He is still bald, right?"

"As bald as ever. Okay, ya amar. I'll speak again soon."

"Goodnight, Marik."

"Goodnight, beautiful."

The loneliness in Marik's heart never abated, but knowing he would be with Bakura again soon eased the pain, even if just a little. He drifted off to sleep with the image of his beloved strong in his mind.

The next morning, Marik woke up to an email from Bakura.

Thought I'd return the favour, though I'm not nearly as much of an attention-slut as you are, so you'll have to work for my clothes to come off.

Marik laughed aloud, and clicked on the email attachment. Bakura was obviously still very self-conscious about his low weight, but Marik could already see that he'd started to fill out again. The photo had been taken side-on, Bakura's shirt open and his jeans unbuttoned, eased down low on his slim hips. Marik couldn't help but lick his lips, his hand moving automatically to download the photo and set it as his desktop background. Gods, you are impossibly sexy.

Thanks for the jerk-off material, he typed back. I'll work hard and have those clothes on your bedroom floor before you know it.

Chuckling, he checked the time in the corner of his monitor, and yawned, rubbing his eyes. I'd best get dressed and go pick up Rishid from the airport.

Swinging his legs out of bed, he began searching for something clean to wear, then tied his hair back into a haphazard bun and left the apartment to jog to the airport.

Marik found Rishid sat quietly in the airport waiting room, arms crossed and eyes closed, his usual look of deep contemplation setting his face into a relaxed stance. Marik called out to him excitedly, and the sound of his voice made Rishid smile gently as he stood up. "Rishid! How have you been?" Marik grinned, approaching to give him a friendly hug.

Rishid yawned in response. "Tired. So very tired. These business meetings are truly exhausting."

"Well, don't expect to get much rest once you're home. You're a father now."

"I can't wait to meet her."

"She's beautiful, Rishid. Absolutely perfect. Ishizu's so excited to have you back."

"How is she?"

"Recovering well. She'll be much better with you at home now. How long has it been?"

"Three months, give or take? I don't know anymore. I stopped counting."

"Anyway, let's go. I've called a cab. Figured you'd have too much luggage for my bike to handle."

The taxi was waiting outside when they left the airport, and they jumped in, Rishid's luggage bundled into the boot. As they headed back to Ishizu and Rishid's apartment, Marik told Rishid about Bakura. He found it much easier to tell his brother-in-law about his budding relationship than he did explaining to Ishizu. Rishid just nodded the whole time, listening silently.

It was only when Marik mentioned he was leaving that Rishid spoke again. "When do you leave?"

"In two weeks. I bought my plane ticket while I was in the airport."

"Are you moving in with Bakura?"

"With Ryou for now. Bakura lives with him. Then we're going to look for our own place."

Rishid nodded slowly. "It's good to see you striking out in life, Marik. I've been worried about you."

"Why?"

"You…haven't been living, I guess. Just existing."

Well, that much is true, Marik mused, leaning against the soft interior of the taxi's passenger door. No more, though. Time to make something of myself.

Ishizu was napping in bed with Nefertari when they returned. Marik watched from the doorway as Rishid carefully sat down on Ishizu's free side, brushing a hand over her shoulder. She stirred and rolled over, smiling sleepily. "You're back," she whispered.

"Hi, Ishizu," Rishid murmured, kissing her brow. "I missed you."

Ishizu pulled herself up in bed and slid her hands under Nefertari, bringing the sleeping infant into her arms. "Meet your daughter, Rishid. I think you'll like her."

Like her? He's going to love her to pieces. Marik blinked happy tears away from his eyes as he watched Ishizu pass Nefertari over to her father. Rishid stroked her tiny head and stared at her in utter wonder, his face impassive, but both Marik and Ishizu knew he was immediately besotted. "We have created something beautiful," he said quietly, touching Nefertari's cute button of a nose. "An Ishtar life born out of the duties as a tomb-keeper. This is more important to me than I can put into words. Ishizu, I…I've never been happier than I am with you. With our daughter, we are complete, truly complete."

"Rishid…" Ishizu breathed, resting her head on his shoulder. Her arms wound round his waist and together they admired Nefertari as she slumbered on, oblivious to the world.

Marik turned away, wiping his eyes. This was their moment to cherish.