Hey. Here's the new chapter. I hope you enjoy and I'd like to thank you all for your reviews so far. They really make me smile. ^^
I don't own YuGiOh or the characters.

(Marik's POV)

"You will? You'll show me?" Bakura asked, staring at me. I nodded, speechlessly. He walked towards me and grabbed me by the shoulders.

"Are you sure, Marik?" he said softly. I nodded again. He dropped his arms from my shoulder and stood looking at me. I held onto the bottom of my shirt and hesitantly pulled it up. I then let it drop, unsure of what I was doing. I don't want to do this. I stared at Bakura, lost. He frowned and then said comfortingly, "do you want a hand?" I smiled at him timidly. It's weird not being able to do something in front of someone you normally feel so careless and free with. Then again, I suppose we've both been quiet about our pasts. I don't know what Bakura's childhood was like... Maybe I should ask him sometime...

"Yes, please," I whispered. I felt his hands touch the hem of my shirt and I closed my eyes, already regretting saying that I'd show him. I said I would... It'll just hurt him if I keep it a secret.

"It's okay, Marik, it's fine," came the voice of my handsome white-haired boyfriend as he began to lift my shirt. I shuddered but let him continue. "Relax. I'm not going to hurt you." Just thinking about my back is what hurts. I felt my shirt go over my head and suddenly, I was overly aware of my exposed upper body. I let my hair hide my face. Bakura's hand cupped my chin and he pushed the hair out of my face. I stared up at him with wide eyes. His lips gently brushed mine. Then, he looked into my eyes as he spoke, "I'm going to look, Marik, okay? Don't worry."

He turned me around and I heard him gasp.

(Bakura's POV)

I stared at the Egyptian's back in horror. I was at a complete loss of words as I stared at the intricate patterns that puckered and covered the tanned skin of Marik's back. These patterns, from far away could pass as tattoos, but when you saw them so close you clearly see that they had been engraved into his skin. Scars. Deep scars. They were extremely beautiful but at the same time nauseatingly ugly, they were mesmerising but at the same time, I just wanted to look away. Most of all, they were filling me with fury. Who did this to Marik? How did this happen? I imagined all the pain Marik would have gone through as these were carved into his skin. I reached my fingers out and gently caressed his back. He turned around, slapping my hand away. I dropped my hand to my side and took in his crazed and scared expression. Wrong move, Bakura...

"Sorry," I mumbled. His expression softened slightly at my voice.

"Oh, Bakura... I'm sorry... It's just... Don't touch them..."

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have tried... How... how did you get them?"

"It was so horrible," he whispered, eyes tearful. Please don't cry, Marik. I don't want you to cry.

"You can tell me, Marik... Come on..." I said as I wiped a tear from his cheek, "and you don't want to cry, you'll smudge your eyeliner."

He stifled a laugh and then wiped his eyes carefully.

"Okay, I'll tell you, 'Kura... but it isn't a nice story."

(Marik's POV)

"Years ago, when Melvin, Ishizu, Rishid and I were back in Egypt, we lived in a tomb with my... um... father," I gulped, looking down at my legs rather than at Bakura. "My father was the tomb keeper and it's family tradition for the oldest son of the current tomb keeper to go through... the... uh... tomb keeper initiation. Rishid didn't count... he's not a blood relative of my father... My mother adopted him and Ishizu's a girl so that meant Melvin was the next legitimate heir. Back then, Melvin was a completely different person to who he is now, he was naive and innocent... Melvin and I were really close and I always looked after him even though I was the younger brother. I had always been a lot stronger and braver than him and despite the fact that father had tried to convince Melvin that I murdered mother, Melvin always looked up to me and allowed me to comfort him. I never understood why, but I was happy he did, having Melvin to protect made me feel stronger, made me feel like I could stand up to what I believed in. Melvin looked up to all of us though. He always expected us to look after him being the weak one of us. We always looked after him when he was sick as well. Father always ignored Melvin when he was sick. Father despised how often Melvin was sick because he thought this could mean that Melvin could get sick before he had his own heir to continue the family tradition of guarding the tomb.

"One day, when I was comforting Melvin, who was crying, which was a frequent occurrence, father came in. I was never close with father and he never displayed any emotion towards me, as he thought I murdered his wife... My mother died giving birth to me... but when father came in, he was smiling. He looked absolutely deranged.

"'Marik,' father had said, 'you will also be undergoing the tomb keeper initiation.' I remember wanting to cry my eyes out when father said that but I stayed strong so it didn't scare Melvin even more. He explained that this was because of Melvin's bad health but I knew he had an ulterior motive, I knew that he also wanted me to do it because he wanted to see his wife's murderer in pain. You see, Bakura, these scars are the tomb keeper initiation.

"A few days later, father had dragged Melvin and me into this cold, dark room. Melvin was frightened and held my hand tightly as father gave us that deranged smile again." I shuddered at the memory. "'Melvin first,' father had said, in a voice that let me know he didn't love us. It was cold and harsh. Bakura, we were just tools to him. He didn't care that he was scaring us, that he was about to put us through the most excruciating we'd ever have... He was just using us to continue the Ishtar clan and to guard those fucking Millennium items. Ishizu and Rishid didn't matter to him either. Rishid wasn't a blood relative so father treated him like a slave and was forever beating him and whipping him. Father even refused when Rishid offered to go through the tomb keeper initiation instead of Melvin and me... And he hated Ishizu. He hated her for being a girl, he hated her for reminding him of mother, and he hated her for standing up to him for us. Even if there was any love in his tiny, cold heart for any of his children, it died along with mother and that was my fault. He made me regret being born."

"Marik, I-"

"Let me get through the story, please, Bakura," I whispered, finally looking at him, taking in his saddened expression. Don't be sad for me, Bakura. I don't need sympathy. He nodded and let me continue. I forced myself to look away from him again. I don't want him to see how much this is hurting me.

"Father grabbed Melvin and pulled out the Millennium rod... It's this gold sceptre... It's one of the seven items we tomb keepers had to protect. It has a knife concealed inside and is used for the tomb keeper initiations... Um... so... the tomb keeper initiation is where... the heir has... these patterns carved onto his back. Melvin knew this and as father exposed his back, Melvin was begging and pleading with father to stop, to let him go. My father had said no and as the knife edged closer and closer to Melvin's skin, anger brewed up inside me. Even though I wasn't the older of the two of us, I had always protected Melvin and I was planning to protect him now.

"'Father! Don't make Melvin do this, I'll become the tomb keeper. Initiate me instead!' I had shouted. Father just looked at me blankly. After a while he let out a maniacal laugh.

"'You'll both go through this! Melvin first, then you. Melvin is the heir, you're going through with this just in case something happens to your dear brother,' he had replied and then he turned to Melvin, 'don't worry... this will only hurt... a lot!' I watched in silence as Melvin's skin was ripped open by our own father. I was forced to listen to his horrifying screams but there was nothing I could do but sit there. I heard as he begged, pleaded and tried to bargain with father to make it stop. Sometime during the screams I had begun to cry. I couldn't do anything but listen and watch as my weak and innocent brother got tortured. Bakura, I couldn't stop it! I couldn't do anything to save him... And then Melvin stopped screaming. My heart stopped as I tried to find out what had happened to him. As I tried to find out why he had stopped. I stared at the blood covered floor and a thought surfaced. I truly believed Melvin had died of blood loss. Father continued to slice his back, perfecting his foul, sickening art. I was overwhelmed with hatred. I screamed at father, I pleaded him to stop. I called him millions of names. 'Murderer'. 'Killer'. 'Psychopath'. He still didn't stop. I screamed for Rishid and Ishizu but they couldn't hear me. They would come if they could, even if it meant punishment, even if it meant that they could be killed because of it. They would always come to save us. Father dropped Melvin to the floor and I ran towards my brother limp body. My worry was relieved as I felt his pulse. His heart was still breathing. But a new worry overcame me. I had a sudden realisation. I was next. I looked up at my father and he sneered down at me.

"'Your turn, Marik,' he whispered sadistically, 'I'll make sure I carve extra deep for you.'

"He pulled my clothes off to get a clear view of my back and then... and then..." I burst into tears. Unable to speak, I looked at Bakura. He was looking at me in horror. He gently wiped my eyes and pulled me into a hug. I closed my eyes and inhaled his scent. I suddenly felt safe. At that moment I knew, Bakura would protect me, that I was safe with him.

"You don't have to continue, it's okay. I understand what happened next. Just breathe. You're not there anymore, he can't hurt you," he said softly into my ear.

"Don't let him hurt me..."

"I won't, Marik. I'll protect you. I'll even protect Melvin."

"Thank you."

"Where's your father now?"

"Melvin... snapped..."

"What do you mean?" He asked, pushing us apart so he could look at me.

"We weren't allowed to leave the tomb... Only father could leave the tomb... It was a little bit after the... initiation... when Ishizu decided we would dare to go outside. Rishid said he'd stay home to cover for us. Melvin and I longed for the freedom more than he did. He always said that he was just happy to have a home and a family. Ishizu took us outside and we saw how amazing it was outside of the tomb. The outside world was so big and bright and free. Melvin and I had so much fun exploring the village close to our tomb. I came across this picture of a motorbike, and I decided I wanted one," I smiled at the memory of the motorbike, it gave me a dream. It made me realise how I wanted to be free, how I wanted to just drive around the world. "Later that day, Ishizu made us go back home. We entered the tomb quietly to try to avoid getting caught but father was awaiting us. We saw father whipping Rishid, who had passed out. He was laughing insanely as he turned to face us. 'Oh, so you're back then?' he asked, smiling a creepy smile. Melvin twitched next to me at the sight of Rishid.

"'Father, why did you whip Rishid? He's not the one who left?' Melvin asked. Father glared at Melvin.

"'Because he was covering for you. Who does this idiot think he is? Tricking my idiot wife into adopting him, asking to become the next tomb keeper and now trying to protect you no-good imbeciles from getting the punishments that you deserve.'

"'Don't you dare talk about Rishid or mother that way!' Ishizu screamed, 'you heartless, sick man!' She bravely took a step towards him but he hit her with the whip. Me and Melvin stared in horror as she gasped in pain and hit the floor.

"'Don't you dare talk to me, your father, like that, you insolent woman!' Father yelled at her fear-struck face. I stood still, frozen in fear with no idea what to do. I never had to stand up for Ishizu or Rishid before. I glanced between the two of them, both on the floor. I looked at Melvin. He was shaking. I didn't know what to do. I looked back at father, who had turned his attention to me. 'It's your turn for punishment now, Marik'. I screamed in fear. The whip lashed me on the side of the head and I hit the ground disorientated. Father was lifting the whip ready to hit me again when Melvin ran at him screaming holding something gold in his hand. It was the Millennium rod. That was the day Melvin lost his mind... The day he killed our father... The day he saved Rishid, Ishizu and me."

"Oh..." was all Bakura said as he stared at me. He stroked my hair gently and I felt desperate to get rid of the depressing atmosphere.

"Don't be too disappointed, Kitty, my hair's not as fluffy as yours," I muttered. He smiled at me.

"You're certainly not as sexy as me either..." He replied.

"But, Fluffy! You said you'd admit that I'm sexier than you if I showed you my back!"

"I lied. I'm a thief... What I do is steal and lie."

"You're such a friggin' asshole."

"That's not very nice." He mock-pouted.

"But you're my asshole!"

We both laughed when we realised what I'd said.

"I'm not sure if I want to be your asshole..."

"What? Why not? My ass is sexy? Wouldn't you love to be a part of something so sexy?"

"Your ass is alright, I suppose! But my ass is sexier..."

"Oh, shut up, Kitty!"

"Kiss my ass, Marik!"

"But there's poop down there!"

We both laughed.

"Shall we get back to the party?" I asked.

"Yeah, but you might want to put your shirt back on, we don't want them all jumping to conclusions... Actually we've been up here for ages, they probably already have..."

"What are you talking about? What conclusions would they be jumping to?" I asked as I shoved my shirt over my head.

"Goodbye, sexy chest," Bakura whispered as my shirt covered my chest. I blushed.

"What conclusions, 'Kura?"

"Oh, never mind, Marik..."

We headed downstairs to join the party.

(Bakura's POV)

I can't believe Marik's never told anyone that before. I can't believe his father would do such a thing... If I were to ever see Mr. Ishtar's grave, I would spit on it for what he did to my Marik. My perfect, brave Marik. I don't understand how after telling me something so painful for him, he just changed the subject by joking about his hair. I never realised how truly strong Marik is. And he used to be to Melvin, what I am to Ryou. The protective sibling. I think him telling me his story has made us even closer.

And the whole story has changed my outlook on Melvin... Melvin used to be like Ryou... Innocent, weak. But his father has caused him to be this scary, misunderstood teenager. He's just a lost boy who had a painful and messed up childhood.

One thing the whole thing has made me realise is that, I love Marik Ishtar and I will not let anybody or anything take him from me or ever hurt him again

(Yugi's POV)

Wow... Bakura and Marik have been upstairs for ages... I wonder if they're doing it... I want to do it with Anzu, that would be super-special-awesome. Wow, she's really drinking a lot.

"You know what, Yugi? You look like a baby panda..." she slurred.

A baby panda? How super-special-awesome. Girls think baby panda's are cute, right? That means ANZU THINKS I'M CUTE!

"Anzu's actually right, you do look like a baby panda," Yami murmured.

Does that mean Yami thinks I'm cute too? Ooh. Does Yami like me? That would mean we'd be in some sort of Super-Special-Awesome love triangle thing! Yay. Hehe.

"Yeah.. I see what you guys mean," Ryou said.

Ryou too? Wow, guys, I'm blushing. A love square? Melvin nodded in agreement. Melvin as well? Hehe. I'm in a love pentagon.

"Nyeeeeeh! You're right, Anzu!"

Joey? Love hexagon?

"My voice gives me super... agreement!"

Tristan? LOVE HEPTAGON!

"Oh, I see it now!"

Even Kaiba! A... love... octagon? Why is everyone suddenly attracted to me?

Marik and Bakura finally returned. Everyone gave them questioning looks.

"So, what did we miss?" Marik asked.

"Everyone thinks I look like a baby panda and now we're a giant love octagon! It's no longer super-special-awesome. I'm scared," I replied.

"A baby panda? Really?" Bakura asked incredulously.

"Don't you see it, 'Kura? Just look at him. He totally looks like a baby panda," Marik said.

"Bloody hell! That's true!"

"L-love decagon?" I asked.

"Oh, Yugi, have you been drinking?" Ryou asked me, looking worried. I looked down shamefully at the three empty cans on the floor in front of me.

"Maybe a little... I've never drank alcohol before and I was curious," I mumbled.

"Are you sure he wasn't just smoking crack?" Melvin asked and he and Bakura started laughing. Crack? I would never do drugs in my life! Ryou laughed shakily.

"Anzu, Yami, do you want to walk him home now?" Ryou said gently.

"Yeah, sure," Anzu said, finishing her beer. Yami just nodded. They both pulled me up and the world seemed to be spinning a little bit. I noticed Anzu sigh as she wrapped one of my arms over her shoulder and Yami copied with my other arm. We said our goodbye to our friends and then they took me home.

(Melvin's POV)

Friggin' lightweight.

Now, Bakura, binky-boy, time to find out what you and Marik were up to.

Yay! We finally know Marik's past. But will Marik ever hear about Bakura's past? Will Bakura tell us the eyeliner story? What will Bakura and Marik's reactions be to everyone's questions on what they were doing?
Why is Yugi so weird when he's drunk? Seriously, I don't think I'll ever answer that one... I wasn't even sure what I was writing there. e.e Haha. ^^'
Now, it's only Bakura, Marik, Ryou, Melvin, Tristan, Joey and Kaiba left. Find out what happens next in part 5 of Marik's (ridiculously long) party! :)

Don't forget to review! I love you guys! :3
-Dani.