Pairing: Towershipping (Mariku/Kaiba/Joey)

Prompt: Forgiveness

Warnings: Nothing but good ol' fashion Marik angst!

I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh...*cries in the corner*

The blue-eyed CEO rolled his eyes as he watched the two blondes started yelling at each other again. This time, he was going to stay out of it. He was far too annoyed with his partners to break up one of their pointless arguments again.

"Ya stupid shadow magic! Ya wouldn' have won if it weren't for 'dem!"

"I played by my own rules, you little twit! And you know that you didn't have to duel me! You were just trying to save that little slut…"

"Don't talk about Mai that way!"

"Well why not? It seemed you've always loved her more than us!"

"That glowing eye on your head must be seriously frying your brain if ya think 'dats true!"

"You're just making excuses!"

"Well, then maybe I am! Maybe I hate you!"

"Good, cause I hate you too!"

"SHUT UP! BOTH OF YOU!" The brunette screamed, glaring daggers at the two. He had been pushed to his limit and couldn't stay silent anymore. Both of the arguing blondes stopped their rant to look at their partner, eyes smoldering but confused. It was obvious that they didn't realize that the blue-eyed teen was standing there and watching their fight.

"Kaiba? How long have…" the hazel-eyed blonde started to ask but zipped him mouth when piercing blue eyes focused dangerously on him.

"I've been here as long as you two have been bickering and throwing fits like two-year old children, you stupid mutt." Kaiba growled.

The blonde he was addressing bit his lip and lowered his head, a bit of hurt shining in his eyes. "B-But Kaiba, Marik doesn't think I love him!"

The lilac-eyes blonde looked at the other, surprise shining in his eyes. "You…love me?"

Hazel eyes narrowed angrily again. "Well I did! But after you just told me you hated me and reminded me about what you did to Mai, I don't think I could love you at all!"

Now it was Marik's turn to look hurt and Kaiba could understand why. His first lover had a terrible fear of people leaving him because of hatred towards what he did in the past. The tanned yami had worked very hard to improve himself for everyone, trying to show them that he could exist without trying to destroy anything or anyone. The brunette winced as he remembered how much Marik had gone through to show he wasn't a heartless demon anymore. He was just glad that Malik actually believed in his yami enough to help him through those difficult months…

"Joey, shut that trap of yours." The CEO said in a serious tone.

The blonde he was addressing looked at him with disbelief in his eyes. "What? Kaiba are you kidding me?"

The CEO glared at his hazel-eyed lover. "No I'm not. You need to think of others before opening that howling screamer of yours."

Joey huffed but then looked at Marik and felt a bit of guilt pinch his heart at the sadness in those normally bright lilac eyes. He remembered the very first day he had seen the tanned yami since Battle City. He also remembered the immediate feeling of anger and hate that was once again surfacing since that tournament, his eyes reflecting it all.

However, he also recalled the surprise he felt when Marik apologized for everything and anything he had put the blonde through. To say that Joey was shocked wasn't even the half of it; he was at a loss for words for the first time in his life. Although, the need to make the former demon suffer was still there and the blonde needed an outlet. But before he could grill the tanned darkness for his sins, Malik appeared on his yami's right side with his lilac eyes narrowed and staring deep into the blonde's hazel, protectiveness for his dark sparkling within them.

The tanned teen was out rightly daring him to try and hurt his yami in any way, shape or form. Fortunately, Joey backed off that day, trusting that what the former psychopath said was true and he wouldn't hurt anyone anymore.

However, it became even stranger when Kaiba had announced his attraction towards the tanned yami, one he said he had been harboring since the first time he saw him in Battle City. Marik, obviously, had been quite surprised and somewhat frightened at this new and foreign emotion and had denied the CEO's request to be with him.

It had taken some time and patience on Malik's part to teach his yami about love and what it meant between two people. For this, Joey had grown an up most respect for the Egyptian teen. He had seemingly pushed away the painful and unwanted memories of his dark back enough to show Marik all of the feelings he never got to experience.

Back then, Malik was the only one who cared about Marik…

However, against his very nature, the tanned darkness had finally learned what love was and how it contrasted heavily against hatred. He learned the feelings you got from being in love and how important it was.

With that in mind, he admitted that he was indeed as attracted to Kaiba as much as said CEO was to him, which pleased the brunette immensely, but he also let lose that he felt the same type of attraction towards one other person…

Joey.

This shocked the blonde to his core, shaking him up so much that his initial response was negative. But this confused and hurt Marik greatly. The youngest yami couldn't understand why Joey didn't love him if Marik himself loved Joey. Desperately confused, he had once again retreated to his hikari with watery eyes, asking about this new situation and why it had happened.

To say Malik was upset was the biggest understatement of the year; he was furious at Joey.

The blonde still remembered when the tanned teen had cornered him and started growling and yelling at him.

"Why did you have to say that to him? You know he doesn't understand it!" Malik had spat, obviously un-aware of the fact that Joey actually felt some attraction towards the tanned dark.

"I didn't mean it! I mean…he just kinda said it and…it really shocked me…" The blonde had admitted softly, a light flush coloring his cheeks now.

He remembered Malik sighing in irritation, rubbing the bridge of his nose before looking at the duelist. "Joey, you have to remember that Marik is afraid of being rejected. He was pushed away and hurt by everyone except for me when he first came back and it's really scarred him. So, when you said you didn't share his feelings, he feels like he did something wrong again."

Joey remembered nodding, the words sinking in slowly. "I know Malik. It just…it really surprised me, ya know? I really didn't expect it at all…"

Malik had chuckled humorously. "It's alright Joey. I understand that that may have come out of the blue. Just please don't hurt him, he's been through enough already."

The blonde duelist had agreed, mentally smiling warmly. Malik obviously cared deeply for Marik and his feelings, enough to drag Joey in private to scream at him for crushing said yami's feelings.

So, just as he promised, he approached Marik and apologized, telling him that the confession had only shocked him. When he saw the tanned darkness's eyes beginning to reflect hurt again, he quickly told him that it was okay and he cared for him as well.

He remembered happiness shine brightly in those once downcast lilac eyes as the tanned dark quickly scooped him up and embraced him tightly, nuzzling his cheek against Joey's lovingly. To see Marik happy…it made Joey happy as well.

The only hard part was telling Kaiba. The CEO was quite surprised to hear that not only did Marik love Joey; the mutt actually returned the feelings. He really couldn't fathom it, even if he tried. Never the less, he accepted their feelings and even suggested the threesome idea, an idea the two blondes clung to quite hard.

"Well? Are you going to stand there gawking like an overheated mutt or are you going to say something to him?" Kaiba's voice shook him out of his memories and back to the present where the familiar hurt was plastered on the tanned yami's face.

Joey sighed before sitting next to his youngest partner, letting his hand drift up to stroke his hair soothingly. "I'm sorry Marik…I really don't hate ya…"

The lilac-eyed immortal faced him. "Then why did you say it?"

The blonde winced as he heard Kaiba clear his voice. "B-Because…I was just a little bit mad, 'dats all."

Marik was beginning to look a little distressed. "I-I don't understand. How could you hate someone if you love them?"

Joey scratched his head, looking a little sheepish. "Well…ya can't…"

The tanned darkness rose from his seat. "Then…you do hate me…"

The blonde stood up as well, blinking for a moment when he realized that Marik was taller than he was. "No Marik, I don't hate you at all. I do love you."

"Then why did you say you hated me?"

"I was mad! Besides, you said you hated me too!"

"Only because you said it to me first!"

"Shut it!"

The blondes once again looked to see Kaiba glaring at them, his arms crossed dramatically across his chest. "Nobody hates anyone in his house, not unless I say so."

Marik looked at his oldest lover. "But Kaiba…"

The CEO sighed before walking over to the tanned yami and placing a hand on his shoulder. "There's still a lot you don't understand about this, Marik. For that, I know how confusing and annoying it is to hear that the person you love says they hate you." Kaiba said, looking pointedly at the other blonde. "We all just need to forgive and forget."

Both Marik and Joey looked at each other for a moment before the hazel-eyed blonde sighed and walked over to his youngest partner, reaching his hand out and laying it on the opposite shoulder. "I'm sorry Marik; I really didn't mean to snap at ya like 'dat…"

The tanned yami searched the mortal's for any trace of a lie but found none and smiled softly. Immediately, he wrapped his strong arms around the other blonde and pulled him as close as he possibly could, resting his chin on the top of his youngest lover's head. "I don't hate you…" he said a little uncertainly.

Joey sighed in relief before relaxing into the embrace. "I know you don't." he reassured the tanned darkness, reaching up to stroke his sandy blonde locks gently. Marik purred lightly, leaning into the other blonde's touch before kissing him fully on the lips.

Kaiba only watched his two young lovers, blue eyes glinted with adoration. It always was a very adorable sight when the two blondes made up, especially for the CEO.

Dealing with their arguing was aggravating but seeing them forgive and make-up was always worth it.

Please R&R if you have the time :)