A/N: A SERIOUS NOTE TO ALL READERS PLEASE REGARD THIS: Sadly I have recieved many reviews from people saying how the yaoi really kills the story for them or at least takes away from it...this really upset me though I blame no one as everyone's personal opinion is valued in my eyes. I realize continuing with the MarikxRyou storyline will lose me a lot of readers, but I'm going to do it anyways because that's how the story was planned and envisioned. If this bothers you, I will not hold it against you if you stop reading/reviewing but you have been warned. I'll miss you all terribly but I hope at least one or two people will continue enjoying this story all the same...
Disclaimer: Not Mine.
"That's so sweet Anzu-chan! I'm sure he liked it!" Miho cheered for her friend enthusiastically while Anzu told her about the whole flower idea while tightening the ties of her body suit in the back before going out for class.
They were working on the group number today so full black body suits were required. It was the only performance once a semester where all the seniors came together and did one number together.
"I'm not sure it was such a good idea," She said with a sigh, tying a quick knot.
"Why not, I'm sure you didn't come off to strong, it was just a nice thank you gift," Miho said innocently, turning to look at her friend sweetly. "Even if he does think you like him it doesn't matter, you guys are such good friends he might even like you back!" Anzu just shook her head.
"No Miho-chan, there's no way he likes me," She insisted, knowing she had no chance with the stoic man. Reaching into her bag she pulled out the last of the blue Singapore orchids, careful to have not crushed it while she was carrying it.
"I owe Marik-kun a thank you as well, so I thought I'd give him one," She said carefully so that Miho wouldn't get the wrong idea. She seemed pleased by the idea and followed her out of the change room where several students were beginning to gather. Spotting Marik in the corner she walked over and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey Marik-kun," She said then offered him the flower unceremoniously. He looked startled for good reason then hesitantly accepted the flower.
"Why are you giving me a flower?" He asked, sounding confused.
"Well I owe you thanks for all your advice to," She said lightly, trying not to make it awkward for either of them and he realized she was trying to thank him not only for the dancing instruction but also for his advice with Mutou-san. He laughed lightly, smiling graciously as she avoided his gaze.
"I'm glad it worked out for you," He said equally ambiguously and bowed slightly to her in acceptance. She smiled back, knowing from the whispers that this would cause rumours but she didn't really care. She felt she had made a true friend in Marik, and he treated her with more than just plain respect outside of class now.
She noticed Marik glancing around and pausing when his eyes landed on someone. She looked out of the corner of her eyes inconspicuously and to her surprise Marik was looking at...Bakura?
Bakura looked away quickly, seeming embarrassed and Anzu wondered if something had gone down between them. Marik didn't seem to be much of a flirt and she'd never seen them act friendly...hm...food for thought.
...
Anzu landed the spin gracefully, immediately moving into the next formation as the group behind her leapt into the air. The beauty of the song in tune to the dance gave her goose bumps. It would be a crime to ruin such a wonderful dance and she focused fully on the next set of moves.
It was all so magical and dreamy yet it took so much concentration...truly the best sort of dance in her opinion. Contemporary lyrical had always been one of her absolute favourite styles. The girl who had been moving in time beside her said something but Anzu ignored it.
When it came to dancing she and Marik did share some views –it was not a time for socializing, it was a time to dance. Dancing did not require talking.
"Did you hear me?" The girl snapped annoyed which in turn got on Anzu's nerves. Couldn't she tell she was trying to focus? "I guess by now you and Ishtar-kun are sleeping together after practice. That's the only reason he would partner with someone like you," The girl whispered in a nasty tone.
Anzu stumbled in shock at her words, stopping just long enough for the girls next turn to send her foot firmly right into her face. She grunted under the impact and fell back, landing on the ground hard as she gripped the left side of her face in pain.
"What the hell is your problem?" She demanded out of reflex and most of the dancers around them were forced to stop as the girl looked down at her in mock surprise.
"You shouldn't have gotten in my way," Was all she said and Anzu would have to be completely stupid to miss the double meaning behind those words.
"Mazaki-san, is there a reason you've stopped the dance?" The teacher shouted to their quarter of the room. With a sigh she pulled herself to her feet, moving her hand from her face. By the sound of several muffled gasps she assumed it was swelling; it certainly felt like it under the throbbing pain.
That girl certainly had some kick to her spin, a move that would normally have sent her way off balance unless she had planned it.
"No...I'm fine," She said, clamping down on her frustration. It would do no good to accuse the girl; she couldn't prove that she meant to kick her and the teacher was already moving on, uninterested in the small dramas that played out in his classroom.
She caught Marik's suspicious eye across the room and quickly looked away, ashamed. Now everyone would think that she screwed up.
"From the top!" Sensei shouted and they all lined up again. She held her left eye shut, wincing at the pain that was coursing through her whole head. One word: ouch. Who knew how long later, the bell finally rang and they were all dismissed flooding into the change rooms or returning to their respective studios to avoid overcrowding.
Someone jostled her and she looked up to see the other brunet with a wicked smile under her hazel eyes staring at her.
"You deserved it," She hissed then moved on, not looking back at her. Seething, Anzu held her temper in check, holding her breath for ten seconds to hold back her outrage then slowly let it out.
"Anzu-chan!" She looked up to see Bakura making his way towards her, long white hair falling past his shoulders angelically despite the concerned look on his face. Marik watched from across the room, observing the very pretty boy interacting with Anzu. He hadn't even been aware that they were friends.
"Are you alright? You got clocked pretty hard back there," He said and she groaned, shaking her head slightly, trying to clear the buzzing noise.
"I'm a little dizzy but I'm alright. Who knew a foot could give you whiplash?" She muttered bitterly.
"It can't unless it's purposeful," A voice said from behind her and she turned quickly with a small stagger to face Marik who was frowning, his arms crossed. "Everyone could tell she did it on purpose, why didn't you say something?" He demanded and she sighed. At least he didn't think it was her fault.
"Because, the teacher isn't going to care. I got kicked because she was jealous; it's nothing new, just one step farther than being called a slut," She put a hand to her face gingerly, feeling the puffy skin and wincing.
"Why would she call you that?" Bakura demanded, his innocent face horrified by the thought. It almost made Marik want to laugh until Anzu glanced at him slightly, looking uncomfortable.
"I'm a good dancer I guess," Was all she said but his stomach dropped at that look. What she meant to say was that he was a good dancer. He had been approached by many women to partner with them for final examinations but she was the only one who did so not under the false pretence of friendship or a crush and after checking up on her skill he determined she was the best. He was more than grateful that he did now, not that he felt comfortable telling her that especially since she got kicked on his behalf.
"Well, I gotta go change; I've got work so I hope you feel better Anzu. Don't let those girls get you down, you're better than them," Bakura told her sweetly and she couldn't help smiling.
"Thanks Bakura," She said as he departed for the change rooms that most people were now exiting. Marik watched the door carefully, counting his classmates. There were six boys in this class, himself included and he'd only seen three leave so far.
"No practice today," He said bluntly and she opened her mouth to protest but he just held up a hand, running the other through his white blond hair stressfully. It was true they hadn't practiced since Friday but from the way she was staggering around he wasn't going to let her dance even if she wanted to.
"No practice," He repeated firmly, "I'm not going to be responsible if you collapse from over exertion after being kicked in the head." She wanted to argue but accepted that it was his own way of apologizing. Obviously he had understood the look she gave him.
"It wasn't your fault," She said softly, reaching out to touch his bicep gently. He flinched a little under her touch but gave her a thankful look despite his contradicting words.
"I know," Was all he said, and then walked away towards the change room. The mirrors around him could only reflect doubt though.
Entering he was greeted by, what else, more drama. That was all that had been in his life since Anzu had come into it though he couldn't say he regretted meeting her. It was sort of interesting in its own way even if it was distracting.
Bakura was in there, unzipping his body suit as he talked casually to yet another guy. Damn, he'd forgotten there was still one person who hadn't left. At the sound of the door opening Bakura gave him a curious look but said nothing. The other guy on the other hand looked distinctly uncomfortable at the sight of the new arrival.
Why does everyone think I'm a complete flirt? Marik demanded internally again but with a sigh he turned to go. There was no way he was staying in this room with its stale awkward atmosphere. Catching Bakura's eye he shook his head quickly and Marik frowned, wondering what that was about.
"Jiro-kun, I heard you were dating Kimura-chan," He commented casually as he continued undressing, before grabbing his usual clothes out of his bag. The other guy looked nervously at Marik who merely looked away, folding his arms as he sat on the bench in the corner, waiting for them to finish.
He couldn't bring himself to leave as he had planned to but he wasn't going to make things worse by changing in front of him. Bakura guided him quickly away from the 'gay boy' and dominated his attention while not seeming too obvious –just genuinely nice.
The other boy seemed to forget Marik's presence completely and enjoyed the conversation before saying good bye to Bakura and moving out the door. He gave a small nod to Marik before leaving, his only small concession that he was even there.
Standing up once he left Marik immediately turned to Bakura but the white haired guy wasn't even look at him, focusing on the buckle of his belt instead. Marik felt something inside him growl hungrily at the sight but he ignored the instinct and instead reached for his zipper, taking off the sweaty body suit.
"You shouldn't let guys like him control you," That familiar voice said and he wondered if it was considered strange by anyone other than him to hold a conversation while only wearing boxers but Ryou Bakura certainly didn't seem to have a problem with it. That in itself was cause for suspicion as far as Marik was concerned.
"I don't let them control me," Marik said shortly, pulling on his pants he quickly lashed the belt around his hips. Did Bakura's gaze just go there? It definitely just went there. What the hell?
"I'm going to be who I am, and if I can't be that way without offending people then I'm not going to go out of my way to be near them," He continued, glad to find that he actually seemed to have words today, unlike last time where his social skills were so rusted he hadn't been able to figure out a single thing to say.
Then he immediately rebuked himself realizing that the words probably came out a little too honestly, probably harsher then he meant them. Casting a worried look to Bakura who had meandered over the other boy just smiled, looking angelic as he flipped his hair over his shoulder.
"But you would go out of your way to not be near them," Bakura mused then shook his head slightly. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me, I haven't even introduced myself. I'm Ryou Bakura," He said, holding out one slender pale hand. Grasping it hesitantly in his much darker one and once again curious about the strangeness of his pale skin and white hair he had to ask.
"Are you...albino?" He asked and Bakura winced then looked surprised as though he hadn't expected him to go there with his question. Realizing he was still holding his hand he quickly released it, brushing back his hair nervously before putting on his shirt.
It was hard to decide whether Bakura was being friendly, hitting on him, or thought Marik was flirting with him. From bad experience, he suspected the latter.
"It runs in my mom's side of the family," He said then looked at the taller, tanned Egyptian expectantly.
"Um...well...I'm sure you already know but I'm Ishtar Marik," He said hesitantly and the other boys face broke into a smile. There was only one way you could describe that expression –pretty. He was very, very pretty.
Marik swallowed slightly, fighting the overwhelming urge to drop a line about it. Why alienate the one guy who didn't seem terrified to come near him in this class?
"Can I call you Marik-kun?" He asked politely and Marik blinked once, surprised as he hesitated in putting in one of his heavy weighted golden earrings.
"Sure...Bakura-kun?" He said in a questionable way and a blush immediately rose in the others face.
"Y-you don't have to if you don't want to...I mean if you're uncomfortable with that," He stammered and Marik felt lost all over again. This guy kept jumping from hot to cold on him.
"I don't see why I would be..." He trailed off and Bakura blinked innocent puppy dog eyes for a moment before something seemed to sink in.
"Oh..." He muttered, realization written all across his face. "Well I wasn't lying to Anzu-chan when I said I had to go before so...see you around Marik-kun!" He said almost abruptly before bowing respectfully and scampering out the door.
After watching it swing shut and frowning after him for a minute, Marik crossed the rest of the distance to the door, opening it again just in time to see him disappearing out the outer door to the hallway.
"What the hell was that about?" He asked aloud this time and noticed Anzu about five paces from the girls change room where she seemed to have just come from, also watching a retreating Bakura with confusion before switching her gaze to Marik, who stood in the door of the change room looking lost.
"What'd you do to him?" Anzu asked, raising an eyebrow and Marik just frowned.
"I can't tell if he's scared of me or if he's hitting on me," He finally said and Anzu choked on her breath somewhere between laughing and gasping for air at Marik's very serious offhand comment. "What's so funny?" He asked and the almost pout on his face only made her laugh harder.
"Well Bakura is a pretty nice guy," Was all she said then winked and walked out, leaving him even more lost then he had been before.
A/N: I love angstshipping, it's so much fun to write *happy sigh*. If Ryou seems out of character, well, just don't worry, it'll all be explained in good time. Sorry about the seriousness of the author note at the begining of the chapter but it had to be said.
Here's a preview for the next chapter:
Seeing her stare out of the corner of his eye he wondered once again if she really might have a thing for him. She certainly acted like it sometimes although she had stood up to him just fine when he lost his temper in a dangerous way.
That was one of the many reasons he'd always been...fond...of her, with that fearless confidence. Fond? Who was he kidding she had always been and would always be his favourite as far as females went. He surrendered himself to the impulse.
What impulses might those be, Yami? ;) Next chapter it's back to focusing on YamixAnzu for awhile!