Wanted to do more with Atem, and loved the first paragraph, but had a difficult time keeping the flow so this chapter is another broken between two different character perspectives. The second half I had intended as it's own chapter, but with having difficulties with the first half, it ended up this way.

Yami...no, 'Atem' he reminded himself, was beyond elated during the trip back to the game shop. Sure, the circumstances surrounding the discovery of his name hadn't been the greatest, but at that moment it didn't matter to him. Discovering his name made him feel a bit more real. He wasn't just 'The Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle' or 'Pharaoh'. He wasn't even 'Yami'. He was Atem.

He had silently observed the strange melancholy of his host's roommate. How could Marik not have been happy about this? Helping with the retrieval of his memories was part of the Tomb Keeper's duty. Surely having a name to reference would be of immeasurable help. Atem was puzzled when the blonde hastily left, leaving Yugi in a state of worry. He didn't like his host being worried. How could the Tomb Keeper have been so cruel as to not even state where he was going?

Yugi trudged back up to his room, his head hung dejectedly. "I can't believe he just left like that." he said quietly.

"You're worried about who could have contacted Marik that would cause him to leave without saying anything." It was a statement, not a question.

Yugi nodded his head. "I know he doesn't have that many friends here. I texted the others, but none of them have had any contact with Marik since Friday."

"What about Bakura? He and Marik appeared to have been getting along. Before today that is."

"I hadn't thought about Bakura! Maybe he left to set things right between them?"

"Or maybe he ran off into a trap," commented a familiar gruff tone.

Yugi looked over to see Bakura laying casually stretched out on Marik's bed. "What do you mean a trap?" he questioned, ignoring the fact that the elemental hadn't been present a moment before.

"Apparently Mkhai set him up. Made the Tomb Keeper think his girlfriend was inviting him over. Now he's kind of stuck there until tomorrow, since Mkhai pretty much has him trapped there."

"How do you know that?"

Bakura tossed his cell over to Yugi. "Read the text for yourself."

Kat: idiot lured TK here by spoofing my #. wont let him leave until tomorrow. let the kid know so he dont freak out.

Below that was Bakura's reply with several rolling over in laughter emojis.

"TK?" Yugi asked, looking at Bakura in confusion.

The elemental looked at the teen as though the answer should have been obvious. "Tomb Keeper, duh."

"Oh. Never heard her refer to Marik as anything other than 'Pretty Boy' and gamiil, though I'm not sure what the second means."

"Pretty much the same thing, just in his native Arabic. If you haven't noticed, Kat has a fondness for giving people nicknames."

"Why is it she calls you 'Kura', and not 'Bakura'? I recall her saying that it's not your actual name. That she was the one that named you," Atem questioned.

Bakura looked bitterly over towards the spirit. "That's not really any of your business, Pharaoh." He practically spat out the last word.

"I have a name now. You can use it," Atem scowled.

Bakura looked at the spirit, slightly perplexed. "It took five millennia and losing your memories to finally give me permission to call you by name? Thanks, but no thanks. I'll stick with calling you Royal Asshole before I call you Atem."

"Can't the two of you get along for five seconds?!" Yugi scolded.

Bakura had stood up and was in Atem's face. Both wore bitter expressions towards one another, standing just far apart that their noses nearly touched.

"I have no problem trying to get along. He's the one that has an issue."

"Damn straight I have an issue. I call it 'The royal dumbass that thinks he's the greatest thing to have ever graced this earth'."

"My father took you into his home!"

"After he murdered my adopted mother!"

"That wasn't my fault!"

"I know!" Bakura backed away, his bitterness fading into sorrow. "I know. I blamed you at the time because I was hurting. I had barely begun to feel alive again, then…" he looked away.

"If you don't blame me for that, then why do you dislike me so much?" Atem questioned earnestly.

Bakura sat back down on the Tomb Keepers bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees, fingers laced together. He then glared coldly at the spirit across the room. "I have spent the past five millennia watching the person I care most about blame herself repeatedly for every mistake she has ever made. You have no idea how many tears I've watched that woman shed over all the 'mistakes' she's made. I would give anything if it meant never seeing her cry again. 'Kura, I've made another stupid mistake', 'Kura, I've messed things up again', 'Kura, why am I like this'. And then there's my favorite, "Kura, I should have never let go of your hand that day. I should have listened to Rishid. Then I never would have met him'."

Atem wasn't certain how to respond. He sat on his host's bed, hanging his head in thought. If he were in Bakura's place, would he harbor the same kind of resentment? He thought back to his most recent memory. The emotions he had felt seeing Kat in so much pain. How he had wanted nothing more than to protect her so that she would never have to endure pain or sadness again. Remembering these feelings caused them to resurface momentarily, enough so that he clutched at the spectral fabric near his chest.

Bakura noticed Atem's behavior, focusing intently on the spirit attempting to clutch at his heart. "A part of you knows how I feel it appears. Good." he spat out the last word harshly. 'Feel my pain. Know that it is all because of you that she cries. Hate yourself because of it,' he thought to himself. Something dawned on him, and he raised a brow in curiosity. "How do you feel about the Tomb Keeper?"

The sudden change in topic confused both Atem and Yugi (who was quietly sitting by trying to let the two ancient beings sort things out).

Atem gazed at the elemental in perplexion. "I admit I still struggle to fully trust him, but aside from that he is…." He stopped, searching inwardly for the right word. What was Marik to him? Did he really consider him a friend as Yugi did? Or was he just a means to an end?

"Just as I thought. He's not a friend or an enemy to you. Just a friend and roommate to your host, correct?"

Atem looked towards Yugi, who was looking back at him with eyes that asked the same question as the elemental. Eyes that hoped that Bakura was somehow wrong.

"I…" he paused. There was no point in lying. "...yes." He hung his head, feeling as though he had let Yugi down in his admittance.

Yugi closed his eyes and looked away, making Atem feel even worse.

"How do you feel when you see Kat run off with him?" Bakura questioned, still curious about something.

This sparked a surprising reaction. Atem immediately went from downcast to glaring over at Bakura with eyes that burned with fury. "I don't understand how he can make her smile and laugh, while all I provoke is her rage! She barely knows him!"

"And there it is," Bakura smiled. "You still feel that bitter jealousy as much as ever," he chuckled.

"I am not-"

Bakura interrupted Atem with a look that said 'You sure you want to deny it?'.

Atem looked away bitterly at having been called out. "So? I don't even know why. I just know I can't stand the idea of him being around her. I…..I want that to be me," he admitted with a flush of embarrassment.

Bakura leaned back on the bed, resting on his elbows. "Of course you do. You may have forgotten up here," he took one of his hands and tapped a finger against his temple, "but not here," he said as he tapped the finger against his chest.

"Are you implying that Katrina and I were more than just friends?" Atem asked in curiosity.

"You tell me," Bakura replied devilishly. "What do you feel when you look at her?"

Atem didn't want to say how he had felt when she showed up. How he had felt when he saw her lying there beneath the comforter. He had felt both protective and possessive of her. The Tomb Keeper had no right to take her from him.

Bakura didn't need Atem to say how he felt, it was being written across his face. "I know that face, Pharaoh. You don't have to lie to me. Lie to yourself and your host all you want, but I already know. When you look at Kat, only one word crosses your mind. Now say that word."

Atem glared once again towards Bakura, struggling hard to not say the word that had entered his mind. He knew how it sounded. He knew it was wrong to even think it, but he couldn't help it. "Mine," he said harshly.

Marik could hear the sound of rain pouring down outside, even in his half state of awareness. He felt an uncomfortable coldness across the top of his shoulders, and pulled himself closer to the warmth near his chest. The warmth felt silky smooth next to his face, with a smell that reminded him of burning sandalwood. The warmth moved, pulling itself nearer as if it too was trying to escape the coldness that accompanied the rain. It began to purr loudly, the vibrations traveling through the Tomb Keeper's chest and arms. Marik groggily opened his eyes, trying to focus on the warmth he was wrapped around. The warmth in front of him was the color of darkness, but the space beyond was not.

It took him a minute to register that he was in a bedroom, but it wasn't one he recognized. His mind was still slow as he glanced around. He saw what appeared to be a fairly ordinary bedroom. There was an armoire in one corner, a cushioned chair beside it covered in assorted clothing, a door that appeared to lead to a bathroom, and a vanity table with a large mirror. He rolled slightly and saw that behind him was a set of french doors that led to a balcony, a set of gauzy drapes pulled back decoratively around them. The outside was notably gray as the rain continued to pour from the sky. The purring that had prompted him to look around in the first place moved beside him, nuzzling his chest. He glanced down, taking a moment to recognize the familiar midnight waves.

Marik was suddenly hit full force with where he was. He was in Kat's bedroom. In her bed. With her. He had one arm wrapped around her tiny frame, and she was sleeping peacefully with one of her hands on his chest. She continued to purr, occasionally nuzzling and lightly kneading her fingers into his chest. He carefully lifted the blanket that was over top of them, relieved to see that they were both still fully clothed in the pajamas from the night before. His continued movement caused the purring to stop as Kat slowly lifted her head, her eyes closed and opening her mouth wide in a fang-exposing yawn. She slowly opened her eyes, looked at the boy next to her, smiled, then closed her eyes and snuggled back into his chest with a renewed purr.

"Good morning gamiil," Kat said sleepily, clearly unbothered by his presence in her bed.

"Um...how did I-...we didn't-…." Marik was still in shock of his surroundings.

"You fell asleep before the raid ended. I brought you up here. I could feel the rain coming, and thought maybe you would enjoy the warmth. I have no need for heat myself, but I am aware that you do." Kat lifted her head and propped herself up on one elbow to look at him. "And no, we didn't do anything. I assure you, if we had, it would be obvious," she stated with a small smile.

A blush formed across Marik's cheeks. It quickly vanished though as panic shot through him. He quickly sat up, ready to bolt out of the bed, but Kat grabbed hold and kept him in place.

"I had Imhotep put it in the garage before the rain started," she said, referring to the motorcycle that Marik had come over on and was now trying to rush to get out of the downpour.

He relaxed, looking down at her in both surprise and gratitude. "Oh. Thanks. I don't suppose he was able to return the spark plugs while he was at it?"

"Don't worry, they're back. I planned on making sure it was done correctly after we got up. Looks like we'll have plenty of time to get to it though. The rain doesn't appear as though it will be letting up anytime soon."

The chill of the room quickly caught up with Marik, causing him to sit back and grab the comforter and pull it around him. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I'll be right back." Kat got up and left the room.

Marik could hear the door open to the neighboring room. Kat returned a few minutes later with a long sleeved hoodie. The words 'Blizzcon' across the front made it obvious that it belonged to her sibling. He took it from her outstretched hand and put it on over top of the tank top.

"Better?" she asked.

"Much. So what now?"

"Well, we're up. I'll have to see what Mkhai can do for you for breakfast if you're hungry. I don't have to really eat as often as you. Other than that, just make sure everything is in order with your bike. Not sure after that."

Marik could feel his stomach calling to him, but didn't want to be an inconvenience. "Just coffee for now would be nice," he fibbed.

Kat eyed him curiously, obvious to the lie, then shrugged. "If you say so. Come on." She motioned for him to follow as she turned through the door.

"You're seriously not bothered by the cold at all?" Marik questioned once they entered the kitchen, still feeling a slight chill even through the hoodie.

"I have fire coursing through me. I have to be literally standing out in the downpour or in the middle of a raging blizzard to feel the cold. Standing inside a building like this, I feel nothing. But like I said, I am aware that you can feel it. I just don't know how to really make it more comfortable for you," she replied while scooping coffee grounds and placing them in a filter.

"Too bad you couldn't just warm the air or something."

Kat's shoulders fell as she tried to hide her humiliation. "If I could learn to keep the temperature consistent, I probably could. But the problem is staying focused the entire time. Kura can control the wind subconsciously. It's like he doesn't even have to focus on it. But he's better at controlling his emotions than I am."

"Bakura...controlling his emotions? The guy who always sounds like he hates the whole world? He pulled a knife on me in his Soul Room. How is that control?"

"You walked away from that encounter with nothing more than the fear of knowing what could have happened. If someone had done that to me, they would be ash. As it is, you nearly were during Battle City. I almost didn't recognize Mal's presence."

"Wait, you were going to kill me?!" Marik questioned in shock.

"You were a threat. Kura's involvement stayed my hand in the beginning. As things progressed, I watched and waited. There were many times I considered getting involved. When I started seeing Mal surface, I knew I had to take a different approach. You should thank him for that at least," Kat stated casually.

The hunger Marik had felt was gone, being replaced by queasiness. "Oh wonderful. I just spent the night in the same bed as someone that wanted to kill me."

"And Yugi sleeps in the same room as the person that wanted to cast him to the Shadow Realm." Kat smirked at him in a way that pretty much stated 'Checkmate' while pouring a cup of coffee. "Sugar?" she questioned, still smirking.

Marik raised his hands in defeat. "Okay, I get it. It's just a bit unnerving to think about." He took the cup she offered, walking over and adding his own sugar.

"So then don't." She raised her own cup and sipped away at the black liquid.

"Don't you ever think about what could have happened if certain events hadn't played out the way they did?"

"All the time. It drives you mad. You become bitter and resentful. You start to loathe meeting certain people." she said quietly, casting her gaze off to a time from long ago.

"You regret meeting him, don't you?" he questioned, referring to Atem.

"More often than I care to admit."

He noted the sadness in her voice, and recalled Atem's question after the previous day's battle. "You loved him?"

"Why would you think that?" she said quietly, her gaze still trailing off.

"When you showed up the other night, he said you called him Ibib."

Kat lowered her cup to the counter. "I see. Did he know what it meant?"

"Not at first. He asked me and Mkhai."

"And?"

"I told him it meant 'Treasured One'. Mkhai corrected me. I'll admit, I knew exactly what it meant."

"What else did my brother tell him?"

"He showed Yugi a file. We know about the hosts."

"Of course you do. Which means he probably also told you about part of the bargain I made with the one that sired me."

"We only know that someone's soul was promised to Anubis in exchange for not only the successful resurrection of the Pharaoh, but for Yugi to survive the ritual as well."

"Do me a favor: Don't learn too much more if you can help it. I just need a bit more time."

Marik paused, then nodded. He sipped at his own cup for a few more minutes, before speaking again. "Do you still love him?" He wasn't sure why he needed to know this bit of information, and wasn't sure if Kat would answer.

She looked up at him, staring at him in earnest. "Of course I do. You don't share what we had and just stop loving them because one of you says something hurtful to the other. Kura thought I was the one to trap him in the Ring, but that didn't stop the fact that he still loved me. Same with Mal. He used me, and I still love him. Both Kura and Mal are my best friends. We've been through so much together that it would take a lot to change how we feel about each other. I think the question you meant to ask is 'Are you still in love with him?'. That is an entirely different question, with an entirely different answer."

Marik looked confused. "How is that a different question?"

"You love your siblings, yes? That doesn't mean you are in love with them."

"Oh." he said sheepishly, now understanding the difference. "So….are you still in love with the Pharaoh?"

Kat looked back across the kitchen, once again nursing the coffee in her hand. "No. I can't see myself beside him anymore. We've both changed, and neither of us like what the other has become. I'll fulfill my promise, but only because I have to. My original purpose for wanting to bring him back no longer exists," she stated flatly.

For some unknown reason, this bit of info made Marik feel relieved. He finished his coffee, then set the cup on the counter, leaning back against it while he waited for Kat to finish hers. He didn't have to wait long, as she was done a few sips later. She then led him towards a door near the bottom of the stairs that led to the garage, stopping to allow him to put on his boots and jacket before entering.

Marik was relieved to see the red motorcycle sitting off to the side in the garage, out of the rain. He wasn't sure what to think about the dismantled muscle car in the center though. The whole front end was stripped down to its frame, the various parts sitting around the garage. He could see the smashed up hood sitting towards the back, with a set of fenders to match. The bumper was pretty much non-existent, while the engine was stripped down to its base components on a nearby bench below some shelving on the wall.

"That much damage just from running over Malik?" he questioned aloud to himself.

"He turned to stone to lessen the impact on himself. I'm honestly surprised there isn't more," Kat replied casually as she walked around the vehicle and over to the bike.

She knelt down and inspected the engine, then turned the key and started the ignition, turning the throttle a few times to listen. She left it running as she knelt back down, staring curiously at the belt guard. She then shut it off and ran off towards a nearby toolbox, shifting through until she found what she was looking for, then returned and propped the bike up on a nearby jack.

"What are you doing?" Marik asked warily as she began to disassemble the back half of his motorcycle.

"You need a new belt. This one has a nick in it, which can easily cause it to crack and tear. Best to replace it before it causes an accident," she stated, focusing on the task she had begun.

"You could tell that just by listening to it?" he asked in astonishment.

"Mhmm…"

She continued to work quickly, obviously knowing what she needed to do and how to do it. She removed the belt, inspected it, then ran off towards one of the cabinets hanging on the wall. The cabinets were a bit high for her short stature, so she climbed up on the bench below to get a better view inside, digging through to the back of each one.

"I'm certain I had one here som- aha! There you are!" she muttered to herself. She hopped down with a new belt package, then ran back to continue her work.

"You just happen to have the exact belt for my bike in your garage?"

"You're not the only one that rides a '97 Dyna. Mal does too. Apparently he liked yours and had to get one of his own. Figured it would be a good idea to keep a few spare parts on hand just in case."

Marik looked at her curiously. "For real?"

"Yeah. Like you, he's always had a fondness for motorcycles. I restored his '42 WLA for him while he was gone. Now it doesn't have a bunch of bullet holes through the tank."

"Bullet holes?"

"He rode it in World War 2. It got shot up while he was trying to help liberate some POW's."

Marik tried to picture the other Ishtar as some sort of soldier trying to help free war prisoners. It was odd to think that the being that he still slightly feared, was a possible hero to someone else.

"Do you see him when you look at me?" Once again, Marik had said something aloud without actually thinking about it. This time he had spoken with a hint of jealousy in his voice.

"Nope. It's true, the two of you bear a striking resemblance to one another, but I don't see one as the other. When I look at him, I only see my childhood friend."

"And when you look at me?"

Kat paused what she was doing long enough to look up at him, blushed, then quickly looked away and returned to what she was doing. "Not Mal," she replied quietly. She hurried and finished reassembling the bike, starting it and checking that it sounded and ran okay before shutting it back off. "All done."

She fetched a rag to clean the grease from her hands. Marik walked over behind her, staring down at the top of her head. "If not him, then who do you see?" he asked quietly. Something inside made him want an answer, and it wouldn't leave without one.

She turned and looked up at him with her curious cat-like gaze, smiling gently as she placed a still grease covered hand gently on his cheek. "Someone I'm glad I didn't turn to ash."

I'm not entirely certain what kind of bike Marik actually rides, but based off the fact that the anime was originally set to take place in 1997 and the fact that his bike has a V-Twin engine, the closest model to match is the 1997 Harley Davidson Dyna Glide. Queue research on whether the 97 Dyna has a chain or belt drive lol.

In case you haven't noticed yet, I have refrained from mentioning specifically what decade this takes place in. It's because I struggled for a while trying to determine if Domino was going to exist in the canon Japan, or the 4Kids screw-up of America. Personally, it will always be Japan for me.