AN: The prayer to Ra that Bakura uses is suppose to be a "translation of the Hieroglyph prayer on the wall of the Egyptian tomb of Shepenmut". I think Shepenmut was after TKB's time, but there's no reason we can't assume that the prayer was passed down through written an oral tradition before 900 b.c.

Four Thieves Vinegar is part of the hoodoo magical practice (fyi, didn't misspell voodoo. It's actually hoodoo). It's used for medicinal reasons and for banishing rituals.

Ryo laid on Marik's sofa. It felt thicker and softer than his bed. He looked down at Kek. "We can switch."

He shook his head no, settling down into a pallet consisting of two folded blankets and a few pillows.

"Are you sure?"

"Goodnight, Ryo."

"Okay. Goodnight, Kek." Ryo smiled. "At least we don't have to listen to cupboards banging, right?"

"Yeah, I just hope we don't hear those idiots banging – I'd prefer the cupboards."

Ryo wrinkled his face. "Maybe we should turn on the t.v."

Kek smirked and found the remote and flicked on the t.v. Some slasher movie came up. Two teenagers screamed until an ax chopped them into pieces.

"This will work." Ryo watched the movie through sleepy, half closed eyes.

"Uh, are you sure you want to sleep to people screaming?"

"Yeah, I fall asleep watching horrors movies all the time."

A few chuckles escaped Kek's throat. "This is why I like you, Ryo Bakura."

A drowsy smile captured Ryo's face. "I like you, too, Kek."

Kek stared at Ryo for a moment as if deciding something. He shifted to his knees, holding onto Ryo's face and pulling on Ryo's top lip with both of his. Kek allowed the kiss to linger a moment before pulling away and sinking back to his blankets.

Ryo licked his lips, savoring the lingering taste of Kek's mouth. He fell asleep soon after. Even if he wasn't exhausted - which his was - the depth of Marik's couch, and the comfort of the movie playing in the background, and the fact that he could look down and see Kek, put Ryo at such ease that sleep came easy to him.

In the morning, Ryo sent Bakura to the store for seven glass containers and a few jugs of purified water (which he went and purchased after a few minutes of complaining). Marik had an 8:00 a.m. class, but Ryo didn't have classes on Tuesday until 11:00 a.m., so he had time to begin preparations for their banishing ritual.

Bakura walked back into the apartment with two bags and two jugs of water. His expression looked grousey. Even his hair seemed perturbed by the way it jutted out above his head. "Okay, I went to the craft store and bought seven glass jars. Why the hell did I buy seven glass jars?"

"I need to consecrate water for the ritual. Normally I'd use moonlight, but since we're most likely dealing with Necrophades, sunlight will be more effective, and I can let it charge all day while I'm at school."

Bakura set everything on the floor. "Well, it's your problem now."

Kek carried the two gallon containers of water in one hand and the glass in his other hand. Bakura rubbed his palms and shot Kek a dirty look when he saw the ease in which Kek carried everything at once.

"Sorry, Bakura," Ryo said. "Two people should have carried all that, but we're still in our pajamas so I didn't want to go outside."

"Whatever. Anything to get you back into your own apartment." He smirked. "I don't like being quiet at night."

"I'm going to throw up in your hair!" Kek shouted from the kitchen.

Ryo ignored them and went into the kitchen. He divided the water into each container, and pursed his lips. "The spell would work better if I had some gold to sit in each jar."

A smug expression grew on Bakura's face, similar to a cat as he licked the blood of a fresh kill off of his whiskers. "I could steal some."

"Yes Bakura, stolen gold will be great to use in a holy spell."

"Damn Ryo, first profanity and now sarcasm. I really have been a bad influence on you."

"You really have."

"Here." Kek removed the gold bracelets from his wrists and handed them to Ryo. He rubbed his bare wrist for a moment. "I keep taking them off, but I always end up putting them back on for some reason. I don't know why."

Ryo offered a sad smile. "Thank you."

Kek shrugged and removed his bangles, choker, and earrings as well, a piece for each jar. Ryo set the jars in a line on Marik's windowsill with the blind pulled up and the window drawn. The three of them stared for a moment in silence. The sight of seven gold items, though different from the Items, made them thoughtful of the past.

"We should ask a deity to bless the water," Ryo said. "Preferably a sun god."

"Well go for it." Bakura gestured to the seven jars.

Ryo scratched the back of his head, frowning. "I usually only pray to my ancestors and Kannon." He looked at Kek. "You prayed to Ra last night, didn't you?"

Kek jumped, as if Ryo asked him to do something painful. "Not really. I asked him to make that damn thing go away because I was about to lose it. That's all."

Ryo frowned. "I guess I could try to look something up on the internet?"

An aggravated groan burst from Bakura's mouth. He crossed his arms over his chest and scowled for a moment before murmuring, "I remember a prayer my father taught me."

"Oh." Ryo blinked, his mouth dropped open. Bakura told him stories of his days as a tomb-thief, but never could bring up his family. "Please, Bakura, I know this is asking a lot but . . ."

"Yeah, yeah. I know." He sniffed before standing before the jars.

For a instant, there in Marik's kitchen with the sunlight washing his hair bright platinum, Bakura's cinnamon-colored eyes were the eyes of a lost child – one who'd ran away and wanted to go home, but didn't know the direction. He held his breath and closed his eyes, exhaling as if it were a great burden on his lungs to do so.

"O Ra,You God of Life, you Lord of Love,

All men live when you shine.

You are the crowned King of the Gods.

The goddess Isis embraces you,

and enfolds you in all seasons.

Those who follow you sing to you with joy,

and they bow down their foreheads to the earth

In gratitude for your radiant blessings.

O Ra, You the King of Truth, the Lord of Eternity,

The Prince of Everlastingness,

You Sovereign of all Gods,

You God of Life, you Creator of Eternity,

You Maker of Heaven.

All the Gods rejoice at your rising.

O Ra, You giver of all life,

The Earth rejoices when it sees your golden rays

People who have been long dead

come forward with cries of joy

to behold your beauties every day.

You go forth each day over Heaven and Earth.

O Ra, God of Life, you Lord of Love,

All Men live when you shine –

And dark gods like Zorc die in agony while being

forced back into their own crappy dimensions."

Ryo lifted an eyebrow at the last stanza.

Bakura pressed his hand over his heart. "Completely authentic Ancient Egyptian prayer." He lips curled up. "You know how much you can trust me."

Ryo shook his head and found a piece of scratch paper and jotted down a list. "When Marik comes home, I need you each to pick an herb from this list and go and get it."

"You're a real bitch when it comes to fetch quests, you know that, right?"

"Gotta grind before you fight the boss, Bakura."

"Yes, because fetch quests are known for rewarding so well with XP."

"I need to make Four Thieves Vinegar for the ritual. I mean, normally I wouldn't bother, but that name suits our group rather well, don't you think? There's a lot of power in the right symbol."

Kek chuckled. "Ryo, what have you ever stolen?"

"Your virginity." Bakura snickered.

"Shows what you know," Kek shot back.

Ryo felt his face burning from ear to ear. Bakura noticed and chuckled a sardonic kukuku. Ryo grabbed Kek's arm and pulled him towards the front door. "Come on, Kek, we need to get clothes from our place."

They had to go back to Ryo's apartment. They left all their clothes, bath products, and Ryo's homework behind when they fled the apartment the night before. They walked to the elevator in their pajamas.

Ryo glanced at Kek through his peripheral vision. "I stole the Ring from Yugi after Battle City."

Kek turned to look at Ryo. "Why? I mean, why didn't Yugi give it back to you in the first place?"

"He treats me like his little brother, like a child that doesn't know knives are sharp. I mean, he's a good friend, but . . ."

Kek clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "They underestimate you."

Ryo sighed. "That's nice of you to say, but I guess I see where they're coming from—"

Kek snatched Ryo's chin with his thumb and forefinger and turned Ryo to face him. "They underestimate you. Don't you do the same to yourself."

Ryo's pale lips twitched into a smile. "Th-thanks, Kek."

They continued down the hallway to Ryo's apartment. Ryo felt sheepish when a well dressed woman in a navy pants suit snubbed them in the hallway.

Kek whistled when they walked into the living room. "Someone threw a tantrum."

Inside, every knick knack lay shattered. The pictures sat in broken frames on the carpet instead of the walls. The television lay on it's side beneath a pile of torn books. Everything in the apartment was either misplaced or damaged. They stayed away from the kitchen.

"Fucking asshole," Ryo cursed. "Hope he enjoys the holy water I have sitting by Marik's window."

Kek gave Ryo a side glance and a grin. "Have I ever mentioned that you're quite attractive when you're angry and vindictive?"

Ryo rolled his eyes, but he smiled nonetheless. "Guess we better gather our stuff."

They walked side by side. At Kek's door they stopped and looked at each other.

Ryo dug a toe into the carpet. "I'll . . . just stay here while you get your things, and then you can go in my room with me when I get my things?"

Ryo didn't want to admit it, but the thought of being alone in his apartment for even a moment sent a shiver down his spine. Standing beside Kek made him feel safe. Alone, every draft would feel like cold, misty breath against the nape of Ryo's neck.

Kek nodded. He rummage through the clothes scattered along the floor, packing what he wanted in the shopping bags he'd brought them home in. Kek looked at Ryo and pointed to his bed, a little ruffled from being slept in, but otherwise unmolested. Ryo nodded. It was a good sign, it meant Zorc still couldn't breach the circle of salt.

Afterward they went to Ryo's room. Ryo bit his bottom lip and held his breath when he saw a chest pulled out and dumped over. A specific chest. One made of cedar. He pushed the grief low into the pit of his stomach, but the tears trickled down his cheeks against his will. Kek stood in front of him and feathered the tears away from Ryo's cheeks with soft touches of his fingertips.

"Ryo," he whispered, leaning in and kissing the tears his fingers missed.

"Everything," Ryo said between sobs, "I have of my mother and sister was in that chest." Ryo sank into Kek's arms, needing an anchor to keep himself from drifting out in the sea of his own grief and losing himself. "He can break all my stuff, but why can't he at least leave their things alone?"

Kek set Ryo down on his bed, careful not to disturb the circle of salt around him. He kissed Ryo's forehead and combed tanned fingers through Ryo's colorless hair. "Sit here."

Kek up-righted the chest and repacked the items with a gentle care that would look out of character to someone who'd only seen Marik's other half during Battle City. He picked up a little, crude doll with white hair and displayed it for Ryo to see.

He nodded. "Yeah, I made that for her fourth birthday. I made it to look like her."

He refused to think about how it'd been her last birthday.

"Good thing for me your parents let you sew. As the heir to the Ishtars, that asshole would have never let Marik learn a task meant for serving-women." Kek admired the doll. "She looked like you."

"Yeah, except her eyes were green like my mom's."

Kek set the doll in the chest. "I wish I had my mom's eyes." He clenched his teeth. "I wish I didn't look like him."

Ryo settled beside Kek, placing a brief kiss on his jaw before they finished putting Ryo's mementos away together. "At least nothing looks broken."

"See? Don't cry."

Ryo felt Kek's lips on his before he realized what they were doing.

"Don't cry," Kek whispered into Ryo's mouth.

Ryo closed his eyes as they kissed. "I'm okay."

"You always say that."

"I'm really okay."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"I'll trust you, then." Kek kissed him a final time and pulled away.

Ryo sucked in a breath. "I need to pack."

He crammed random clothes into a duffel bag. It was the week before dead week, so he didn't care what he wore. Everything went with blue jeans anyway.

"I guess we should shower real quick. Do you want to go first?"

Ryo frowned. "Don't . . . don't leave me alone. I'll scream if I have to be anywhere in this apartment alone."

"He won't touch you." Kek ran his hand over Ryo's hair. "I'd become the Winged Dragon again, and obliterate him if that's what I had to do."

Ryo smiled, but still looked nervous.

Kek kissed the crown of Ryo's head again, took him by the hand, and dragged him into the bathroom. A devil's grin played on his face. "Though, I won't mind the show."

"I guess I am breaking the clothes-stay-on rule." Ryo unbuttoned his pajama top.

Kek licked his lips. "Sorry, can't hear you. Distracted by you stripping."

"Yeah?" Ryo had the sneaky grin of a fallen angel caught being mischievous. He circled his hips as he slowly pulled his pants lower. He gave Kek a brief peak of white public hair before sneaking his pants back up and running his fingers over the cotton before he started his faux strip tease again.

All focus drained from Kek's stare. His heather eyes clouded with lust and curiosity. "I see everything is white."

Ryo giggled. "Well, you're all blonde."

A light dusting of mauve graced the high, round curves of Kek's cheeks bones. "How do you know?"

"The first night when I bandaged you, remember?"

"Yeah, now I do. I'd forgotten."

Ryo removed his pants all the way and leaned over Kek to turn on the shower. With his skin so close to Kek's lips, the other male couldn't resist taking a playful nip out of Ryo's ribs, ending it with a long kiss over the same spot. Ryo gasped and shuddered.

"Even that's all white." Kek grinned, referring to Ryo's growing erection.

Ryo blushed – not a wisp of mauve, but a full-faced flush – as he tied his hair into a knot. "I better hurry so you're not late for work."

As Ryo washed, Kek brushed his teeth and undressed. They switched places and Kek showered while Ryo brushed his teeth and dressed. He kept his hair in a knot, not caring about his looks. Kek would be at work, and Ryo would be at school, and afterward, they'd both go to Marik's place and work on homework and spells. He couldn't bring himself to look nice when he knew there'd be no dates or kissing on the floor.

After Kek dressed they carried their stuff back to Marik's place. Kek leaned towards the kitchen, as if he wanted a peak before they left.

"Don't," Ryo pleaded.

Kek looked back at Ryo. "He's never done anything in the daylight before."

"True, still . . . I – you're going to be late for work."

Ryo liked scary things. Slasher flicks, and Lovecraft, and summoning games at three in the morning with possessed dolls that may strangle you or kiss you, but he didn't want to face Zorc unprepared. Ryo remembered the dreams he saw through Bakura's mind, buried alive in darkness and haunted by eyes sanguine and unforgiving.

They didn't talk about it. They dumped their things at Marik's place and went on with their days. When everyone was home in the evening they gathered the herbs they needed for the Four Thieves Vinegar and then went home for dinner. Ryo made Yakisoba, wanting comfort food. They sat around Marik's table and ate.

Marik snorted before taking a bite. "This reminds me of when Ishizu and Rishid visit. It's the only time I ever use the kitchen table."

"Then why do you own it?" Bakura asked.

"For when Ishizu and Rishid visit."

"Make them eat off their laps in the living room and watch anime like civilized people."

Marik smirked. "You are free to make that suggestion the next time they visit, Bakura."

Bakura chuckled low in his throat. "When are you telling them you have a roommate?"

Marik groaned. "After finals. Definitely after finals. Also, after we don't have to worry about a dark-god induced apocalypse. Which is hopefully at the same time, because they like to visit during our winter holiday."

Kek frowned. "Tell me when they visit so I can stay far away."

"No, no, no," Bakura purred in his most dulcet tone. "If I have to suffer Ishtars for the holidays, so do you, Kek. Welcome to humanity. Hope you like it."

"You didn't kill any Ishtars. They'll accept you easier than me."

"I tried to kill Ishizu's precious Pharaoh."

"Who hasn't?" Marik said in between bites. "I have, Kek has, you—"

"Don't forget Seto," Kek added. "They were training me on the electric chair ride, and there's actually a switch that makes the chairs live. It needs a key, but it's still fucked up that they let kids ride on those things."

"I told you he built that whole amusement park to kill Yugi before I moved to Domino," Ryo said. "It's a shame I wasn't there. I would have loved to play along. Except for the fact that two employees died. That part makes me sad even though I never saw them."

"And you work for that asshole?" Marik looked at Kek.

Kek shrugged. "Only two fatalities? A little better than counterfeiting Ra, don't you think?"

Marik looked sick. He set his fork down and pushed his plate away.

Kek's expression teetered between remorseful and unrepentant. Ryo looked at them, his mind racing for a change in topic. The only thing he could think of was how nothing brought people together like a common enemy.

"You know, I've studied everything odd and paranormal I could about Domino City. Before I moved here, there was a rash of violent murders and cases of madness . . ." Ryo stared at his cup. "I think Atem did it. Some of the deaths match some of the stories I've heard the others tell when they talk about the good old days."

"So wait." Kek smacked his hand on the table, a gesture of expression rather than anger. "You mean to tell me the Pharaoh was basically a serial killer?"

"I . . ." Ryo nodded. "I think so. Kinda . . . yeah."

"Then why do people call me sadistic?"

"Because history is written by the winners," Bakura said. He sat back in his chair. "So why did Marik and I have to purchase sage and lavender again?"

"We're making a vinegar that will help banish whatever haunts my kitchen. We each have to put an herb into the jar of vinegar and garlic I prepared before dinner. The sooner the better. It needs to sit for at least four days before it's any good for magical use."

"Let's do that now."

Ryo couldn't help but feel that perhaps Bakura was meant for white magic. The way he pulled the conversation back on point, knowing the perfect prayer to consecrate their holy water, and how he'd noticed the change in Kek's body language before Kek himself realized it. Circumstances drove him to violence during his original life, the darkness in the Ring corrupted his soul, but here, in the sanctuary of Marik's apartment, Bakura's potential snuck through his indifferent facade like a thief sneaking past tomb-walls.

***I'm just saying, go back to the early manga volumes and do a death count - Yami Yugi kills more people than any other yami. You can justify it. You can say he was trying to protect Yugi, but then how is that different than Yami Marik killing his dad? And let's not forget that Bakura was only putting people into comas when Yami Yugi was setting them on fire. This is kinda why I hate the Pharaoh, because when Joey's shoes got stolen revenge was totally cool (and the guy behind that ended up dead), but Bakura being upset about the massacre of his village and the desecration of both their bodies and souls is somehow bad? Pharaoh please.***