A/N: This is one of my pride and joy chapters and I hope you like it as much as I do. We finally are getting somewhere with Bakura, kind of. Don't worry. It really isn't much longer until the thiefshipping kicks in, I promise. Just hang in there! Until next time!

Unreal Truths

Chapter 23: Busted

Bakura's POV

I sat in my landlord's living room, staring blankly at the wall and holding a cold beer in my hand.

When had things gotten so complicated?

Marik seemed so…angry and torn up inside, just the same as he had when I first met him at the beginning of Battle City.

Something had changed, but what?

I just didn't understand our relationship and what had gone wrong those last few months before my final battle with the pharaoh.

We were so close, and our relationship was going so well, but after the end of Battle City I never saw him again. No matter what I tried I couldn't reach him, and I tried everything.

Finally, running out of time, I had to go and fight that blasted pharaoh without saying goodbye, and it broke my heart to do so.

But it was Marik who had run off and not told me where he was going or what he was doing. I thought at least he would have the decency to see me off.

I even thought he would want to join me in my plans and help destroy our common enemy; the pharaoh.

But none of that had happened.

The last memory I had of Marik and I was one of the best I had of him, but it still hurt inside to know that was where it ended and I had no sort of warning.

Marik and I were sitting on the dock of his yacht, watching as a distant island slowly came into view.

"You know Marik…I couldn't imagine a better way to spend the next week." I smiled and wrapped my arms around the young Egyptian teen, kissing along his neck. I was actually excited to take a break from the villainy and have some relaxing time. Odd I know, but even the villains needed breaks.

"I know. When I saw it on my way here from Egypt I knew it would be the perfect place to just get away from all the stresses of the world." He sighed and leaned into my embrace, making small sounds of satisfaction with each kiss.

"Just wait until we rule this world together Marik, then every moment, every place will be completely ours."

He mumbled softly, the doubt evident in his voice.

"Do you have no faith in me Marik?"

He sighed lightly and turned his head so he could meet my gaze, "It's…not that per se."

"What is it then Marik?"

He chewed lightly on his lip, eyes troubled and worried, "It's just we are up against an awful lot here Bakura."

"Don't you worry about a thing Marik." I gave his torso a tight squeeze, "I got this entire thing planned out and I have no chance of failing."

"Yeah…" I could still hear the doubt plainly in his tone and I frowned deeply.

"Marik…" I turned him around so he faced me and I tilted his chin up so we were looking eye to eye.

"I promise you, things are going to be different. The pharaoh doesn't stand a chance, and when he fails, we will rise to the top as the new kings!"

He smiled then and leaned up to give me a light kiss on the lips, "Alright Bakura, I trust you."

"Good." I smirked and we both turned to look at the island, which was now much closer. It wouldn't be much longer before we docked.

"Bakura?"

"Yeah Marik?" I rested my hand on his lower back and he laid his head on my shoulder.

He looked up at me, eyes uncertain, "You won't ever leave me will you?"

Where did that come from?

"Of course not Marik, don't be stupid."

He frowned, eyes showing a little bit of hurt and he turned away from me.

I let out a small sigh, actually feeling guilty for acting like an asshole. Why did this kid affect me like that?

"Nothing could get me to leave you…Not….not even the pharaoh." I paused for a moment, letting the words sink in, and he turned to look at me with disbelief written all over his face.

"If I had to choose…I…I would choose you over him…" I couldn't believe that I was saying this, and all the more shocking was that fact that I meant every word.

Marik looked at me, his face holding an expression of absolute disbelief and shock, "B…Bakura…"

"I mean it Marik, every word." I smiled lightly, feeling good saying it because I knew it was true.

The Egyptian teen gave a blinding smile and leaned up for a kiss and I gladly gave him one.

"You know Bakura, you're not so evil after all."

I scoffed and let of go him, crossing my arms, "Shush Marik, someone might hear you say that."

He gave a deliciously devious grin and looked back towards the island, now just a short swimming distance away, "Yeah, God forbid someone think you capable of actually feeling something."

"I know! I might actually get…friends." I shuddered and Marik laughed, slipping around me to go into the captain's quarters.

"Anything but those!" He cackled and ducked his head, going in to steer the ship to a safe docking spot while I stayed out here and made sure we didn't run into anything.

I smiled to myself and walked to the very front of the bow, eyes set on our destination.

It couldn't get much better than this. I had the world at my fingertips and Marik at my side, nothing could go wrong now.

At least that's what I had thought at the time.

I looked down at my beer and sighed, taking a long swig.

It hadn't been long after that moment when everything took a downwards spiral and I never got a chance to say goodbye to the one person who made my life worth living.

I finished off the rest of the beer and grabbed another one out of a cooler beside the couch.

Today was going to be a very fucked up day.

I had no idea how right I really was.

Ryou's POV

I woke up to the sound of the shower turning on in my bathroom.

Yawning, I slowly sat up and blinked a few times to allow my eyes to adjust to the soft morning light. I stretched and looked down to the now empty spot next to me on the bed where Mariku had resided the night before.

I smiled as I thought about him. It was true that I would have never imagine in a million years myself having sex with Marik's crazy alter ego, but I think it was because my mind just couldn't figure out the perfect scenario for me.

I was surprised that I felt none of the guilt or remorse I had expected to feel the morning after my first time, and for that I was grateful. Instead of these thoughts however, I found my mind racing through the various different possibilities of taking Mariku in the shower.

Since when did I turn into such a horn dog?

Giving a smirk, I made my decision and crept out of the bed slowly, pausing only when I felt a rather sharp pain run up my spine and into my lower back. I groaned and fell back on the bed, waiting for the uncomfortable sensation to pass. Once it did I got up again, this time much slower. The pain was still there but wasn't as sharp as the first time.

Not to be discouraged, I eased myself out of bed and slowly headed towards the bathroom, carefully opening the door so as to not make any noise.

I felt a smile grace my lips as I saw Mariku's silhouette against the shower curtain. He was going to be so surprised! I quickly took off my PJ's and kicked them to the corner as I slipped off my underwear. I suppressed a snicker and slowly crept behind him and slipped through the curtain and into the shower.

I couldn't help but admire Mariku's defined muscles and toned ass. My eyes trailed upwards and traced the scars on his back.

I bit back another snicker and slowly moved forward, the water beating down drowning out the sound of my movements.

I stopped and reached out, running my hand along the ankh in the middle of his back and trailed my fingers down to tease his entrance, "Morning sexy."

Out of all the reactions I could have gotten I definitely did not expect the one I received.

Mariku screamed and jerked back, flattening himself against the shower wall, "What the hell is-…Ryou? What are you doing!"

My stomach dropped in instant horror as I realized that I had just fondled Marik's ass instead of Mariku's.

"M…Marik! What are you doing in my bathroom?" I stumbled backwards and grasped for anything within reach to cover myself with.

Marik was doing the same thing and he tugged on the shower curtain the same time that I did. The poor thing didn't even stand a chance. The curtain rod snapped and we both yelped as the rod and curtain fell onto us.

Marik was the first to untangle himself and he climbed out of the shower and shut off the water, grabbing a towel in the process.

"What the HELL are you doing getting in the shower with someone else?" He wrapped the towel around his waist and stumbled out of the bathroom and ran out through the living room to get to his bedroom.

I grabbed my own towel wrapping it around my hips and running after him, "Marik wait! I…can explain…kind of!"

I froze when I reach the living room. Marik was standing in the middle staring with horror at the couch where Bakura sat in the middle of opening a beer.

Well shit.

Bakura's POV

Of all the crazy shit that has happened to me over these past months you would think that finding Marik and my landlord come running out of the bedroom, soaking wet wearing nothing but towels wouldn't surprise me in the least.

Well it did.

I blinked a few times before setting my beer down and calmly looking from one hikari to the next, "Well, well looks like I missed the party."

Marik blushed and clenched his fists, "There was no party!"

"Then why, pray tell, are you and my host running around the house half naked."

"I don't see why you're complaining." I looked up to see Mariku leaning against the door to the other bathroom, also wearing nothing but a towel.

"Well I am a little pissed I didn't get the memo." I grinned and took a long swig of my beer.

Mariku gave me one of his infuriating smirks, "It's not too late to strip down thief."

I rolled my eyes and turned my attention back to Marik, my eyes wandering his body as I silently willed the towel to fall down.

"I'm not complaining. I was just wondering why these two came running out of the bathroom like they were being chased by some man-eating predator."

Marik scoffed and crossed his arms, "Well I was just a little shocked to be groped in the shower by my best friend!"

I didn't think my former host could turn so red.

"I didn't do it on purpose!" He clenched his fists, his accent becoming much more defined in his rage, "And why the fuck were you in my bathroom anyways?"

Marik nodded his head towards Mariku, "Because someone was in the one I normally used."

Mariku chuckled and I cocked an eyebrow, "And how exactly did you accidently grope Marik Landlord? I would say groping is very hard to do on accident, especially with Marik."

My host flushed an even deeper red and I thought for a moment that he was going to turn into a tomato or something.

Marik glanced at him, waiting for an answer.

Ryou chewed his lip and looked from Marik to me and finally to Mariku where his gaze stayed. He mumbled a response and shuffled his feet.

"What was that Landlord? I couldn't hear you."

Marik cocked an eyebrow expectantly.

The British teen swallowed hard before turning his gaze to the floor, "I thought you were Mariku."

A dead silence came over the entire room.

Marik looked like he was going to faint and Mariku just had this fucking annoying smirk on his face.

"You…thought I was…him?" Marik pointed to Mariku, "Why the fuck would you grope me if…you…thought…." Marik trailed off as his brain finally comprehended what my host had just said.

I looked from Marik to Mariku then finished off my second beer, "Well I'll be damned. I think we have a plot twist ladies and gentlemen!"

Marik glared at me and I smirked at him in return.

"This isn't funny Bakura! Ryou and Mariku are…are…" He struggled to formulate the words. Good thing we had his insane dark half to help him along.

"Having sex, fornicating, procreating, making love, copulating, reproducing, fucking? Any of those the words you were looking for Omote?"

Marik let out a low and dangerous growl, "Shut the fuck up!" He clenched his fists and turned on Mariku, "Just shut your fucking mouth!"

I was slightly taken aback by Marik's outburst. I wasn't aware the young tomb keeper really had it in him, though if I had ever truly seen him angry it was always directed at his darker half.

"I am so sick of both of you!" Marik's eyes flashed dangerously, "You've taken everything from me now, including my best friend!"

He then turned on his heel, eyes turning sad, "I hope you're happy…"

And with that he walked briskly back to his room, giving the door a violent slam.

I blinked then grabbed my beer from the side table, "Well that went well."

"No thanks to you."

I glanced up at my landlord, who was now standing directly in front of me with his hands on his hips.

"Oh don't give me that look like you think I am magically going to begin to feel guilty Landlord. It's not happening."

Ryou's frown deepened and he sat down on the couch beside me, snatching my beer from my hand before I had a chance to open it.

"You and I need to have a serious talk."

"I'd say." I glared at his hand, which was now holding my beer and glanced back up into his eyes. "I would say that you and my partner in crime have been keeping secrets from me."

Said partner in crime moved from his spot in the doorway and walked over to the couch, squishing himself in beside Ryou, pushing my former host and I closer together.

Needless to say that only served to make us both more irritable.

Ryou didn't say anything however, he merely put his arm around the crazy Egyptian and heaved a small sigh before locking eyes with me, "Bakura…"

Oh no, here comes the lecture.

"You're being a real asshole, you do know that right?"

Since when did my host grow a pair?

I gave a low growl and tried to snatch my beer back, unsuccessfully I might add.

"Landlord, give me my fucking beer."

Ryou frowned and held the can further from my reach, "Not until we have a talk."

I sighed and reached for my beer again, only to have it snatched out of Ryou's hand by Mariku. The Egyptian yami gave me a devious grin and cracked it open, taking a long swing.

"Bastard." I crossed my arms and looked to my Hikari, "Alright, start talking so we can get this over with." Since when did I just not force him to do what I wanted? Oh right, for one, he didn't seem scared of me anymore, and two, he made friends with the one who had the mind controlling device.

Damnit.

"Why do you insist on treating Marik like absolute shit every chance you get?"

I narrowed my eyes and immediately spoke up in my defense, "Woa, woa, woa! If I recall correctly, you and your insane boyfriend over there are the ones who pissed him off, not me."

Ryou's frown deepened at the word boyfriend and he crossed his arms, "Bakura."

I gave an exasperated sigh, "Why do you even care?"

"Because he's my friend that's why! You can't keep torturing him like this Bakura! Not when he loves you as much as he does!"

I was stopped short of saying anything further, my mouth gaping open slightly in shock, "What did you say?"

"I said, not when he loves you as much as he does." Ryou gave a self-satisfied smirk, evidently achieving the reaction he wanted from me.

"He doesn't love me…" At least not anymore. I had learned that the hard way when I came back to this world.

"Yeah, that's why he has pictures of you he drew himself all through his journal."

"What?"

Ryou smirked and crossed his arms, leaning against Mariku as the annoying yami chugged down my last beer, "You heard me."

"You're lying."

My former host cocked an eyebrow and looked at me, "And what would I have to gain by doing that?"

I couldn't argue with that, "And he showed you this?"

Ryou frowned, a bit of guilt showing in his eyes, "Well…let's just say I found it out by accident."

I looked back to Marik's closed door and frowned deeply, thinking about what my host said.

"It's blue with white swirls, just for future reference." Ryou gave me a look, a silent urging in his eyes and he stood up from the couch. With a final look to Mariku he headed back to his own bedroom, not saying another word.

"He's right you know."

I looked to Mariku as he too stood up.

"Omote has feelings for you, strong ones, and good ones."

"And how do you know this?" I narrowed my eyes slightly at him and he merely smirked in response.

"He's my omote." He answered then shrugged, as if it was the simplest answer in the world. "If you cared to explore it, you would find your connection to your light still exists too." Mariku looked to where Ryou had gone. "He resents you, my little light, but he wants to help and I think it would do you and Omote good to talk." He then began walking to Ryou's room, "You should consider an alternate route Bakura, and you may find there is something more you want than power."

With that cryptic remark he slipped into Ryou's room, shutting the door gently behind him.

I heaved a sigh and ran my fingers through my hair, looking down at the millennium ring around my neck.

"Damnit." I reached into my cooler to grab another beer, frowning when I remembered Mariku just chugged my last one.

Why did things have to go and become so much more complicated?

I looked to Marik's shut door and heaved a heavy sigh, my words to him echoing in my head from long ago.

"Nothing could get me to leave you…Not even the pharaoh."

I had a choice to make; Infinite power or the one person who made my life worth living again?

The answer was easy, but why was I having such a difficult time committing.

'Because Bakura,' my conscious, which suspiciously sounded like Ryou, responded, 'you're not going to get him without a fight.'

"Damn you Marik." I crushed my empty beer can in my hand and threw it across the room.

I should have known better when I came back to this world that I would run into the one thing that would keep me from world domination.

The one thing that I wanted more than power.

An idiot tomb keeper named Marik Ishtar.

And now for next chapter's preview!

He took in a deep shuddering breath and looked up at me with sad eyes, "Nii-sama, we have to save Noah."

See you then!