Wow, a quick update. It's scary I know.O_o Well, this is a shorter chapter, the next one should be longer. Enjoy. ^^

XXX

Everything was peaceful. It seemed that there were only very few moments like this that Yami could enjoy, so when these chances came he'd relax and try not to ruin it for him or anyone sharing this moment with him, like Bakura. The pharaoh watched as Bakura breathed calmly while he held him comfortably in his arms. Yami continued to gently stroke Bakura's soft hair. It was so quiet, so calm, that almost anyone could fall asleep with no problem from the silence around them. Yami was especially enjoying this. Bakura's body was warm, his hands that clutched the back of the pharaoh's shirt were surprisingly gentle, and the way he lay his head on the pharaoh's chest… someone could easily mistaken them for lovers. This is good, to see him so calm and relaxed. It should help take some stress off him, and me… Yami frowned …but, I won't get my hopes up. Every time a moment of peace occurs even for a little while, something happens o break it. Yami silently sighed to himself, but not silently enough as Yami heard Bakura ask.

"What's wrong now?" Bakura's tone wasn't exactly sympathetic, nor was it irritated, but somewhere in between. Still, It was surprising enough that he would care to ask in the first place.

"Just thinking…" Yami answered, his tone filled with more disappointment than anything, "…I just hope nothing ruins this moment, it seems that every time we have a peaceful moment, even for a second, something comes up to ruin it"

Even though Yami did try hard not to think negative, those thoughts only came back to haunt him.

"You're ruining it just by talking"

"You asked"

Bakura chuckled, "Moment ruined" He said as an amused grin appeared on his face.

Yami blinked once before he got the joke, the moment really was ruined now and he too couldn't help but giggle a little. Bakura sat up and stretched.

"It's a little sickening actually" Bakura said.

"What? …How?"

"Having to kiss and hug each other every day so I can live" Bakura giggled before continuing, giving the pharaoh a sarcastic grin, "I can literally say, I can't live without your love, pharaoh"

Yami felt his heart skip a beat at that comment, but why that was, he didn't quite understand it. It felt as if a little annoying voice in his head was trying to tell him that Bakura actually meant it in that sort of lovey dovey way, when he didn't. What made him want to believe it? Yami shook his head, convincing himself that it was just shock that made his heart react in such a manner. Shock that words like that actually came out of his enemy's mouth. Yami looked away and smiled as he tried to hide his embarrassment.

"Well, I suppose…"

…What was that? It must have been just shock that caused my heart to jump… I mean, to hear such words even if they're not true, from Bakura… it would surprise anyone I suppose.

"…Pharaoh"

Yami looked back at Bakura, waiting for him to continue. Bakura moved closer to Yami until he was right in front of him, a little too close for comfort. Bakura's face right in front of the pharaoh's.

"Let me show my affection" He said, his tone nervous yet a little disgusted at the fact he was actually going to do this.

Yami's eyes grew at those words. Bakura wanted to show more affection than he's been giving? He actually was willing to? Yami then gave him a calm smile as he nodded.

Bakura placed his hands on the pharaoh's face and leaned in closer until his lips finally touched his master's. He was obviously copying Yami's way of showing affection, but that didn't bother the pharaoh at all. Bakura was just trying to do this as safely as possibly, in a way he knew wouldn't deplete his life. Yami knew if Bakura showed him his affection that he didn't have to show it back, but he did. He kissed him back as he placed his hands on Bakura's shoulders. Yami didn't want to mess this up by trying anything further, not unless Bakura asked or said it was fine first, so he kept it at the kiss. Bakura ceased the kiss, only to stare at the end of the leash in the pharaoh's hand. No white, but no sign that they were making any real progress. How were they supposed to know? Would the collar just break off out of nowhere if the curse was finally broken? Or was Ishizu wrong? Bakura sighed to himself as he stared now at the floor.

"Pharaoh, you say you won't give up on me? So why do let go of the leash when I rebel?" Bakura asked, still staring at the floor.

Yami couldn't help but feel more and more like the real bad guy. Bakura had suffered through so much and Yami apparently was making things worse. Even so…

"It's the only way I know how to get you to cooperate, if I didn't threaten you, you wouldn't listen to me"

Bakura peeked up only a little so that Yami, even though he couldn't see his whole face, could see his eyes now.

"Fair enough" he said, "…then how come you care so much? You could make me do anything you want me to do... and unless I actually did want to die, I can't do anything to stop you"

Yami smiled softly.

"…and you're comfortable enough to remind me of this?"

"You actually forgot?" Bakura growled as he raised his head enough for the pharaoh to see his whole face his time.

"I could have" Yami replied, uncaring about Bakura's temper, "but no, I didn't"

"...Then, why don't you force me to do everything you ever wanted me to?"

"Because, you're already doing that"

Bakura's eyes grew a little to Yami's answer. He looked puzzled as to what he meant by that. What was he doing that satisfied the pharaoh?

"Even if we really are enemies, whether you notice it or not, you're slowly coming out of your shell. You have told me such personal things about your past and how you feel… I'm happy just for that"

"…I thought, you'd let go of the leash if I didn't tell you"

"Of course not. If you want to keep your secrets you can. I only do such a thing if you leave me no choice and choose not to listen to anything I say"

Bakura did not respond. He simply looked away, that same anger back on his face.

It feels that sometimes no matter how hard I try, he's always going to be distant from everyone, from me. He may have shown his affection, but the look on his face soon after he was finished… I only hope he will be freed some day, soon…

Silence between them, but Yami wanted to talk to more, to get to know Bakura more.

"…Baku-"

Suddenly a scream came from down the hall. It sounded as if it echoed from the top of the blimp. The voice was all too familiar.

"Yugi!" Yami shouted as he stood immediately, Bakura standing quickly after, both of them dashed into the hallway and quickly headed to the stairs that lead to the top of the blimp.

So many thoughts ran through the pharaoh's mind as he ran to the top of the blimp. His pace quickening with each horrid thought. Was Yugi ok? What made him scream so horrifyingly loud like that? Whoever hurt him was going to pay dearly. Finally, both Yami and Bakura made it to the top of the stairs to find Yugi's friends surrounding the evil Marik. Most of them, worried, others, angry. Yami looked over at the evil Marik to see why. His eyes widened at what he now saw. The evil Marik had hold of Yugi's arm keeping it behind his back, while evil Marik's other hand kept hold of Yugi's other arm that was somewhat stained from blood. Blood? There, on Yugi's hand was a huge scar that only bled a little at first, but the bleeding worsened soon enough.

"Marik! Let him go!" Yami roared, everyone's attention now on him.

"Oh, look who we have here" the evil Marik smirked, "Good timing Pharaoh, any later and little Yugi would have a nasty cut on his throat next"

Yami's eyes narrowed. This man was sick, worse than sick, he was absolutely revolting. Why did he harm Yugi in such a way, why did he harm him at all? What did Yugi do to deserve this?

"What's the meaning of all this, Marik?"

"Oh forgive me, I should explain myself. Let's just say, you're friends refused to cooperate with me, so I had to take measures into my own hands and little Yugi here seemed to fit perfectly into my plan"

"What plan?" Yami asked, worried for Yugi's safety, but too afraid to approach the evil Marik for fear that he might hurt him further.

"You'll see, if you cooperate with me. Either that, or your friend will have to pay the price for you" The evil Marik looked down at his defenceless victim, his smirk turning into a sinister grin, "…and you know, I don't mind either way" He said before slowly licking the blood off of Yugi's hand.

"That's enough! Let him go now!" Yami shouted furiously, clenching his fists, wanting to beat the heartless fiend senseless.

"Jealous Pharaoh?"

"Just tell me what you want!"

"Alright then. What I want from you is your Egyptian god card, and… your puzzle. Give those up and you can have Yugi back safe and sound. What do you say?"

Yami glanced at his deck …it would be easy to simply give up the god card for Yugi's safety… he then looked at his puzzle, but the puzzle, it's too important. If I give that up, The evil Marik would have more power than any of us, not only that, he thought before his eyes focused on Bakura who was too busy watching the evil Marik to notice Yami was looking at him, but this puzzle gave Bakura the curse in the first place, if I give him the puzzle, what would happen then? Yami turned his attention back to the evil Marik once more, hoping that he could be reasoned with, but at the same time knowing he couldn't.

"Well? Have you made up your mind?" evil Marik asked, enjoying the stressed look on the pharaoh's face.

"I can give you my god card, but not my puzzle"

"Well then, I can give you Yugi's head, but I'll keep his body"

Evil Marik wrapped one arm around Yugi keeping him close to him as he took out his millennium rod and took the end off revealing the sharp thin silver blade that hid inside. Yami couldn't believe what he was seeing, it wasn't just a millennium item, but a hidden weapon as well. Evil Marik then placed the blade on Yugi's throat right under his chin.

"Any last words little Yugi?" he said, his eyes yearning to see more blood.

Yugi could only manage to stutter, his eyes filled with fear.

"No? Very well then!"

"No! Yugi!" Yami screamed as he hurried to save Yugi.

Yami clenched his fist tighter as he swung it at evil Marik only to barely hit him as he dodged and swiftly pulled the blade away from Yugi to use the other end of the item.

"Not so fast!" Evil Marik said as he activated his item, sending a burst of energy directly at the pharaoh. Quickly Yami dodged completely forgetting that Bakura was now behind him. The blast then struck Bakura knocking him back sending him flying and over the railing of the blimp.

"Bakura!" Yami shouted as he rushed to him and quickly grabbed his hand before he was too far out of reach.

Bakura, yugi, now both of them were in grave danger. One hand holding onto Bakura's, while the other held onto the leash, Yami found it hard to hold on to both.

"How amusing" Evil Marik chuckled, "Well pharaoh, it's either him or Yugi. Which one will you choose to save I wonder?"

"You jerk! That was a dirty trick!" Joey shouted.

"Yeah!" Duke joined.

"Heheh, whatever do you mean? He's the one that decided to act to save his friend, only making things worse"

Evil Marik then turned his attention back to the pharaoh, who could only glare back at him.

"I'll tell you what pharaoh, I'll give you a chance to save your friend or your enemy, but you can only choose one and if any of your other friends decide to interfere then Yugi will have to pay the price"

Yami growled.

"I'll give you ten minutes, Pharaoh"

Yami's eyes focused on Yugi, before he turned his head to see Bakura. His hand slowly slipping out of his grasp. If Yami didn't do something soon, then Bakura would hang, either that or Yugi would be the one to die.

"How could you?" Yami said angrily, "I thought you just wanted my puzzle and god card for Yugi's life, not Bakura's"

"Oh don't worry, if you save Bakura I'll kill Yugi or if you decide to let Bakura die to save Yugi I will let you keep your god card and puzzle. I believe in equivalent exchange"

This isn't fair, neither of them should have to die… neither of them deserve it… but what do I do?

XXX

Wait till next update.