Author's Note: Oh fuck yeah, I loved writing this chapter. I just hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing this.
… But probably not.
In any case, here you go. I update weekly!
Bon appetite!
Bakura paced around the room slowly, glancing out one of the windows where he could see Shadi and Ishizu talking to what appeared to be the warden. Did detention centers have wardens? Bakura wasn't even sure. He didn't care at the moment. He felt more nervous and anxious about seeing Marik after all this time. Normally, he would berate himself for acting so childish and weak. However, his growing concern on what would happen next outweighed any sense of honor and dignity he wanted to uphold.
Bakura paced around the room, unsure how long this process would go. He had watched Odion and Ishizu exit out the door they came in. If he had to guess, he suspected Marik would come in from the door across the room, where he suspected the youth was being detained. He stared at the only wall without windows, directly across from the window where Ishizu and Shadi now stood. He couldn't focus with them staring at him. He needed to calm down and relax. Bakura sighed as he turned back around to face the room.
He noticed the man Shadi was speaking to left and Bakura felt his heart rate increase. This was it. He was going to talk to Marik. It was easier to keep his cool when Ishizu and Shadi weren't glaring down at him in the same room. Without a reason to keep his guard up, he felt more exposed and vulnerable. He hated it. He wasn't sure what he was going to do. What should he say to Marik? He was happy to see him, but he was more worried about what came after. How would he bring out Marik's other persona? Could he even do that?
Over the past few months, Bakura had done some insane things in his life. He had taken on the biggest commission of his life. He got screwed over by an offbeat little upstart and had to humble himself into working with said pain in the ass. He decided to leave his life of crime behind once the mission was over. He started dating someone seriously – something that was truly unheard of. And as if that wasn't enough, he tried pulling off the greatest heist of his life.
And yet despite knowing this, Bakura felt more nervous and anxious about meeting Marik now. His thoughts were interrupted as he heard the door open. He half-expected it to be Shadi or Ishizu to update him on some unimportant detail. He wasn't really sure of the process to allow Marik to speak with him. Was Bakura a witness in this case? No, that would be a bad idea. Then what was all of this then? Bakura shook his head, trying to clear his head of his confusing thoughts. He needed to keep it simple and focus on what he said he would do – prove Marik was sick.
Bakura uncrossed his arms as he glanced over his shoulder, his heart stopping as he saw a familiar head of blond hair enter the room. He blinked as the young tan man stepped inside, almost confused and timid. Bakura couldn't help but note how the large t-shirt and baggy jeans seemed completely out of character for the stylish youth. Marik glanced around, shadows under his eyes indicating sleepless nights. His lavender eyes paused on Bakura before widening in recognition. Bakura finally remembered to breathe as he started walking towards Marik.
Marik finally seemed to break out of his stupor, running around the table towards Bakura. The albino reached forward and the two quickly found themselves embracing each other. Bakura buried his face into Marik's shoulder, feeling Marik tremble slightly as he let out a shaky breath. Bakura found himself running a hand through the golden hair as he rubbed his other hand comfortingly along Marik's back. He raised his head to plant a kiss on Marik's cheek before burying his face again into Marik's shoulder. All thoughts of plans quickly emptied from Bakura's mind. There would be time later to deal with the trauma.
Bakura was just relieved to see Marik.
Bakura wasn't sure how long he stood there with Marik, but eventually the two came apart. The two stood close, Bakura still holding onto one of Marik's hands. Bakura narrowed his eyes as he studied Marik's face, noticing more than the shadows under his eyes. He felt a twinge of guilt as he saw a bruise on his forehead hidden under the blonde bangs. Bakura noticed more scratches and cuts along Marik's jaw line as well as a nasty gash right below his collarbone. Bakura raised a tentative hand to trace Marik's jaw, carefully studying him for any signs of discomfort.
"… You okay?" Bakura asked softly, his nerves quickly returning. Now that their happy reunion had happened, Bakura was now remembering why he asked Shadi and Ishizu for some time with Marik. He watched as Marik raised a hand to cover Bakura's hand that gently caressed the young man's face. There was a sad smile on his face as Bakura realized that Marik had aged quite a bit in the few weeks since the heist. "As well as I can be, I guess. Better now that you're here." Bakura smiled slightly at those words.
His smile quickly fell away as an image of Odion crossed over the albino's mind. Bakura shook his head, a smirk returning to his face. He couldn't worry Marik too much. If he started acting weird, Marik would grow suspicious. Bakura brushed Marik's hair back as the albino gave a cocky grin. "I suppose having your sexy boyfriend would make any day better." He smirked as he saw Marik roll his eyes, a small smile on his face. "Yep. Arrogant as always. Haven't missed that."
Bakura chuckled as he quickly kissed Marik on the lips, enjoying the subsequent blush that grew. He took Marik's hand as he led him to the table, sitting down. Bakura raised an elbow up onto the table, running a hand through his hair. He forced back any nerves he felt as he turned his attention on the youth sitting next to him. Marik folded his hands together as he rested them on the table, watching Bakura. "So, what brings you to this neck of the woods?"
Bakura snorted as he looked away to stare out one of the windows. He had carefully navigated the two of them so that Marik's back was to Shadi and Ishizu. He didn't want Marik feeling like he had been set-up. Well, perhaps that could help, but Bakura was going to try something that Odion forbade him from doing – talk to Marik about his condition. "I'm here to talk about your court case coming up, dummy." Bakura closed his eyes, letting the silence sit between them heavily.
Marik finally broke the silence, almost nervously. "How… how can you do that? I mean… you…" Bakura gave a light smirk, knowing what Marik was getting at. "Ishizu never told you what happened to me afterwards?" Marik shook his head no, a curious expression growing on his face. Bakura blinked, sighing as he debated how much he should tell Marik. He decided not a lot, evading the question. Wouldn't help my situation if I incriminate myself now. "After the bombs went off, you and Odion got trapped in the rubble… There wasn't anything I could have done."
Bakura looked away from Marik as he stared at the table. "I'm sorry… it's my fault you're in this mess." He saw Marik shrug in his periphery. "It's alright. It's not like you planned on us getting ambushed." Bakura tried not to squirm, ignoring the sad note in Marik's voice. He technically hadn't lied to Marik. He certainly hadn't told him the truth either. Bakura looked up to see Marik looking down at the table, his expression dark.
Marik was the one to break the silence yet again. "Have you… have you heard from Odion? Ishizu won't tell me how his condition is." Bakura blinked, not meeting Marik's gaze. He didn't want to say anything. He didn't want to be the one to break the truth to Marik – that would be Ishizu's call. She was withholding the information for a reason, after all. "So Ishizu and Shadi talked to you about your trial coming?" Bakura turned to observe Marik, who watched the albino with a suspicious gaze.
"Well… I know what my trial is for. Shadi and Ishizu told me they weren't entirely sure what stance we should take… do you have any ideas?" Marik asked, though Bakura could hear an apprehensive note in his voice. Bakura narrowed his eyes as he glared at the table, facing Marik. "Yeah… that's actually why I'm here. Your sister asked if I could help." Bakura noticed a distinct change in Marik's posture, who suddenly sat up.
"Really? Thank fucking god. What did you have in mind?" Bakura cracked a knuckle as he stared at his hand. Bakura had no idea how to address the elephant in the room. Since he didn't have a game plan, he figured he would go with his usual strategy. May as well be direct and see what happens. "Insanity defense." He heard Marik freeze at the suggestion before laughing nervously, almost as if he didn't believe Bakura.
"Right. So your grand plan involves me acting crazy in front of court? Got a plan B in mind?" Bakura just let out a heavy sigh as he glanced over at Marik, who gave him an almost disbelieving look. Bakura didn't know how to break the truth to Marik or if there was a good way to tell him. So Bakura would just do it his own way. "No. That's what we're going with. Largely because you most likely are mentally unwell so it'll be the easiest path to defend."
Bakura watched as the dismissive smirk on Marik's face slowly disappear as he realized what Bakura was saying. Marik furrowed his brows, as he grew more worried and suspicious. "What are you talking about, Fluffy?" The albino remained frozen in his spot, shifting his gaze away from Marik as he stared down at the table in front of the youth. Bakura didn't say anything initially, gauging Marik's reaction. He could already tell Marik was getting upset. I have to tell him though.
"… You have dissociative identity disorder. Or more colloquially known as split personality disorder."
Bakura wasn't sure what he expected as a reaction. He had expected Marik to just dismiss his words and ask to take the topic more seriously. He had expected Marik to even get angry at such accusations. He hadn't expected Marik to start laughing. Bakura just watched as Marik snickered at Bakura's statement for almost a solid minute. It was at that point Marik finally realized that Bakura was being serious, the laughter quickly disappearing.
"… The fuck are you talking about? I have another personality that I'm not even aware about? The hell are you on?" Bakura let out a snort – he knew this wasn't going to be easy. He could tell from Marik's tone that he was more bewildered than angry at the moment. That could quickly change however. He avoided eye contact with Marik, deciding to keep calm and logical about the situation. "Actually, that's pretty much exactly what I'm saying. After everything you've been through, what with the trauma, there was likely going to be some damage done."
Bakura knew he had made a mistake the moment the words left his mouth. Marik bristled at the accusation and clenched his fists. "So I'm damaged now? Is that how you view me?" Bakura swore under his breath before glancing up at Marik, his lavender eyes flashing. "That's not what I meant and you damn well know that. Marik, you've been through some very serious shit and it's stupid to think you've escaped it without any scars."
Marik flinched at the last word, his expression changing from anger to shock. Bakura realized what he said and raised a hand to run through his hair. Way to fucking go. How fucking insensitive can you get in a conversation? Bakura was renowned for his lack of diplomacy, but this was reaching an all-time low for him. Who was he kidding? He couldn't explain this. Even if he could, he would just upset Marik more. How the hell was he supposed to do this?
Bakura sighed, glancing over at Marik. He had recovered from Bakura's remark and was now glaring at the albino. Marik leaned back as he crossed his arms to stare at the corner of the room. "Marik… I-" Marik cut him off before Bakura could finish speaking. "Just fuck off." He muttered angrily, avoiding Bakura's gaze. Bakura watched for a moment silently, glancing away at the windows. He saw Ishizu and Shadi watching from his periphery. He could only imagine what they were thinking. Despite not physically being in the room, they could hear everything going on as they were being recorded. And they had the best seats in the house to watch Bakura flub fantastically through this conversation..
Bakura ran a hand through his bangs, closing his eyes. He wasn't getting anywhere. He needed to rethink his strategy. He thought back on his conversation with Odion. Bakura recalled how the older brother mentioned that he had tried to discuss this with Marik in the past but with little success. Each time, Marik just got angry and frustrated and Odion would have to drop the issue. The elder brother had been wise to not aggravate an aggressive alter before.
Bakura opened his eyes, a realization finally hitting him. He didn't need Marik to believe him – he needed Shadi and Ishizu to see. He glanced back up at the two before returning his attention back to Marik. Bakura felt a painful squeeze in his chest as he thought at the angry youth sitting in front of him. He knew he would be crossing a line (well, more than he already crossed). Bakura sighed as he leaned back, his focus sharpening and resolve growing stronger.
After all, being an asshole was Bakura's specialty.
"Marik, let's talk about the day your father died."
The reaction was instantaneous as Marik shot his head, in shock. He anger faltered as he stared at Bakura with growing concern. "…What?" He finally choked on the words. Bakura's expression didn't change but kept his emotions masked, his lips pressed underneath his interlocked fingers. "Let's go back eight years. You were in Cairo with Odion and your father. One day after a long discussion of property and other boring shit, your father comes back to the hotel furious. Odion told you to hide. But let's be honest – this wasn't the first time your father has done this to you."
Marik slowly uncrossed his arms, as if suddenly realizing what Bakura was now doing. His head shook very slightly, almost as if to resist. "No… don't-" Marik muttered softly, his gaze falling away from Bakura to stare at the table. Bakura ignored Marik's request, pushing on as he leaned forward against the table. "You knew what would happen. This was nothing new with your father. He hurt you, he hurt Odion, he hurt Ishizu. That's what you thought. So when your father started to beat Odion within an inch of his life, you got scared."
Marik moved his hands to grip the table in front of him, flinching at the thought. "Shut up." He whispered as he shook his head. Bakura leaned closer to Marik, forcing him to listen. "You didn't mean to disobey, but you started crying. You were scared and afraid. Your father heard you and dragged you out of hiding. It wasn't fair. He shouldn't hurt you. You thought he was going to kill you. You thought this was the time he would go too far. You didn't want to die."
Marik started to shake, breaking out of his fear as he slammed his fists against the table. "Shut up! Shut up!" He yelled at Bakura, struggling to keep calm. Bakura narrowed his eyes, yelling over Marik. "Yami was never there. You wanted to live. You wanted to keep Odion safe. You were tired of feeling weak. You didn't want to get hurt. So you took his knife and hurt him back. You made your father hurt the way he hurt you!"
"Shut the fuck up!" Marik yelled as he shoved away from the table, now pacing as he clenched at his bangs. He glared frantically at the floor to avoid talking. Bakura didn't relent as he stood up, now yelling at Marik, unable to keep the desperate note out of his voice. If Marik wasn't going to listen, Bakura would just have to make him listen. "Marik, you know what happened! Stop hiding from it! Don't repress it! You know! You know who really killed your father! It wasn't Yami! It-"
"Shut up! Just shut up! Shut up!" Marik screamed, ducking his head down as his hands clenched as his hair, trying to block out Bakura. He could see Marik shaking in anger. Bakura followed Marik, now standing in front of him. He grabbed at Marik's shoulder, keeping him from running away. His expression darkened, not yet ready to let go. "No! I won't! You need to hear this! You need to know the truth, damn it! You know who killed your father!"
Bakura felt Marik try to twist away, but Bakura held firm. Odion thought he was doing Marik a favor by sheltering him. Perhaps he was. But Bakura couldn't spare Marik's feeling any longer. He had to get results. "Marik, answer me! You know who killed your father! You know what actually happened – just like you know what really happened to Pegasus's eye and what really happened to Rex and Weevil! You know what really happened! You know who did it!"
"SHUT UP!" Marik screamed again, this time suddenly twisting sharply. Bakura felt himself jolt and before he could react, he felt his head snap to the side as Marik slapped him hard across the face. Bakura took a step back, blinking in surprise as he raised a hand to his lip. He tasted the coppery taste of blood from the cut on his lip. He glanced up at Marik, who stared back with a matching expression of shock.
The shock disappeared from Marik's face as his expression darkened, lowering his raised hand. Marik glared angrily at the ground, wrapping his arms around his torso. Bakura straightened up, watching Marik but not saying anything. He could feel the sting from the cut but didn't acknowledge, just watching Marik instead. After their bout of yelling, Bakura was feeling exhausted. He bit down his own feelings of bitterness at the fact that Marik just hit him.
However, he knew it wasn't quite over yet.
Bakura just glared at Marik, continuing to goad him on. "Say it. You know the truth. Stop being a goddamn coward." Bakura knew he had already pushed Marik to his limits and that he was close to snapping. He could tell by his last comment that Marik was barely holding it together. After a long few seconds, Marik finally looked up at Bakura. The albino felt his heart squeeze painfully as he saw Marik's eyes full of tears. He knew what he was after, but that didn't mean it wouldn't hurt.
"… Get the hell out of here. I don't want to talk to you. Now." Bakura didn't say anything for a moment, watching Marik as he took a few deep breaths. Bakura watched as Marik brushed away the forming tears, the albino swallowing. He took a breath as he prepared to press the youth further. "Marik…" He started to whisper before Marik snapped his head back up, his eyes flashing dangerously. "Get the fuck away! I knew you were a fucking asshole but I still trusted you and you-! I-"
Bakura ignored Marik's attempts to push him away as Bakura closed the gap, his hands grasping Marik's shoulders again. "Marik, listen to me for fuck's sake! I'm trying to help you-" Bakura started to growl out the words before Marik cut him off. He froze as Marik finally seemed to snap. Marik shoved Bakura away as Bakura stumbled backwards. Marik raised a hand and fisted his hair, staring wildly at the ground as he screamed at the albino.
"No! You're not trying to help me! You're a selfish bastard! Ishizu told me you were just using me! I told her she was wrong! That I really knew you! I thought you fucking cared! That if I trusted you, you wouldn't use my own insecurities against me! So you know what? Fuck you! Get the hell out of here! I don't want to talk to you or Ishizu or the damn lawyer or anyone! I'm fine! Just leave me the fuck alone!"
Bakura stood there as he listened to Marik rant, the youth at the end of his line. Bakura didn't say anything but watched as Marik continued to crumble. He seemed almost oblivious to everything around him as he hugged himself, staring at the floor. His face revealed his exhaustion and sorrow that overwhelmed him. Bakura could see from Marik's shaking frame that Bakura was almost there. He finally heard Marik mumble softly. "Just go away. I just want to see Odion. Please. Let me see my brother."
Bakura watched Marik for a moment before looking over at Ishizu for the first time since Marik came into the room. Ishizu was deeply breathing, her face stoic but her blue eyes were almost like glass. He could see that she was struggling to keep it together, hurt by how much her brother was hurting. Bakura knew she would never forgive him for what he was planning on doing next. But then again, she would never forgive him after all that he done. Nor should she.
Neither should Marik.
Bakura glanced back to the shaking youth in the room with him. Bakura took a deep breath before averting his eyes down. "You can't see Odion. He's gone." The temperature of the room seemed to drop a few degrees as Marik stopped shaking, frozen in his spot. He didn't look up but stared wide-eyed at the floor. "What? What do you mea-" Bakura turned his head away to avoid looking at Marik, cutting him off. "His injuries were too severe. He's dead. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to- it was an accident-"
Bakura stopped speaking before he revealed too much, trying to ignore the awkward silence that filled the space. He hadn't meant to ramble on, but he couldn't stop himself. He wanted to explain, even excuse his actions from that night, regardless of whether Marik was aware of them or not. However, in speaking, Marik finally filled in the blanks. His head jolted up, his lavender eyes large. He shook his head in disbelief as he realized what Bakura was implying. "Odion… he…and you-"
Bakura didn't say anything, staring at the floor momentarily. He finally looked back up to stare at Marik, not trusting his words. He didn't need to say anything though. Marik knew what he had done. His face burst into a kaleidoscope of emotions as Marik tried to process his grief and rage. Bakura licked his lips nervously, shoving his hands in his pockets. He knew it was going to suck immensely trying to do this, but he hadn't realized how truly painful this was.
Finally, Marik snapped. He screamed in anguish, the sound jarring Bakura as Marik rushed him. The albino stumbled back, but was caught off guard as Marik grabbed at his collar, shoving Bakura against the wall. He shook his head to break himself out of his daze, Marik now more furious than he had ever seen him before. Marik took a shaky breath trying to calm himself, his face contorted in rage. Bakura flinched as Marik seemed to become unrecognizable in his anguish. "Why?! Why would you do this? How could you?!"
Bakura struggled to catch his breath, finding himself at a loss of words. He didn't know what to say. He had no defense for his actions. He had screwed them over on their mission and because of that, Odion was dead. It didn't matter if it was an accident – it didn't make it any less painful knowing someone you loved was responsible for the death of someone you care about deeply. Bakura inhaled sharply as he closed his eyes, knowing anything he would say would only be trying to justify his actions. And there was no justice to be offered in their grief.
Marik screamed his frustration as he slammed Bakura against the window before pacing away. He clenched at his hair as his body was racked with sobs. "No! No no no! Odion! You can't be-! You're not-! NO!" Bakura stayed where he was against the wall, watching Marik grieve for his brother. He turned his head sharply to glare at Bakura, the albino flinching at how alien Marik appeared. He was practically unrecognizable. Marik…? "You! You did this! You- He- Fuck you, Bakura! I hate you! No! Odion! No!"
Marik yelled in his rage, switching from Japanese to scream profanities in Egyptian. Bakura just blinked in shock, staring for a moment until a movement in his periphery caught his attention. He saw the door open as Ishizu peaked in, tears streaming down her face. The fact that she was crying seemed like a footnote compared to the angry look that was plastered on her face. Bakura scampered over to her, avoiding Marik as he paced around in his anger. If what he thought was going to happen was true, he had a suspicion it could turn violent rather quickly.
Bakura quickly placed one hand on the door to prevent Ishizu from entering the room, using his body to block the entrance. Ishizu pushed back in defiance, trying to gain entrance. "You had no right to tell him." She muttered as she struggled against the door. Bakura stood firm as he stared down at Ishizu. "Perhaps, but you should have told him. He needed to know." Ishizu threw her body hard at the door, her eyes glinting. "You have no idea what he needs! You're just making things worse! Now get out of my way! I need to see Marik."
Bakura gritted his teeth, not letting Ishizu through. He knew her concerns and she had every right to be pissed with him. If she had known he was going to antagonize her younger brother, he doubted Ishizu would have let him speak to Marik. But Bakura hadn't forgotten why he had gone through all this effort, knowing he would likely lose Marik in the process. "No. I can't let you in." Ishizu tried to shove Bakura out of the way through the opening, growling in frustration. "Let me in!"
"By all means, let her in! The more, the merrier! What's one more traitor after all?"
Another voice in the room grabbed both of their attention as Bakura and Ishizu froze on the spot. Bakura knew it was Marik speaking, but something about the inflection and tone of the voice sent a chill down his spine. Bakura hadn't turned around yet, still occupied with closing the door. Ishizu however, seemed to falter as she spotted Marik over Bakura's shoulder. The albino couldn't see Marik, but he saw how Ishizu's eyes widen. "Marik…?" He noticed a growing note of concern and fear in her voice.
Bakura didn't waste any time. He shoved Ishizu back and slammed the door shut. Perhaps Bakura was paranoid. Fuck, he knew he was paranoid. But he was right to be so – especially since he was in the same room as someone who had killed at least three people. Bakura grabbed a chair and jammed under the door handle, propping it up so that Ishizu couldn't barge in. The albino turned his focused on the youth who appeared relaxed, leaning against the table.
Bakura studied Marik-not-Marik from a profile. His expression was more relaxed, an almost arrogant and smug look grew on his face. Bakura noticed that Marik's hair now stuck up at odd angle, as if all his hair pulling had left the hair permanently stuck in that position. Bakura stepped away from the door slightly, watching Marik with trepidation. Marik didn't look at Bakura but instead smirked at the two individuals watching outside the room.
Bakura swallowed as he carefully regard the man in the room. His attitude and confidence was so alien and unlike Marik. Bakura knew it had to be Marik – there had been no one else in the room – but his presence felt so strange. Bakura narrowed his eyes, knowing not to keep his guard down. Before Bakura could confirm who he was talking to, Marik finally spoke. "So you're Bakura. I knew you would be trouble. Men like you always drag people in danger without so much as batting an eye. And yet Marik still trusted you."
Bakura stopped where in his tracks, facing Marik as he lazily turned his lavender eyes to focus on the albino. Of all the changes, Marik's eyes were the most unsettling. Bakura loved how bright and beautiful those lavender eyes were, so expressive and endearing. Now, they looked dead, almost like a haze had taken over. No, not a haze. Any doubts Bakura had were gone as this other persona referred to Marik as a separate entity. "… You're him. The other self inside Marik." Bakura asked cautiously, unconsciously clenching his fist as if expecting a fight.
Marik's alter just smirked before chuckling, sneering at the albino. "I'm Marik's better self, if you really want to know. That brat is so weak. Anytime he feels overwhelmed or scared, he comes knocking at my door without even realizing it. He can't even handle his own problems. Not that I don't mind. I like doing things my way." Bakura kept his distance from Marik-not-Marik, knowing not to let down his guard. If what Odion said was true, this guy had no moral compass and would have no issues killing Bakura if he felt threatened.
"… Who are you really then? Are you Marik? Or someone else?" He asked quietly, trying to figure out who this person was. He wasn't sure how alter egos really worked, but he had the other Marik's attention – he may as well get some answers. Marik laughed out loud at the question, an almost maniacal noise ringing out in the room. "Isn't that such a fun question? I already told you, I'm Marik's better half. You can just call me Namu though. Marik is weak, while I'm strong. Wouldn't want you confusing us two."
Bakura just watched unblinking, his heart pounding in his chest. This was it. He had finally met Marik's other half. There was no question in his mind. Bakura didn't dare try to glance over at Shadi and Ishizu, knowing they would be watching and listening in on this. He had their attention, but he needed to sell the deal. "So you're the one that who's been causing hell for the rest of us. The one that Odion saw when you… you killed-"
Before Bakura could finish, Marik – or rather Namu – started laughing again, grinning wildly at the albino. "They deserved to die. If I hadn't killed them, they would have killed me. Oh, but let me guess – that's wrong. It's not nice to kill people. I should just try getting along and play nice with others. After all, that clearly worked with our insane father." Bakura stood there, gaping at the alter. He knew Namu was responsible for the murders, but he hadn't expected him to be so… blunt and proud of his actions.
This guy's a psychopath. Bakura was starting to understand why Odion was so hell-bent on keeping Namu under wraps. Nonetheless, Bakura wasn't going to back down. He crossed his arms as he glared at smirking Egyptian leaning against the table. "You've killed people. You've made Marik's life a living hell. Why the fuck would you do that?" For the first time, Bakura finally got a reaction that wasn't smug or delighted.
He saw Namu's eye twitch, as if irked by Bakura's last comment. Namu twisted his head sharply to glare at Bakura, snarling at the accusation. "Shut the fuck up. You forget that Marik made me. Everything I did was because it's what Marik wanted. Our father hurt us. Marik wanted to hurt him back and make the pain go away. So I made it happen. Rex and Weevil would have killed us if I hadn't killed them first. I wanted us to live – and that's supposed to make me the bad guy?"
Bakura blinked as he tried to make sense of Namu's logic. Odion had mentioned Marik's alter was amoral, but Bakura felt confused. He had assumed Namu was needlessly violent. In some ways, what Namu said actually made sense, in a sick twisted sort of way. Not that it justified his actions, but on some level, Namu ran on survival instincts. Namu would take over Marik sporadically, but it was only when Marik was in danger would Namu become violent. In a sense, that Namu an almost protective alter. Is it because that's how Marik designed him? Or is it how Namu decided to be?
Bakura felt almost confused by this logic, unable to make sense of the hell that was Marik's condition. Despite his own confusion, Bakura had one large concern on his mind – did Namu see Bakura as a threat? The albino suspected Namu did since the alter came out after Marik had lost control. If Namu had thought Odion was a threat after killing their father, then Bakura and anyone else near Namu would be no different.
Bakura shook his head of the thought, raising his guard again. He saw Namu just smile at Ishizu and Shadi through the glass before glancing over at the albino. "So that's what this is all about. Marik's going to jail, is he? Let me guess – you're trying to get us arrested." Bakura narrowed his eyes, standing a little taller. "I'm trying to keep Marik out of jail. He's unwell – you're the proof of that. If we can get the court to listen, we can keep Marik out of jail and get him to a hospital to get the help he needs-"
Namu started laughing again, but this time it sounded almost angry, even threatening. Namu stood up from the table taking a step towards Bakura. "And finally get rid of me? You think throwing Marik into the bin with a bunch of loonys is going to help him? That's what this is all about – I'm the enemy you've got to rid of you. But who was it that got Marik in this situation? I certainly didn't. The only reason Marik is here is because of you."
Namu took another step forward, glowering at the albino. Bakura glanced quickly at Shadi and Ishizu before returning to watch Namu. He hadn't meant to, but Bakura ended up taking a step back, trying to keep some space between him and Namu. Marik's alter just snorted, shaking his head in disgust. "You're a fucking coward. You're the reason Marik's life is so fucked up and you can't even own up to it. When he needs you the most, you're best bet is just toss him in a hospital and throw on the straight jacket."
Before Bakura even realized it, he realized his back was pressed up against the wall. He snapped his head back in confusion before returning his gaze to Namu, who closed the gap. Out of nowhere, Namu punched the glass next to Bakura's head before grabbing Bakura's collar. The albino swore as he flinched, clenching his fists as he got ready to fight. Shit, I was right. He does see me a threat. Fuck. Bakura wasn't even sure if he could overpower Namu, but he would damn well tried. He wasn't about to join Namu's death count.
Namu just glowered, closing the gap so that their faces were inches away. "I always fucking knew you would fuck us over. I hate cowards like you. You're selfish and don't care who gets hurt so long as you get what you want in the end. Marik was a fucking idiot to fall for that trick. Everyone tries to hurt us – why can't Marik see that? At least in the end, he saw you for what you really are – a fucking backstabber." Bakura said nothing, glaring back as Namu's face contorted from anger to undisguised disgust and hatred.
Bakura knew Namu was right. Bakura would often try to peg people into categories and use that knowledge to get what he wanted. He was always too selfish and greedy for his own good and because of that, Odion was dead and here he was pinned against the wall by Marik's crazy alter ego. Despite all this, Bakura wouldn't go down without a fight. Despite all that terrible shit he had done, he hadn't become suicidal quite yet. Bakura still wanted to live.
Guess I'm still too greedy for my own good.
Bakura knew this would piss off Namu, but Bakura still had a goal in mind. Ishizu and Shadi could hear what was going on the room, but words were one thing. Actions often spoke much louder and this situation was no different. Bakura wasn't going to stand here be threatened either way. He glared at Namu, unrelenting his challenge. "Fuck. You." Bakura gritted out, already anticipating retaliation.
Those words were all that was needed to provoke Namu. Bakura felt hands press against his throat as the flow of oxygen was suddenly cut off. Bakura flailed for a moments, hands reaching to pry away the vice grip on his windpipe. For the first time since Bakura had entered that room, the albino felt a true wave of panic as he couldn't pull away the hands from his neck. He always was careful to stay in control of the situation. But Namu was dangerous and a loose cannon – had Bakura pushed his luck?
Bakura tried to kick at Namu, who seemed to just brush off any attacks that the albino attempted. Bakura felt his vision go fuzzy as he felt his strength waning. His body was screaming for air and Bakura couldn't hold on much longer. He felt his eyelids grow heavy as he blinked, starting to lose consciousness. Bakura focused on the hazy lavender eyes that bore into him, lit with such anger and hatred. Marik… I'm…
Bakura felt the pressure disappear from his throat and air rush through his lungs. Bakura slid down against the wall, coughing and choking as he desperately tried to breathe. His vision still felt fuzzy and unfocused, though he could from the noise in the room that the guards had finally managed to break into the room and were pulling Mari- Namu away. He could hear Shadi arguing with one of the guards, though what he wasn't sure. Bakura just leaned his head back and closed his eyes, fighting back the tears that had formed as a physiological response to all of his coughing.
Bakura felt something cool pressed into his hand. When he felt less dizzy, Bakura finally opened his eyes as he glanced down at the water bottle that was shoved in his hand. He blinked for a moment before glancing up, watching as Ishizu walked away from him to talk to Shadi. Bakura sighed as he stood up shakily, noticing that Namu had already left the room. In some ways, Bakura was thankful – he felt weak, physically and emotionally from the encounter and he needed to catch his breath. Figuratively and literally.
"Bakura, are you alright?" He heard Shadi ask him, though Bakura just stared at the floor. He nodded his head as he opened the water bottle. He noticed that Ishizu still had her back to him, though to hide what emotion, he wasn't sure. Bakura took a large gulp of water as he leaned against the wall. His throat still felt sore – he knew he would likely have bruises there for days to come.
Bakura coughed as he tried to speak, practically choking out the words from his sore throat. "Think the insanity defense will work now?" Bakura hadn't meant to sound bitter, but it currently hurt to breathe and he felt another pain growing in his chest that he hoped to ignore for a bit longer. Shadi glanced over at Ishizu, who didn't move or say anything. Shadi just sighed before glancing back at Bakura, a solemn look on his face. "… Okay. I get it. Marik needs help. He can't go on like this. I know someone who's a psychiatrist – she can help us out."
Bakura nodded, not really listening. He had done his job – he proved that Marik needed help. Bakura hadn't been lying when he told them of Marik's condition, but they initially thought it was a matter of just keeping Marik out of jail. The focus suddenly shifted at Bakura's confrontation from building a defense for Marik in court to getting him medical help. In some ways, Bakura was relieved that Marik would finally get the help he needed. With the proper attention and careful treatment, Marik wouldn't have to keep suffering as he was.
But it all came with a cost.
"Fine. If you don't need me anymore, I think I'm going to take my leave then. I have nothing else to offer that isn't covered in those books I covered. Let me know if you need anything else from me." Bakura didn't bother looking back, passing his solemn and dismally quiet two companions. One of the guards noticed Bakura wanting to leave and escorted him off the floor. Bakura knew there wasn't much else they would need from him. If they did, Ishizu knew how to contact him.
Bakura wandered until he found himself outside the building, ignoring the odd looks he got for his haggard appearance. His throat stung and it still hurt to swallow. Bakura remembered once he got outside that he had ridden over with Ishizu. He shook his head as he started the long walk home, staring at the sidewalk. In some ways, it was a relief that this finally happened. In many ways, it brought closure to the many speculations he had about Marik. Now that he met this "Namu," Bakura's suspicions were proven true.
I should be happy. It hurt, but now Ishizu and Shadi know what's really wrong with Marik. They will get him a doctor and they'll get him the help he needs. They just need to do their job in court and Marik will be all the better for it. It might take years, but Marik will come out better and healthy for it. Bakura stopped walking for a moment to stare at the sky, the pain in chest now more painful than the one at this throat. …And I'll have no part in that future.
Bakura continued down the path home, trying to block out Marik's voice screaming, "I hate you" as it ran repeatedly through his head.