Oh God! I haven't updated for more than a month! I'm really sorry guys. It's just that I've spent all my free time catching up with sleep since I've been sleeping past midnight almost everyday now and waking up at 5 AM. School's hell, I'm sure you all know.

Here's the long delayed chapter. Forgive me for its lateness and forgive me again if it isn't too good (I blame lack of sleep). I hope you haven't abandoned me or anything (I am still alive, you know:D) and that you enjoy this, no matter how late it is.

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Chapter 8:

Start Talking

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Ryou and Malik were both clueless as to why their respective darks were suddenly acting so cooperative all of a sudden. They took the chance to express their concerns with each other during their break for the day.

"Did anything happen that we weren't aware of?" Ryou said.

Malik scratched his head, "I…I don't think so…I've been with Marik the whole day yesterday and he did nothing except watch TV. So unless one of those cheesy movies affected that decomposed brain of his, I can't really think of anything else."

"Hmm…maybe we're just looking too much into this," Ryou had a thoughtful expression on his face. "I mean, maybe they figured out that them being all whiny and difficult would just lengthen the time we'd have to do these…gay stuff."

"Or maybe we're not seeing the whole picture…"

There was a brief moment of silence.

"…You think they're hiding something from us?"

Malik glanced at the darks for a second, checking to make sure they weren't paying any attention to him and Ryou. "Honestly…yes. I mean, come on, Bakura and Marik are being affectionate. Sure it's only acting and all that, but since when did they decide to follow Kaiba or Pegasus' commands? You know as well as me that they think Kaiba's an ass and Pegasus is a strawberry fruit loop. They detest those two!"

"Calm down, Malik!" Ryou said. The blonde's voice had been increasing in volume as he was letting out his frustrations. "Now, ever thought that maybe we should be thankful for this?"

Malik only gave him an incredulous look.

"At least they're cooperating with us. Do you like having a bloody brawl with Marik every single day?"

"Of course not, but I have the right to be suspicious!" Malik said crossly. "Your dark wasn't nuzzling your neck out there like mine was doing!"

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Not very far from where Malik and Ryou were voicing their suspicions to each other, Yami, Bakura, and Marik were having their own conversation. And unlike the two lights', it wasn't exactly a peaceful banter.

"Hah!" Marik scoffed, "Just give it up you two. You could never top what I just did! Admit it!"

"Whatever," Bakura said, trying to hide the bitterness in his voice and act as if Marik outdoing him wasn't a big deal. "You think I care that you act 'gayer' than me? Tch, as if."

"…Isn't that supposed to be the point?" Yami interjected.

Bakura turned his glare to the tri-colored boy, "Why don't you just shut up?"

"I was only saying—"

"Well I don't wanna hear it."

Marik grinned. Ah, here was yet another one of Yami and Bakura's usual spats. His grin widened when he noticed Yami's eyes narrow dangerously. The pharaoh has always been touchy when it came to respect and such.

"Heh, I see a fight coming…"

Yami gave him a glare before snorting and starting to walk away, "I'm above petty fights. And Kaiba would probably go ballistic when we make another mess in his mansion."

The two darks left watched the pharaoh approach Yugi, who had been spending their break reading some book, before turning back to face each other.

After a brief silence, Bakura said, "You do know we're enemies in this too, right?"

"Of course," Marik said casually.

"Good."

Bakura was about to leave when Marik spoke once more, catching his complete attention.

"If you want to eliminate a certain pharaoh from this competition, however…just know that I'm willing to involve myself in a…temporary alliance…"

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For the first time in days since this whole 'pretending-to-be-gay' thing started, Yugi felt relaxed and not at all uncomfortable. The past few days had him blushing like crazy at times because of the darks antics and Pegasus putting them into all sorts of uncomfortable situations, but it seems like they're slowing down (though temporarily) with all the 'couple stuff' for now.

Their next lesson would be by far the easiest, he thought. They wouldn't be working on any displaying of affection like before. Seto had decided to leave the 'intimacy' stuff for the meantime and work on their social skills, as he so termed it.

"Since all of you did such a…good job earlier…" Pegasus started, "Kaiba-boy and I have decided to give you a little break."

"What do you mean, 'a break'?" Bakura asked suspiciously.

Seto raised an eyebrow. "No need to get hostile, Bakura. We're just going to have a change of pace for today and focus on how you are going to interact with your 'lovers'. Can't actually convince Dream you're together when you can't even hold a decent five minute conversation now, can you?" his gaze flickered to Malik and Marik.

"Err…what exactly are we going to do?" Ryou asked timidly.

"Nothing complicated, I assure you…" Seto said. He gestured towards three tables with two chairs each, "You're going to spend the next two hours or so socializing with each of your partners. All you need to do is talk with one another and act as if you really enjoy doing so. Pegasus and I would be standing by and observing you like before."

"What the—are you saying that…I have to endure talking w-with—?" Malik jerked his hand at his darker self.

Marik visibly frowned at this and muttered something dejectedly under his breath.

"I don't want to hear any complaining Ishtar," Seto said warningly. "This depends completely on you and Marik whether it'll go smoothly or not."

Marik, in one of the very rare times, took his lighter half's side.

"Why the hell do we need to—"

Seto snapped his cool eyes at the other blonde. "In case you forgot, Ishtal," he drawled, "We're going to a party. And unfortunately, in case you're new to this, a party is a social gathering where people get along and socialize with other people…not killing, blackmailing, threatening, or any other word you might've mixed up in that twisted mind of yours."

Marik, not one to take any insult lying down, opened his mouth to retort. But Seto was having none of it.

"I will personally duct tape you to that chair if you so much whisper a single word."

It was obvious that Marik was more than slightly taken aback by this by the way his eyes widened and stared at the taller teenager.

Not long after Seto and Marik's little conflict, all six boys could be found seated obediently (or almost obediently in Bakura's case) at their chosen tables and across their respective partners. Yami and Yugi seemed perfectly okay with their situation and even requested a plate of sandwiches as well as a bottle of soda each, saying that this could make their 'interaction' more enjoyable.

"This one's tuna, Yugi, you want it?" Yami asked, extending a hand holding a wrapped sandwich.

Yugi blinked for a moment. He had been poking the sandwiches here and there since he wanted a tuna one, he must've unconsciously relayed the thought to his other self. When he caught Yami staring at him with a slightly concerned expression when he blanked out, he became flustered, "Eh…err, don't you want it?"

He only received an endearing and thoughtful smile, "We both you want it, Yugi."

Beside the two multicolored boy's table, Bakura sneered in disgust, "This whole fiasco is turning those two fools even gayer than they were before—smack me if I ever start acting like that, Ryou."

Ryou only shook his head and said, "Whatever you say, Bakura."

"That's right. I'd rather you hit me with that sissy slap of yours than get caught being sugary-sweet towards anyone…except myself maybe… in front of a mirror…"

Ryou stared at him. He was a bit put off that Bakura thought he hit like a girl, but the last sentence his dark had uttered made disbelief overshadow his anger. He couldn't help but wonder at that moment just how big Bakura's ego was.

"I was here first damnnit!"

Ryou snapped his head at the side and didn't feel surprised upon seeing Malik and Marik fighting over a chair.

Currently, Malik was attempting to push his other half off the seat he had been occupying just five seconds ago. Marik had pushed him rather roughly (making him land painfully on his butt), saying that he wanted a seat near the window to admire the scenery.

Of course, Malik was having none of this.

"What the hell? Admire the scenery?" Malik grunted as he pulled Marik's arm with all his might. "Are you shitting me?" he snarled.

Marik only looked at his light with amusement, clearly not at all succumbing to Malik's vain efforts to pull him off the chair.

Bakura had turned his attention away from Yami and Yugi and were now regarding the fighting Egyptian pair with shining eyes.

"Why don't you just sit on his lap, Malik?" he smirked, ignoring Ryou's warning look. His host should know by now that those are ineffectual when directed at him. "That way, both of you can be happy!"

Malik's eyes flashed dangerously and he turned, "You know what, Bakura? I'm freaking sick of you—"

"Ishtar!" Seto shouted. Malik dragged his eyes towards Seto, the anger still noticeable there. Seto appeared unfazed by this, and in a less loud voice said, "Sit down. Now."

Reluctantly, and with lavender eyes fixed on Seto's with a furious gaze, Malik navigated his way around the table until he was opposite of Marik before crashing down non too-gently on the second chair. After this, he transferred his glare on Marik instead.

Bakura snickered, "Isn't this nice—"

"Bakura…" Seto said.

He heeded Seto's commands and settled for smirking at Marik and Malik's general direction instead. He and Marik might've agreed on a secret alliance against Yami, but the game was still on between them. He couldn't let Marik win (though he preferred him over Yami any day), and the best way to make sure he doesn't was to make Malik as irritable as possible. They planned on approaching Yugi in the same way to hinder his and Yami's performance, so who said he couldn't do the same with Marik and Malik. After all, the Egyptian dark never mentioned a ceasefire between them.

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Seto and Pegasus spent their time walking from table to table, listening in to the boys' conversations, or in Marik and Malik's case, persuading them to start one.

"Oh, come now, Malik-boy!" Pegasus pleaded dramatically, "You two have done nothing except sit there ever since we started!"

He was only met with silence.

This time, Seto tried his luck, "You've already wasted twenty minutes…if you two are still not talking in the next ten seconds or so…I'm strapping you to your chairs for an additional two hours."

Both Marik and Malik glared heatedly at the CEO but remained silent.

"You want to see just how serious I am with what I said?"

Malik was tempted to remain stubborn, but being tied down on a chair did not actually agree with him so he spoke up with the first thing that floated in his mind, "Fuc—"

"Ishtar," Seto growled. "If this is how you're going to act with Dream, then I strongly suggest you try a different approach as so I won't be tempted to resort to less desirable measures to keep you in line."

Malik's eyes only widened a bit but he covered this with an indignant scoff, "Whatever…" he turned back to Marik. "Well? Do you want to start?"

Marik blinked, as well as Pegasus, and Seto. Malik's voice and whole expression, which had only seconds ago had been giving off angry, unwelcoming vibes, had just made a complete 180 degree turn. The way Malik had spoken dripped so much with polite sweetness it was making Marik nauseous. The way Malik smiled made him uncomfortable too, and if there's one thing Marik knew, Malik is the most dangerous of the three lights, and someone you should be careful around with once he's set his anger on you.

"I…uh…"

Malik grinned again. And though it would seem perfectly innocent to any other person, Marik knew it was anything but. "Well…if you can't think of anything…"

Seto and Pegasus walked away hastily. For some reason, they felt it would be better for their health if they left the blondes for a while.

Their suspicions were affirmed when upon seeing that only he and Marik were left alone, Malik dropped his act and the angry look returned on his face, "Alright, Ishtal. I know you're up to something with that huggy-huggy of yours earlier…care to enlighten me as to what you and Bakura are up to?"

Marik maintained his ground admirably, showing no signs of guilt, "What are you yapping about, Lightside?"

Malik's gaze intensified, he wasn't going to let Marik get way now, not when it was so obvious that the other was hiding something from him.

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Ryou rarely had the time to chat with Bakura, so this session was very interesting for him. There were times when he wondered what conversations Bakura held with other people and he did kind of wished that he could spend some time to just talk with his other side. Now, that he did manage to get a taste of what kind of chat-mate Bakura was like, and what conversations he took part in, Ryou wanted to get away from it all.

"That damn pharaoh, fucking my life up like that…I hope this gay business contaminates that spiky head of his and makes him a cross-dresser or something …I just need one picture and I'd be satisfied."

One thing Bakura loved talking about was Yami, Ryou couldn't even count how many times Bakura insulted the pharaoh. He was pretty sure some insults had yet to be repeated. It seemed that Bakura had a talent for coming up with all sorts of things about the people he despised. Not exactly useful, but it wasn't as if he can do anything about it.

"I'll give him a taste of true torture. He thinks trapping me in a ring is divine punishment? Let's just wait what he thinks true divine punishment is like once I pluck out every single hair from his body…you could come with me when I do it, Ryou. Besides, I need someone to hold him down while I use these tweezer things to—"

And when Bakura started talking about torture techniques, Ryou just couldn't take it anymore.

"Bakura, could you please…shut up?"

Bakura stopped dead in his ranting. Did he just hear what he thought he heard? Was Ryou really asking him to…?

"Care to repeat that?" he said lowly.

Ryou gulped involuntarily, wishing at the moment that he just kept his mouth shut. Never mind that he'd probably be scarred for life listening to Bakura's very intricate descriptions of his plans for Yami. The thief had to be credited for knowing such creative ways of torture as well.

"I mean, uh…maybe we should have a change of topic?" he said softly, "It's just that…I don't think we'd be having a conversation like this when we're actually with Dream…so I just wanted to…uh…practice?"

Bakura's eyes darkened in thought. Ryou was almost shaking in his seat. Maybe he shouldn't have said or done anything while Bakura was clearly in one of his bloody moods (as he assumed, considering he must've had heard Bakura enumerate five different ways as to how he could drain Yami's blood in his insult-fest earlier).

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Unlike the other pairs of light and darks, Yami and Yugi were actually having a sort of normal conversation, devoid of blood, knives, torture, threats, etc.

"I really think this is helping Bakura and Marik somehow," Yugi was saying, eyes shining innocently, "Weren't they both so sweet with Malik and Ryou? They were almost like us, Yami!"

It was rare for Yami to disagree with his light side. This was one of those rare times.

"The day those two demons become sweet is the day I'm going to shave my hair off. In short, never."

Yugi pouted and said, "Oh, you don't know that!"

"But I do. Marik, Bakura, and the word 'sweet' does not belong in the same sentence, unless there's a 'not' somewhere there too…"
Yugi giggled, "That wasn't nice."

"But it's true," Yami nodded, "Besides, if I shave my hair off, I won't look like you as much as now anymore…and I won't like that…"

Yugi's eyes trembled slightly. He didn't know exactly what to say. "Yami—"

"Oh, you two are just so adorable!" Pegasus suddenly exclaimed, surprising both boys by the way he just popped up. He looked at Seto, "Aren't they Kaiba-boy?"

Seto sighed, "Well…not exactly a suitable 'party conversation' but it's better than the other two."

"Huh?" Yugi said, confused.

Yami tried to hide the smirk creeping on his face, "How are Marik and Bakura?"

"From what I gathered. Marik is about to get interrogated then killed while Bakura is attempting to corrupt Ryou's mind into hating you, Yami."

This time, Yami did smirk. Ah, so it seemed the other two were struggling (rather pathetically, he noted) with their competition. Though at first Yami had no intention of actually competing with Marik and Bakura, he felt different now, there was no way he's allowing any of them to win. And that was why a plan was already forming in his mind. His first goal, he decided, was to take Bakura down.

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Well there you go. Sorry for the lack of any romance or 'action'. They're coming, I assure you, just a bit of patience.

In case you think this chapter ends rather abruptly or that there wasn't any real 'conversations' between the yamis and hikaris, they'll be featured in the next chapter, it was just getting too long so I made it that this sort of 'leads to the main event' itself. Anyways, see you then!

And I hope you enjoyed the chapter!