The sky was blue and the sun bright above the stadium, but Marik only noticed these things peripherally. His stomach was in knots. As he made his way up to the stand, he gripped the handrail tightly and fought a sudden dizzy spell. There was cheering all around him. A good amount of Luxor citizens were here to watch the championship duel, eager to see who would emerge as the victor of this tournament.

Marik shouldn't have been so nervous, but this was the moment he'd worked toward for months, and he couldn't afford to screw it up now.

An attendant handed him the dueling disk and he quietly nodded at the man before putting his deck in the disk slot. His opponent, Bahiti, moved likewise, guarded and brisk, standing opposite him on the platform. The duelist couldn't have been much older than Marik. She rolled the sleeves of her dress up partway, as if in preparation for an actual fight, eyeing Marik with a grim smile.

"Welcome, everyone," a voice boomed over the intercom. "This is the duel we've all been waiting for! The duel for the championship title..."

The rest of the speech was lost on Marik. He merely focused on his breathing, trying to even it out. He stood awkwardly waiting for the duel to start, not knowing what to do with his hands or where to look. Outwardly, he knew he looked calm. The only betrayal of his nerves was the bead of sweat that dripped down the side of his face.

Finally, the announcer finished his speech with "Let's duel!" and they were on. After flipping for who would go first, Marik won the toss and picked up his cards.

"I place a monster in defense mode and end my turn," he said.

Damn, he didn't have any other monsters in his hand. The monster he'd just played was Gravekeeper's Spy, and if Bahiti attacked it, the flip effect would allow him to get another Gravekeeper's monster of 1500 attack or less, so at the very least he could get another monster that way.

Bahiti gave him a sly smile and drew a card.

"I play the Mystic Swordsman, level 2, and attack your face-down card."

Marik swore under his breath. The Mystic Swordsman's ability was to destroy any face-down monster in defense mode, which meant that Marik's flip effect was useless and he wouldn't be able to get another Gravekeeper. Which also meant that he was monster-less now unless he could acquire something during his next turn.

Bahiti Special Summoned the Mystic Swordsman level 4 from her deck after sending the level 2 Swordsman to the graveyard. She ended her turn.

Marik breathed in deeply, slowly drawing his next card. He needed a monster, otherwise he was going to start losing life points fast. When he drew the card, it was the Malevolent Nuzzler. Not very helpful without a monster.

"I end my turn," he said.

He saw his own face flash across the stadium screen, and it wasn't pretty. His mouth was drawn tight and his eyebrows were furrowed. The screen switched to Bahiti, who looked overjoyed as she drew her next card.

"I attack you directly for 1900 life points with my Swordsman."

Marik felt the attack as if he'd been punched in the stomach. He nearly doubled over as he realized he was already at 6100 life points and they'd just gotten started. As Bahiti ended her turn, Marik took a deep breath.

His next card still wasn't a monster, but it would finally let him turn things around. He placed the card face down in the spell and trap card area of his disk and ended his turn.

Bahiti gave him a wide grin, as if thinking she had this duel all wrapped up now. "I summon Shining Angel and attack you for 3300 life points with both of my monsters."

"Mirror Force," Marik called out, flipping up the card he'd just laid down.

Bahiti's smile dampened as she placed both monsters in the graveyard. Marik closed his eyes momentarily, realizing how close of a call it had been. If he hadn't gotten that trap card, he would be hanging by a thread with his life points now.

On his next turn, Marik finally got a monster. He played La Jinn, and since Bahiti had no monsters to defend herself with, Marik attacked her life points directly for 1800. Now they were well-matched at 6200 and 6100.

"I Special Summon Metal Reflect Slime in defense mode and end my turn," Bahiti said.

Metal Reflect Slime was a giant, 3000-defense point monster with 0 attack points, so it was equivalent to having a shield against her life points while she looked for a better monster. Marik drew another monster and placed Queen's Bodyguard in attack mode. Since neither of his monsters was strong enough to take on the Metal Reflect Slime, he ended his turn.

Bahiti placed several cards face down in the spell and trap card portion of her disk and then a monster face down in defense mode.

"I attack your face down monster with La Jinn," Marik declared during his turn.

It turned out to be Morphing Jar, which made them both discard their entire hands and draw five new cards. Marik destroyed the Jar using the Queen's Bodyguard but since it was in defense mode, his opponent's life points weren't affected.

"I play Ally of Justice Nullfier in attack mode," Bahiti said after drawing a new card.

Marik looked at the monster, confused. It only had 1600 attack points and both of his monsters had 1700 and 1800 points. But then Bahiti placed United We Stand on the field, and it became clear. The spell card gave all her face up monsters an extra 800 attack and defense points, meaning that the Nullfier now had 2400 points.

"I attack and destroy your La Jinn."

Marik now had 5500 life points, but he still had Queen's Bodyguard, and a strategy already formed for his next turn.

"I summon Gravekeeper's Assailant, add Rush Recklessly to my Queen's Bodyguard, and-" he said, feeling his heart beat faster now that the duel was picking up, "-and play remove trap to send your Metal Reflect to the graveyard. I attack you with the Queen's Bodyguard to destroy your Nullfier and then attack you directly with my Assailant for 1500 life points."

He felt a rush of pride for having strung all of those cards together so quickly. Now Bahiti had no monsters on the field, and she was losing with 4700 life points while Marik still had 5500. But Bahiti didn't seem affected. She seemed completely at ease with her lack of monsters as she drew her next card.

"I remove the Shining Angel and Ally of Justice Nullfier from play," she said. "They're Light and Dark types, which lets me Special Summon the Black Luster Soldier from my hand and attack your Queen's Bodyguard."

Marik's mouth felt parched suddenly. Black Luster Soldier had 3000 attack points. Not only that, but if it destroyed a monster by battle during its attacking turn, it could destroy a second monster in that same turn.

"Using Black Luster Soldier's ability, I destroy your Assailant in the same battle turn," his opponent said.

And just like that, the odds had turned against Marik again. He was monster-less, and he had just lost 2800 life points in one turn, now at 2700. He needed to figure out a strategy quickly, otherwise he would be wiped out during the next turn.

The reality of the situation struck him and another bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face. He placed a hand on his deck, ready to draw the next card. He had a few good cards in his hand already, but nothing to tie it all together. Nothing that could really turn it around.

He drew the card, and was stunned by what he saw.

There, right there in his hand, was all that he needed.

Laughter bubbled up in his throat, but he remained calm. He needed to see it through. His strategy was so clear now. He couldn't even believe his luck.

"Take your time there," Bahiti said, and Marik realized he'd been standing there for a few minutes, working up the courage to draw the card.

"I play Hayabusa Knight in attack mode and equip it with the Malevolent Nuzzler."

Bahiti raised an eyebrow, clearly not impressed. Hayabusa Knight now had 1700 attack points, and could attack twice in one turn, but that wasn't enough to bring down Bahiti's 3000-point monster.

"Is that it?" Bahiti jeered.

"No," Marik said. And raising the card he'd just drawn high in the air, he smiled widely.

The camera zoomed in to display the card on the screen, and the entire crowd gasped in unison. And then applauded. Because it was clear that Marik would now win the match, hands down.

On the screen, Marik's card flashed again.

Change of Heart.

Bahiti's face flashed on the screen next, and it gratified Marik to see that she was scared. Then, her expression morphed into a grimace, in the realization that she couldn't win now. Not when Marik could slam the card down, take her Black Luster Soldier and with the powered-up Hayabusa Knight, bring her life points to zero.

And suddenly, it was that simple.

He had everything he needed. The card was staring at him expectantly, and he stared back, taking a deep breath. This was it. This was the moment he had worked up to for months. With this card he could finally win the tournament championship and establish his worth as a duelist; after all the practices he'd had with Bakura, he really had improved in his strategies, and this duel proved it.

But more than that, this moment was a milestone. He had come so far in his struggle to move up in society. Several months ago, the museum officials hadn't even trusted him enough to let him help in the dig for the Millennium Items. But then there had been all the trouble with the Ring, and the officials had allowed him to look for it, and they had been very impressed when he'd found it for them. His reputation was already improving, and now, he would win the tournament, gaining the respect and admiration of everyone watching. He could only imagine the possibilities ahead of him. Soon, he'd get promoted, and then continue to move up the ranks at the museum. And the people of his city would no longer shun him. They would realize how wrong they'd been for ostracizing him. He would finally be accepted. He would no longer have to come home and complain about his terrible job and his terrible position in life to Bakura-

Well, of course he wouldn't. Because Bakura would no longer be there when he got home. But still- it didn't matter, because he wouldn't have anything to complain about anymore. He was about to get everything he wanted, everything he'd been striving for over the last few years. As soon as he laid down the winning card, he would prove himself even more than he already had, and everything would finally start to go right for him as he cemented his place in respectable society.

As he raised the card up high, ready to be glorified and named the victor, something nagged at the back of his head. After he put down the card, and won the tournament, and won the hearts of everyone watching, he would go home and- and what? He supposed the first few weeks would be a little mundane, as things settled after Bakura left. With Bakura gone, he wouldn't have a dueling partner anymore, but he supposed that now that the tournament was over, there would be no need to practice. Tonight, he'd probably be exhausted and head to bed early. Wake up the next day to go in to work tomorrow. And of course, he would keep working on those online classes he'd been taking, finish up his degree soon and take that as another step toward his advancement.

Still, as he raised the card higher, that same thought kept nagging at him. He would come home to an empty apartment tonight. The moment Marik walked in the door there would be no one to greet him. He had lived that way for three years, without anyone constantly up and about his apartment, but there was something about having had company for all these months that made this thought sobering.

And this companionship had extended to so many aspects of Marik's life. Now he would have no one to have dinner with, and no one to duel or watch a movie with, and no one to share the sheets in his bed tonight.

At that, Marik's hand wavered.

He didn't want to think about these things. He tried to push the thoughts out of his head with his usual mantra- he couldn't change it, so there was no point considering it. But now, now that everything was really happening, now that he was moments away from his victory- a victory which would be immediately followed by going home to an empty, lonely apartment- he could no longer stop his thoughts. Suddenly it was as if everything was crashing down on him at once, and he was drowning in it, yet he couldn't make his mind turn away, couldn't stop himself from thinking about what would come next.

When he got into bed that night, he would be alone. And not just for the night, not even just for the week, like that week he and Bakura had fought after the Ring debacle. And that one week had been unbearable. Even though Bakura had been right in the next room, Marik hadn't gotten a good night's sleep all week, and the night they finally slept together was a relief, like a breath of fresh air. If he couldn't stand to be apart from him for merely a week, how would forever feel? How would he bear each night from now on without the feeling of Bakura's arms around him, without his fingertips against Marik's scars, and his lips tracing the crook of Marik's neck?

And at that thought, he wasn't sure he could hold the card up high anymore.

Marik looked out at all expectant faces of the crowd, the faces of the museum officials, of the locals. The moment he placed the card down, they would all be cheering for him. He would finally be good enough for them.

Except he wouldn't be; not really. If they knew he'd cheated his way into the tournament, if they knew he was gay, if they knew about what he had with Bakura- if they knew anything about who he really was, they wouldn't accept him at all.

And suddenly, it all seemed so meaningless.

Marik's hand dropped to his side. A confused murmur ran through the crowd, but Marik didn't hear it. For Marik, there was no tournament anymore. There were no spectators nor museum officials nor an opponent expecting the next duel move. There was only Marik, thunderstruck by his own thoughts.

Bakura had always accepted him. He'd never had to change himself for Bakura, or pretend to be someone he wasn't. Bakura had respected him since the moment they'd met. They had been partners since Battle City, and there had been an undercurrent, unexplored, between them since the first time they'd spoken. And then, several months ago, he'd found the Ring, and they'd finally had a chance to explore what was between them.

And it wasn't just the sex, but everything else as well. In the past few months, Marik couldn't count the number of movies they'd watched and the number of card games and video games they'd played, but those were some of his happiest moments in years. To indulge in something as simple as discussing movie characters and card strategies, wasn't that what companionship was about? Because Bakura had been his companion for all these months, and only now did that hit Marik full-force.

When Bakura had returned from the Ring that day many months ago, Marik had been relieved. He had his friend back. His best friend. But not just a friend, because there was so much that Bakura understood about Marik, understood in a way that no one else on this earth did. He knew Marik's fears, and Marik knew his. Bakura had once said they had the same scars. Hell, if they could pair each childhood suffering, Marik's against Bakura's, he was sure that in essence, they would be the same. Losing your family and chasing revenge was the same as losing your family and chasing revenge, any way you looked at it. Bakura had said it himself on the day Marik had released him from the Ring. Ishtar, I understand you better than anyone else who has ever existed. And it was true. No one would ever know him the way Bakura did, least of all the people from whom he was chasing acceptance.

Losing Bakura was like losing himself.

Marik could hear his own heart pounding, and there was a tightness in his chest that made it hard to breathe. This is why he hadn't wanted to think about these things. What good did coming to these realizations do him? Bakura had pointed out many months ago that he would have to leave eventually, that he couldn't spend his life hidden in a back room of Marik's apartment. And now that Bakura had stolen the Ring, it certainly wasn't an option for him to stick around. Thinking about these things had no point other than to bring Marik pain. When he got home, Bakura would be gone, and there was nothing he could do about it.

Because really, what could he do about it? The question he'd asked himself the previous night reoccurred to him. What am I supposed to do, give up my whole life for a fuck buddy?

The previous night...the last night he'd ever spend with Bakura. He remembered it, every detail, touching Bakura and being touched by him and kissing him and falling asleep in his arms. Bakura was the person who could touch his scars. Bakura was the person who could put a smile on his face so easily no matter what else was going on. Bakura was the person who invoked these feelings in Marik. Bakura was the person who complemented Marik so beautifully that it hurt.

And suddenly, the answer was so simple.

Yes.

Even if Bakura did only see him as a fuck buddy, the answer was yes. He would give up everything and follow Bakura to the ends of the Earth, if only Bakura would let him.

And it made him wonder. Bakura was the one who was so set on leaving...would Bakura even want him to follow?

Well, maybe. Bakura always seemed so mad every time the subject of him leaving was brought up, so maybe he didn't want to separate from Marik. Though Marik had never understood why Bakura got so mad about it, considering Bakura was the one who suggested it in the first place, and the one who kept pointing out that it was inevitable. Bakura wanted to leave him...didn't he?

Now that Marik had finally admitted to himself that he felt so strongly for Bakura, he realized he'd always doubted that Bakura could possibly have those kinds of feelings for him. It was one of the reasons he'd never let himself think of his own feelings for Bakura before- what was the point of dwelling on those feelings if they would never be returned? How many times had Bakura pushed him away when Marik initiated kisses? How many times had Bakura rejected any sort of intimacy? Dozens of times, actually.

But then, on the other hand...despite all those times that Bakura had pushed him away, there had been times when Bakura had initiated kisses. In fact, Bakura had been the one to initiate their first open-mouthed kiss. He'd pulled Marik down in the middle of sex and pressed their lips together, kissing him passionately. Though, right after that, Bakura had pushed Marik away and rushed out of the room.

But the kiss probably hadn't been the only reason Bakura had run off. The entire experience had been intense- Marik had made Bakura look at him while he fucked him, and he'd made Bakura come without directly touching him, with Bakura claiming all the while that it didn't feel good, even when he was so clearly experiencing pleasure and trying desperately to hold himself back.

He'd been awkward around Marik for a whole day after that. The next night, when they went to bed, Bakura had edged as far away from Marik as possible. And, come to think of it, that had been another time when Bakura had initiated a kiss. Marik had reached out and pressed himself close to Bakura, and instead of moving away, as Marik expected he would, Bakura had twisted around in his arms and kissed him once on the lips. It was a short kiss, and Bakura had immediately pulled back afterward, but now Marik was wondering why he did those things in the first place. Why would Bakura initiate kisses only to then draw away and act as if he didn't want to be kissed?

Suddenly, it clicked for Marik. It wasn't just kissing that had Bakura acting that way. Hadn't Marik been the one who'd said that Bakura loved being vulnerable, loved losing control, especially when it was Marik that made him lose it? He was terrified of it, but he trusted Marik enough to let himself be controlled. All those times they'd had sex and Bakura insisted that he didn't want to be fucked when really, he was begging for it. He craved it. Would Bakura ever let himself be this vulnerable with anyone else? Marik doubted it. So maybe that attitude carried over from sex to kissing. Bakura wanted to kiss him, but had been holding himself back.

He probably should have realized it before, but Marik had always felt embarrassed and strange about his desire to kiss Bakura, as if it wasn't something he should want, and he'd certainly never wanted to consider why he wanted it. But he knew now. He wanted the closeness- and Bakura wanted it too.

So maybe Bakura didn't want them to part any more than Marik did, even if Bakura had been the one who said he was leaving in the first place.

Marik's brow furrowed as he thought back. How had that conversation started? Ishizu had come over unannounced to talk about the excavation...after she'd gone, he'd found Bakura smoking in his room and they'd gotten into a fight about the ashes on the carpet and suddenly Bakura had sprung up with something like, "You won't have to worry about me ruining your precious carpet because once I'm done stealing tokens for you, I'll be moving out and you won't see me again." The idea of their incompatible paths hadn't even crossed Marik's mind, but it was clear that Bakura had thought about it before, and he wasn't happy about it.

There was something else Bakura had said that stood out now. Bakura had brought up the whole "Marik, this isn't the real you" thing- Marik winced as he realized now how right Bakura had been about that- and then Bakura had said, "You can't keep playing both sides forever. You're going to have to choose."

And that struck Marik pretty hard. Because Bakura wasn't stating a fact. He wasn't stating that he would leave no matter what, but that he would leave because Marik couldn't hide him forever. He couldn't be with Marik if he continued to associate with the museum officials and to build his reputation in Luxor. It was a decision based upon Marik's choice. It wasn't a fact at all, but a question. He'd even put it blatantly, had asked if Marik would give up everything he'd been working toward to continue associating with Bakura.

And Marik had said no.

Bakura had gotten angry and stormed out right after that, running off and getting himself hurt. And ever since then, Bakura had gotten mad when anyone talked about him leaving.

Because Marik had told him no. He'd told Bakura that he wouldn't choose him.

Marik remembered the time Ryou had made a joke about them arguing like a married couple and Bakura had immediately denied it- had denied it pretty strongly- and then brought up the fact that he was leaving after the tournament anyway, sounding angry about it. Even then, the "good guy act" Bakura continually accused Marik of came up again. It was that if, then question all over again. If Marik continued to work toward his reputation to please the officials, then Bakura would leave.

Marik had thought Bakura was just tormenting him about his quest to gain a good reputation- and he'd focused on that because it made him so defensive, because deep down he'd known what Bakura said was true, that he'd only been pretending; pretending with everyone except Bakura. And of course he hadn't wanted to admit to himself that Bakura was right, because he'd spent three years trying to forget Bakura, three years trying to become someone he could never be.

But Marik saw now why Bakura had been mad all those times. He wasn't even mad about leaving- he was mad that Marik hadn't chosen him, hurt that Marik hadn't chosen him. And Marik had inadvertently made that choice long ago, before he'd even realized it was a choice he had to make.

He gasped as he realized the full implications of it all. He thought of all the times Bakura had seemed to be uncomfortable with physical affection. He remembered the night they'd made up after a week of fighting. Bakura had been rubbing Marik's back, and Marik had kissed him. Bakura had let him, but then he'd asked him to stop, seeming out of breath, as if he was overwhelmed by that one kiss.

He remembered the time during Ryou's visit when he'd shared the couch with Bakura one night, and he had wrapped an arm around Bakura's waist, pinning him against the couch. It was an innocent move, but after a moment of lying still like that, Bakura had asked, "Why are you doing this to me?" sounding completely breathless from that simple touch.

All those times he and Bakura had kissed or touched, and Bakura had put a stop to it or pulled away- it was almost as though the kisses and touches were unbearable for Bakura, as though he'd reached out into a hot flame and then immediately snapped back, shocked at how much it burned.

And that was why. He pulled away because it hurt him.

All the moments when Bakura had held back- during sex, or kissing, or when they were just close- it wasn't because Bakura didn't want those moments.

It was because he wanted them too much.

And all this time, Marik had never realized what he was doing to Bakura. But all these conclusions, no matter how much he might berate himself for not realizing them sooner, were drawn from such small instances. Bakura was so guarded. He hardly let on how he felt about anything- denied his feelings on so many topics, in fact– so how could Marik have realized these things sooner? These moments he'd drawn upon were so few and far in between. It was any wonder he understood them now.

He thought back to the previous night again, when Bakura had traced his scars, remembering him, and what Bakura had said to him after the sex. I bet you'll miss this when I'm gone. Marik closed his eyes and savored that night again, losing himself in Bakura's touch, and Bakura's words: I'll miss it, too.

And, fuck, he'd miss it so much. All of it. Every single moment of time he'd had with Bakura. Everything he'd been willing to give up...and for what? He couldn't imagine going a day, or a week, or a month without remembering the times he'd spent with Bakura, and regretting the moment he made the decision to let him go.

"I'm so stupid," he found himself saying. He was still surrounded by Luxor spectators, standing with his winning card at his side.

"Gods, so fucking stupid."

And then, taking a deep breath, Marik straightened up and raised the card high again. The entire crowd erupted in applause, ready to award the tournament victor. The Change of Heart card Marik was holding flashed across the screen again, and Bahiti winced, as if she'd already accepted the outcome.

Well, if Marik could make one decision, he could make another one. And hope that it wasn't too late.

Putting the Change of Heart back into his hand, he threw his cards down, and declared, "I forfeit this match."

As suddenly as the applause started, it stopped, and the entire crowd stared down at him, shocked and confused. Bahiti looked as though she thought this was a joke.

"I forfeit this tournament," Marik said again.

Looking right into the camera so that his face would flash across all the TV screens in Luxor, he spoke directly toward the screen. "I thought winning this tournament was what I wanted. I thought this is what would make me happy." He shook his head, smiling a small smile. "But I already have everything that will make me happy."

With that, he dropped the dueling disk on the stage, letting the cards fall across the floor, and looked directly at the camera one more time.

"Wait for me. I'm coming with you."

As he stepped down, the intercom announced the tournament winner by default. The spectators applauded his opponent, but Marik tuned it all out.

As he walked out of the stadium, Ishizu made to stand up. Her face was streaked with concern, as if she thought Marik had lost his mind. As she stood up, Rishid's hand came to rest on her shoulder, and when she looked down he merely shook his head.

"Let him," was all he said.

Marik rushed home, not even noticing his siblings' reactions.

He just hoped Bakura had watched the entire duel on TV as he had said he would, and that he would wait.

The key clicked in the lock, and Marik walked into his apartment. He looked around the empty room.

Suddenly, Bakura strode into the kitchen, and before Marik even knew what was happening, Bakura grabbed him and swept him into a kiss. Marik reacted immediately, pushing his tongue into Bakura's mouth as he turned him and slammed him against the wall. Bakura responded, and then they were kissing, just kissing, without restraint for the first time.

At first, it was frantic and fierce; they kissed each other hard and deep, pressing their lips together forcefully and winding their hands into each other's hair, grasping so tightly it was almost painful as they pushed closer to each other.

But gradually they calmed, and their movements became more soft and sensual, until every kiss was slow and gentle, and grasping hands relaxed and began to stroke lightly, their touches turning tender.

It went on, and soon they were drowning in it, giving each other soft, slow kisses as their hands began to wander and search for bare skin, just for the want of being closer.

Then Marik brushed his lips against Bakura's one more time, lingering over the kiss before finally forcing himself to pull away. Neither of them wanted to stop, but they both knew they had to; they needed to get moving soon. By the time they reluctantly broke apart and stepped back from each other, both of them were panting.

"I'm sorry," said Marik, still breathing heavily. "I'm sorry it took me so long to realize what I really care about."

Bakura wound his arms around Marik's waist and drew him close again. "You can make it up to me tonight, after we find a place to stay on the way to where we're going."

Marik smiled and kissed Bakura once more. "I'll make it up to you every night."

"Hm, sounds like a start," Bakura said, and he couldn't resist leaning in for another short kiss. Then, he finally disentangled himself from Marik again. "You took forever getting home," Bakura said. "I almost gave up and lit out anyway."

"You wouldn't," Marik smiled.

"No," admitted Bakura. "But I did do this." The look on Bakura's face suddenly turned wicked as he gestured towards the living room.

Marik looked in the direction that Bakura pointed, and his eyes widened at what he saw. He'd been so caught up with Bakura that he hadn't even noticed the burning smell. "You...you set my carpet on fire?" Marik asked incredulously, staring at the blackened remains of what was once his living room carpet.

"I fucking hated that carpet," Bakura said, sounding smug.

"Bakura! You could have burned the whole place down!" Marik said, but he couldn't help laughing a little.

"Nah, I had plenty of time to set up a controlled blaze between the time you forfeited and the time you finally got your ass home," said Bakura.

"Hey, it's kind of a long drive," said Marik. "Speaking of that...I suppose we'd better go pack my things."

"Yeah, I guess we'd better," said Bakura. "Don't you want to know where we're going?"

"I don't care where we go," Marik said, laughing as he wound his arms around Bakura's shoulders. "Surprise me."

"Always."

AN: You guys, say it with me now:

THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER!

So Tae and I want to apologize for the fact that it took so long for this chapter to come out. It's just that Tae was busy because she was in her last semester of college, and then we spent a long time working on this chapter because it's the last chapter, and we really wanted it to make it good and make sure it exemplified what we were going for in the overall story.

AND! There's going to be an epilogue! AND! Tae is drawing fanart to go along with this fic, and it's going to be posted at the same time as the epilogue. Don't worry, the epilogue is really short and it's already totally done. The epilogue will be posted in two weeks or less, along with Tae's art, which will be linked on both of our profiles.

So please, please review and tell us what you think of the ending! Thanks to everyone who has stuck with this story for so long! And if you've made it this far and haven't favorited yet...please do?

We'll have a more specific AN thanking individual reviewers when the epilogue is posted!