Pairing: Bronzeshipping (Mariku/Malik)

Prompt: Loneliness

I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh

The darkness of the room was usually very comforting and calming for the youngest yami every time he would walk in. However, today it wasn't so comforting and it wasn't the least bit calming. It was mocking, mocking his pain and mocking him, telling him he drove his precious hikari away.

He curled up among the shadows, tears still streaming down his face and small whimpering coming from his shaking form. He was so terribly alone. No one except Malik had ever accepted him and now even said hikari hated him. It was just like back when he was wandering the very crevices of his light's mind, always walking alone.

Maybe that's the reason why his hikari was once again afraid of him; a part of him was still torturing the hikari in his mind, driving him crazy.

~Flashback~

The tanned yami blinked awake as he felt the form next to him start withering and squirming on the bed desperately, small cries coming from his small form. Turning over, his brows furrowed as he saw that his light was indeed still asleep but a look of absolute terror was written clear across his features.

'Nightmare...' The yami thought to himself. He had witnessed many of his hikari's nightmares before once he probed his mind and had rid his sweet Malik of them all. Tonight would be no different.

It didn't take him long to transfer his energy into the tanned teen's mind and slide through the shadows of sleep that was covering Malik's mind. Opening his lilac eyes, he gazed around, trying to catch something familiar in his light's mind.

He was answered instantly when he saw Malik scrambling across the dark floor, his lilac eyes wide and frightened. Marik growled, ready to destroy whatever it was that was tormenting his little light. Getting ready to step out of the shadows, he looked behind his hikari and froze in absolute shock.

His hikari tormentor…it was him. Well, for the most part. This version of him looked exactly like he did back in Battle City, attire and all. The Millennium Rod's hidden dagger was unsheathed and being waved threateningly around, chaos filled lavender eyes shining maliciously as they focused on Malik.

"Come here, pretty light! Why are you running away from me?"

Marik flinched as his voice rang out and he blinked. Why was his little light dreaming this? He had changed…changed enough for Malik to be able to trust and love him. Was his hikari having doubts?

"Maaaaaalik! Come here my little light!" the nightmare snag out, laughing coldly as some of the loose strands of darkness tripped the hikari under his feet, making said hikari yelp and fall to the floor.

Malik turned to face the dark force, tears of fear running down his cheeks. "M-Marik…please…" he whimpered out. Marik's eyes widened at the pure fear in his light's voice. He had urge to run out and protect him, keep him safe from that nightmare again. However, something was keeping him in place, keeping him from helping his precious light. He was frozen.

The dream-Marik kneeled down next to Malik and took his chin in one hand, looking him over as if he was a healthy piece of livestock. The hikari whimpered again, more and more tears pouring from his lilac eyes.

Marik growled again, anger burning in his eyes. He tried to open his mouth but as soon as he did, the transparent darkness slithered up his body and covered it before he could speak, causing him to widen his eyes. He tried to reach up and tear it off only to discover that even more of the shadow tentacles were wrapped tightly around his limbs, preventing him from moving at all.

He couldn't help Malik.

That statement hit him so hard that he started to violently struggle against the shadow bonds. However, the more he squirmed, the tighter they gripped him. He wasn't going anywhere.

His eyes only widened as he watched the dream-Marik slap his hikari across the face, laughing sadistically at the pain-filled cry that flew from Malik's mouth. "That's right pretty light; cry and scream. No one is coming to save you." The nightmare said, glancing at the real Marik was practically being strangled by the shadows.

That's when Marik understood; the demon knew that the real Marik was watching and was sadistically keeping him out of reach from Malik just to torment him.

That was when the youngest yami really started to fight against the shadow bonds that kept him away from his precious light. His muffled cries were far too soft to be heard by said hikari but he desperately continued on anyways.

Suddenly the dream-Marik dragged the blonde hikari up by his hair, laughing again when he heard Malik whimper in pain. He was then silenced as he felt the cold tip of the Millennium Rod's dagger digging into his neck, his lilac eyes wide and frightened beyond belief.

"M-Marik, please don't." the hikari begged, grabbing onto the muscular arms of his darkness in an attempt to stop him. However, the nightmare yami chuckled darkly before pressing the tip of the dagger further into the bronze neck of his hikari, breaking the skin slightly.

Marik's muffled cries were now muffled screams as he watched the dream-Marik threaten his lover's life. He struggled to squirm out of the bonds as hard as he could, growling and snarling as the shadow bonds merely tightened.

However, no scream was louder than the scream he uttered as he watched the sharp blade changed course and embed itself in Malik's stomach. The sheer cry of agony that his light emitted broke the youngest yami's heart, tears now freely falling down Marik's face as he helplessly watched Malik cough up some blood before falling to his side, his body ominously still.

The dream-Marik sneered at the dead hikari before turning towards the bound yami, that all-to familiar look of madness shining in those lifeless lavender eyes before the nightmare turned back towards the deceased light and began stabbing his tanned body in quick and hasty strikes, laughing like mad as blood spewed everywhere.

Marik couldn't take it anymore. He had to get out of here. Pulling himself out of his hikari's mind, he let out a grunt as he was suddenly thrust back into his own body. Shaking his head back and forth to clear it, he looked over and noticed that Malik was no longer next to him.

"Hikari-pretty?" he called out softly. Hearing a soft whimper behind him, his heart nearly broke again as he caught sight of his normally strong light curled into a protective ball in the corner, tears running down his face in streams.

"Malik?" the tanned yami whispered, reaching a hand out towards the frightened hikari.

"NO! No, don't hurt me!" Malik cried out, closing his eyes and sobbing some more.

Hurt pinched Marik's heart as he saw the pure terror in his hikari's eyes. This…this wasn't supposed to happen again! "M-Malik please…that wasn't me…that wasn't me, I promise!" he tried again to reach out towards the tanned teen.

"Don't touch me, you monster!" Malik shrieked.

The tanned yami's heart broke a second time that night as he heard those words exit his precious light's mouth and he sniffed as the dull ache in his chest seemed to grow the longer he looked at his hikari's sobbing form.

He had to get away…before he did something stupid again.

Soft shuffling met Malik's ears but by the time he looked up, his darkness was gone.

~End Flashback~

Marik whimpered again as he stayed in his protective ball on the floor, Malik's words repeating in his head like a broken record. He could no longer cry for his tears dried up hours ago, his lilac eyes red and stinging. He was so consumed with pain and hurt that he didn't notice the door open to the room he was in and he didn't hear soft footsteps trailing across the carpet.

"Mariku…?"

The tanned yami's eyes snapped open. He would recognize that beautiful, angelic voice anywhere…

"M-Malik? W-Why are y-you…?"

Marik was suddenly silenced when he felt his hikari's plush lips press against his own, Malik's tongue sweeping teasingly across the youngest yami's lower lip.

"Its okay 'Riku, I understand what happened now." Malik whispered gently, stroking his yami's hair soothingly.

"H-Hikari…"

"You're not a monster, Marik."

At those words, the tanned darkness gave a cry of relief before gathering his hikari up in his arms and began mercilessly ravaging his face with kisses. The lilac-eyed hikari giggled lightly at his dark before he cuddled up close to Marik's chest, burrowing deep into the comforting warmth.

"Oh dear Ra hikari, I thought you hated me for a second there." Marik said, wrapping his arms around his hikari in a protective embrace.

Malik looked up at his dark, adoration shining clear in his lilac eyes. "I would never hate you, 'Riku. I love you more than life itself…"

The tanned darkness smiled warmly at his hikari before placing a gentle kiss on Malik's forehead, bringing his light back into the warm hug the second he was done.

'Loneliness has nothing on me…' Marik thought to himself as he cradled his hikari closer when he heard Malik's breathing even out, signaling he was asleep.

'I have Malik and that's all that matters.'

Review please! :D:D