-16-

The shadows swirled around him, and he thrashed wildly, as if he could somehow shake them off, somehow rid himself of the darkness in this place that was nothing but shadows and darkness. But he realized the shadows weren't just around him; they were inside him, consuming him, a trap he couldn't escape. He could feel the demon's claws in him. He could hear his people screaming, screaming like always. Their cries got louder, and as they reached a fever pitch, Bakura lent his voice to theirs, screaming in vain into the blackness. Then fire consumed everything.

Bakura awoke with a start, a yelp escaping his mouth before he could stop it. Before the terror from his nightmare had even begun to fade, he was gripped with a new fear: that he was alone, that Malik would be gone again.

But he looked beside him, and relief flooded him as he saw the lump of covers next to him stirring. Malik must have been awoken by Bakura's distressed noises and movements. Bakura's heart finally began to slow as he heard Malik say, "Nightmare?"

"Uh-huh," Bakura breathed, allowing himself to lie back down next to Malik.

"The standard kind, I suppose?" Malik asked.

"Yeah," Bakura confirmed. His people, his past, the Shadows, the demons; that was standard, and Malik had slept next to him and been awoken by his night terrors enough times to know it.

Malik gathered him into his arms. "It's alright. It was just a dream. There's nothing to be upset about."

"That's not helpful," Bakura snapped.

"Come on. I know you're upset, but that's no reason to take it out on me." Malik reached out to stroke Bakura's hair. "I'm trying to help you."

"Yeah, yeah," Bakura said begrudgingly. He reminded himself he was probably only feeling irritable due to being so shaken from his nightmare...but Malik's words had just seemed so dismissive. Still, though, there was no point in throwing Malik's attempt at comfort back in his face; Bakura wasn't in the mood for an argument right now. He was just grateful Malik was actually here this time. "Yeah, I know."

"It's fine. I understand." Malik squeezed him tighter for a second. "And I get what you mean. I know it wasn't just a dream. I know you're upset that you failed your people because the pharaoh bested you. But you have to move on, you know? Have to be strong and get over it, instead of doing this all the time. Aren't you tired of being weak? I'm getting a bit tired of dealing with it myself, to be honest, especially when you snap at me like that when I'm only trying to help."

Bakura froze, the blood in his veins turning to ice. He carefully extricated himself from the embrace and backed away slowly, cautiously.

"Oh come on, don't be mad. I know that may not have been pleasant to hear, but I'm only trying to be honest with you because I care."

But Bakura wasn't angry. Instead he was feeling abject terror, and he was sure it must have shown on his face. "You're not Malik." His voice came out flat.

"Seriously? Is it really easier for you to believe that I'm not me than to accept that I might say something you don't like?"

Bakura couldn't help flinching at the voice.

"I'm sorry, alright?" the other said. "I know I don't say it very often, but I really do care about you. I swear I was only trying to help. I just want you to move on, for both our sakes."

"Where is he?" The muscles in Bakura's body coiled as he got ready to strike.

"No? Really?" The one next to Bakura in bed cocked his head, looking at Bakura curiously. Then he sighed in resignation before annoyance took over his features and he gave a frustrated punch to the mattress. "Damn it. When did you know? It's not as if he's all sweet and kind to you all the time...at what point did I go too far?"

"For sure? At failed your people...but...even before that." Bakura shook his head. He didn't know why he was answering. He clenched his fist. "Where the hell is he? What have you done with him?"

A wide grin split the face of the thing in bed next to him. "You're right, I have him. And I'm hurting him right now."

Bakura pounced then, instantly on top of the other. He aimed a hard punch at its head, causing it to reel back for a second. But it recovered quickly.

"Oh, don't get yourself all bent out of shape. You've won for now. I'll be forced to return him to you soon." The thing gave a bitter, twisted smile. Then its voice rose as it shrieked, "But your love can't protect you two from me forever! I'll find a way to break it!"

"Where the fuck is he!" Bakura pulled back for another punch, but his fist met only air before slamming down into the pillow, right where the thing's head had been a second ago. He looked around, frantic, but there was nothing other than darkness.

And that wasn't right. There was always a light on in the bedroom. Malik couldn't sleep in the dark.

Bakura blinked, and suddenly he saw it. The dimmed lamp on the bedside table was on, illuminating the room well enough for him to see that he was completely alone.

Bakura's head swam with confusion, the disorientation so bad he had to lie back down. The events of a minute ago were already beginning to take on a faded, dreamlike quality.

It had seemed so real at the time...at least, he thought he remembered it seeming real. Was it possible it could have all been part of his nightmare from earlier? Did he only just now wake up?

But then, where was Malik?

He leaped out of bed, frantic as he ran out to the living room, through the kitchen, checking the bathroom on the way.

There was no sign of Malik. And his jacket and keys were gone again.

Bakura told himself that maybe Malik had just gone out, the way he had on previous nights.

Of course, that was the explanation.

It had to have just been a dream. The way the thing next to him wearing Malik's face had suddenly disappeared, the way the light had come on as soon as he'd thought about it...he had just had a nightmare, and Malik was just out taking a ride on his motorcycle, happy and carefree, and he'd be home by morning, just as he was the other times Bakura had woken up to an empty apartment.

What other explanation was there? He'd joked to Malik before about his alternate personality being back, but that didn't make any sense. Malik's other personality wasn't capable of disappearing into thin air in front of his eyes.

So what else could it be? Of course, he knew there were entities in existence that could disappear like that. He tried to think. The thing had said...what had it said? Something about hurting Malik? He gave an involuntary shudder at the thought. Yet, it was becoming hard to remember exactly what had happened.

So of course it had just been a dream, and he was already forgetting the details, the way one did with dreams.

He just wished he could know for sure. He thought about going out to search for Malik, but quickly realized it would be pointless. Malik could be anywhere in the city, and Bakura didn't even have transportation. He would never find him. And if it really wasn't just a dream, if the thing from his nightmare was real and Malik really was in trouble...then that would have to mean there was something supernatural going on, and running around outside aimlessly wouldn't help with that at all.

He gripped his head, feeling a pounding ache behind his eyes. He dropped down onto the recliner in their living room, heaving out a frustrated sigh.

He reminded himself again that Malik had disappeared at night before, and he'd always come back by the next day. Just because he'd had a nightmare and Malik had decided to go to the store in the middle of the night was no reason for him to jump to the conclusion that something horrible had happened to Malik. Malik had gone out, and he'd had a bad dream. That was all.

He just had to wait out the night. If Malik was back by morning, then he would ask him where he'd been, and hopefully he'd say that he'd been unable to sleep and gone out for a ride on his bike and Bakura could have a laugh at himself...after chewing Malik out for running off at night without telling him where he was going. He hadn't wanted to mention Malik's nighttime excursions to him before, but he'd just have to grit his teeth and do it.

And if Malik wasn't back by morning...he'd have to do some research, he supposed. He could call Ryou. He was always good at figuring out these kinds of mystical things. He wished he could call Ryou now, as embarrassing as it would be if this turned out to be nothing...but Malik's phone was gone along with his jacket and keys. Bakura really needed to get his own phone, and resolved to bring it up to Malik when he saw him.

He tried to comfort himself by thinking about it logically. If the dream had been real and some sort of evil entity, or something, had snatched Malik from their bed, why would his phone and jacket and keys be gone? Malik was obviously just out.

He suddenly realized something he should have thought of before and ran to the window. He looked down into the parking lot below and saw that Malik's bike wasn't in its usual spot.

Malik was just out. That's all it was.

He didn't want to consider the alternative...not yet.

He knew he'd never get back to sleep now. But he needed something to distract himself. As he flipped on the TV and began searching for a mindless game to play, he thought about how he was really going to give Malik a piece of his mind when he got home.

-17-

Bakura awoke to sunlight streaming in through the curtains of their bedroom. He sat up suddenly, the memories from the previous night rushing back. He didn't remember falling asleep. He certainly didn't remember getting back into bed.

And he was alone in the bed.

"Malik?" he called. He was too overwhelmed with fear to even think of trying to keep the panic out of his voice.

For a terrible moment, he heard only the echo of his own shout as he stared in dismay around their empty bedroom.

But seconds later Malik appeared in the doorway, concern etched on his face. "Bakura? What's wrong?"

"Malik? Is it you?" His voice trembled.

Malik looked confused, but he was already rushing to the bed, getting in next to Bakura and pulling him close. "Of course it's me."

Bakura collapsed into Malik's arms, the relief so sharp it made his muscles weak. He began to shake. It was Malik. He knew it was, in a way he hadn't known the previous night, even before he'd consciously realized that something was wrong.

Malik held him tighter. "Bakura, what's wrong? Can you talk about it?"

Bakura shook his head against Malik's chest, cringing against him as if trying to get deeper into his embrace. He needed a minute. He tried to relax, concentrating on the feeling of Malik's hands giving him comforting caresses, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, proof that Malik was alive and well and right here next to him.

He didn't feel able to speak yet. But he needed to know, so he tried to force himself to talk. After struggling for several moments, he finally got ahold of himself well enough to say, "Malik, where were you last night? Did you go for a ride on your bike or something? Because I really wish you'd tell me if you're going to do that."

Malik looked down at him with concern. "I didn't go anywhere last night, Bakura."

"I thought…" Bakura tilted his face up to Malik and then shook his head, feeling confused and lost. He knew Malik wouldn't lie to him.

The lines of concern on Malik's face deepened. "It's alright, Bakura. I'm here. Tell me what's going on."

"I...I guess I...dreamed it?" Bakura looked down, feeling foolish. Was it possible the whole thing had been a dream, even the part where he'd gotten up and looked for Malik and found him gone?

"You had a nightmare?" Malik's eyes shone with sympathy as he continued to pet Bakura's hair and rub his back. "What happened in it? Do you feel like you can tell me? You know you feel better sometimes when you talk about it."

Bakura took a deep breath. As embarrassed as he was, he felt compelled to tell Malik...at least parts of it, at least some of the things he still remembered. "Well, I was having a nightmare...the standard kind, you know." Malik nodded, understanding what he meant. "But then I woke up and...you were here, but it wasn't you. It was just...a thing that looked like you. Then it was suddenly gone, and the light changed, and...that part started to seem like a dream too. But I got up and you weren't in the apartment. And your bike and keys and phone and everything were gone. So I started to think you just went out, but I couldn't sleep so I played some video games...but then I woke up here, in bed, and I don't remember going back to bed, or falling asleep."

Malik nodded again, his fingers tracing aimless designs over Bakura's back. "So, you dreamed you woke up? I think that's called a false awakening. I've had those a couple times before."

"Malik…" Bakura swallowed, afraid to voice the question he was about to ask, afraid of what the answer would be. But he had to ask. "Have you ever left in the middle of the night? To grab something from the store, or go for a ride, or anything?"

Malik's fingers twined in Bakura's hair. "Of course not. I'd never leave in the middle of the night without telling you."

Bakura buried his face into Malik's shoulder, breathing in his scent to comfort himself. As soon as the words had come out of Malik's mouth, Bakura had immediately known it was true—Malik would never do that, and Bakura realized now that deep down he'd known that all along. And anyways, Malik certainly wouldn't lie to him about something like this.

So had all of the incidents just been dreams? Every time he'd woken up to find Malik gone, had it just been one of those false awakenings Malik mentioned?

Bakura noticed Malik was gently rocking him back and forth, and his face heated. He really was being stupid, getting this upset over some silly dreams. He should have been used to nightmares by now.

"It's fine. I'm fine," Bakura said. "I was just shaken up but...yeah, it was just a dream. It's no big deal." Bakura gave Malik a confident smile and let go of him. He didn't need to be coddled.

Malik smiled back, indulgent. "Hey, I was just about to start making breakfast. That's where I was when you called me. How about I go finish it and bring it in here and we can relax and eat it in bed?"

Bakura gave a little nod. He shouldn't need to be coddled, but he wasn't going to turn down food.

Malik gave him a quick kiss and then got up, and for a second panic flooded Bakura at the thought of letting Malik out of his sight. But he pushed it down, telling himself he was being ridiculous.

He lay back down, listening to the sounds of Malik bustling about in the kitchen, proof that Malik was only feet away. It wasn't long before Malik came back and presented him with steak and eggs on a tray. Malik had French toast with strawberries for himself, and Bakura sat closer to him than was strictly necessary as they ate.

-18-

Bakura awoke to pitch blackness.

Again.

Suddenly he saw twin pools of yellow shining out of the darkness.

They blinked.

"It is so nice to see you again," he heard a voice rasp.

"It's just a dream," Bakura said aloud.

"Yes, just a dream," the voice answered. "We love it when you sleep."

A shining white claw suddenly shot out of the blackness, catching him on his calf.

He yelped at the sharp pain, reflexively pulling his leg back towards himself and then covering the wound with his hand.

"There," he heard the voice rasp. "Now you match your lover."

"It's no big deal," Bakura said to himself, trying to ignore the burning pain of the cut on his leg. "I'll wake up soon."

"Sad, yet true...we will be made to send the both of you back soon," hissed the thing from the blackness he still couldn't see. "A pity. We do so love spending time with you two."

Then Bakura heard another sound—cries of fear and pain coming from somewhere in the darkness.

As they got louder, he recognized them.

Malik.

"Yes," something hissed in his ear, and he jumped at the sudden proximity of the voice. "Go to him. It is unfortunate, but I cannot stop you. But soon…"

Bakura thought he heard his name being called from somewhere in the distance. Malik was screaming for him.

Something heavy suddenly slammed into the side of Bakura's head and he cried out as he crashed to the ground from the force of the blow.

But he had to get up. He had to find Malik.

His ears were ringing, a splitting pain piercing through his head. As he struggled to his feet, he heard the voice near him hiss, "I will see you again soon."

A moment later, he was running through the dark, unable to see anything, but using the sounds of Malik's terror to guide him in the right direction.

He sat up in bed with a gasp. He could still hear Malik's cries echoing in his ears.

He looked beside him, and was hit with the realization that he really could still hear Malik calling out. Malik was next to him in bed, thrashing, moaning Bakura's name, his face twisted in pain.

"Malik!" Bakura reached out and grabbed Malik's shoulder, shaking him. "Malik, wake up!"

Malik jolted awake. For a second his eyes were wide with terror, but he visibly calmed as he registered Bakura's face in front of his.

"Malik, are you alright?"

"Yeah," Malik breathed. He shifted closer to Bakura, and Bakura quickly took him into his arms. "I was just having a nightmare."

"Me too, actually." Bakura gave him a lopsided smile. "Guess I woke up first."

"Was yours bad?" Concern showed in Malik's eyes.

"The usual," Bakura said dismissively. He still felt embarrassed about the way Malik had coddled him after his last nightmare, so he didn't want to make a big deal over this one, especially when Malik had just had his own nightmare.

Malik nodded, and then both were quiet for a few moments as they held each other.

"Damn," Malik said, breaking the silence. His face scrunched up in pain. "My leg feels like—"

He broke off as he threw the covers down, exposing his lower body.

Bakura gasped in shock as he saw the long, thin cut that sliced down Malik's calf.

Bakura then realized his own leg still stung, and, though he feared what he might see, his eyes slowly travelled down his own body.

The same cut was drawn down Bakura's lower leg.

"How the hell did I get a cut on my leg?" Malik mumbled.

"Um, Malik?" Bakura said. "Look at my leg."

Malik reeled back a bit in shock when he saw what Bakura was indicating. "What the hell?"

"I...I dreamed something clawed me in the leg," Bakura said slowly. "Do you remember what you dreamed?"

Malik looked thoughtful for a moment, then shook his head. "It seems like I never remember my nightmares anymore."

"I—" Bakura started, but then he broke off. He'd been about to ask Malik something, but now he couldn't think of what it was. What else had happened in his nightmare, aside from him getting slashed on the leg? He could no longer remember anything else about it...aside from two shining yellow eyes floating in the darkness.

"Well...maybe you accidentally did this to both of us in your sleep," Malik said.

"Wait, what? Why do I get the blame?" Bakura cried. "Maybe you did it to both of us in your sleep!"

"You're the one who dreamed you got cut on the leg. And we know you've acted out your dreams before. Remember how badly you clawed yourself up last time?"

Bakura made a hmph sound and turned away.

"Not like I'm mad at you about it or anything. I know you can't control yourself when you're thrashing around during a nightmare," Malik said. "Besides, these don't even look that bad. Nothing like what you did to yourself last time."

Bakura sighed. "Well, I don't think I can sleep anymore. Want to clean these cuts off and then go play some video games?"

They did play video games, until the day grew a bit later and Malik's phone rang. It was Rishid, and Malik headed off to the kitchen to talk to him.

Bakura waited patiently on the couch, thinking how glad he was that Malik wasn't going to work today. He hated to admit it, even to himself, but he really did dislike being left alone after one of his nightmares.

He was just about to give up on Malik rejoining their game anytime soon, thinking of switching off the game system and flipping over to a TV show, when his calm was suddenly broken by a strange noise that sounded like a low, menacing growling. He couldn't tell quite where the sound was coming from.

"Malik?"

"I'm still on the phone, Bakura!" Malik's voice floated back to him.

"Did you hear that noise?" Bakura yelled.

"Bakura, I'll come finish our game in a minute, okay? Quit bothering me!"

Bakura let out a growling noise himself, crossing his arms over his chest in annoyance.

"No, I'm not busy," Bakura heard Malik say. "Bakura is just being annoying like always."

Bakura gritted his teeth.

When Malik came back a few minutes later, Bakura snapped at him, "I really did hear something! I wasn't just trying to bother you!"

"Oh? What was it?"

Bakura ignored the question and said, "I don't know why you'd even think I was just trying to bother you. When do I ever bother you when you want to be left alone, or when you're talking to Rishid, or even Ryou?"

Malik snorted. "I notice you didn't put Ishizu in that list."

"That's because she's always saying bad things about me."

"Actually, she hasn't been lately. She's actually been encouraging me to spend more time around you, if you can believe it."

Bakura scoffed. "I'll believe it when I hear it myself."

"I think she's actually starting to like you." Malik winked.

"Right."

"So, then what did you hear that was so important that you needed to interrupt me?" Malik asked.

"Oh, yeah. It was this weird, like, growling sound."

"I think that was you." Malik smirked.

"No! Before that!"

Malik shrugged. "Probably just something from outside. Dog or something. You are right by the window."

"Yeah, I guess," Bakura agreed. "I suppose I'm just kind of freaked out because of...you know." Bakura indicated his own leg and then Malik's in turn.

"Yeah, I understand." Malik suddenly brightened. "Hey! I know what will cheer you up."

Before Bakura could even ask, Malik was running off. Moments later he was back. His hands were behind his back, hiding something.

"I...made you something." A light blush colored Malik's cheeks.

"Yeah?" Bakura looked at him with interest.

Malik revealed what he was hiding behind his back with a flourish, extending the hand that was holding the item towards Bakura.

It was a necklace that was hanging from his fingers. The cord was plain black, and suspended on the cord was a piece Bakura recognized as being an item of wire wrapped jewelry.

It was in the shape of a crescent moon, silver wires twisted around and around each other with silver beads threaded onto some of them, along with a silvery-gray stone Bakura didn't recognize wrapped up in the middle.

Bakura snatched it from his hand, immediately putting it on. "Thanks." He didn't feel able to say anything further, but his cheeks colored to match Malik's.

The lights in the apartment seemed to get brighter for a moment, and at the same time, somewhere in the far distance, Bakura heard what sounded like an animal yelping. Maybe it was the dog from earlier.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bakura thought he saw a little yellow spark, something that looked like static electricity. But when he whipped his head around to look, there was nothing.

He turned back to Malik, a wide smile on his face, and Malik leaned in to kiss him. Bakura could see the way the apartment lights brightened even through his closed eyelids.