The storm is building...
Atem affixed his rayed ankhs onto his ears, then stepped back from the mirror to assess himself. He'd decided to go with a blend of old and new. He had his pharaonic cuffs around his wrists, and his layered neck rings for the old. The new consisted of a black v-neck long sleeve, paired with dark jeans and a studded belt slung across his hips. He hoped the last bit wouldn't come off as he was trying to be like Yugi. It was just something he found fit his appearance…which in all technicality he guessed made sense since he felt Yugi was able to flawlessly pull it off. He didn't mind Yugi's style, but it wasn't entirely for him.
He touched up his kohl, added some scented oils to the back of his neck and wrists, then set off downstairs.
Bakura was straddling the piano bench while leaning lazily into an elbow propped fist on the piano itself.
"Avoid the kitchen," he warned.
"Oh gods. What now?" Atem asked in annoyance.
"Here's a hint: Stands about your height and can melt your face," Bakura said boredly.
"She's mad?"
"Apparently so. And she wasn't buying that we were fighting as usual."
"Technically we were…"
"Have fun trying to convince her of that."
Atem simultaneously sighed and groaned as he reluctantly pushed open the kitchen door. Kat was pacing back and forth in the kitchen while biting a thumbnail.
"Where's Marik?" Atem questioned, hoping maybe the alternative topic would give her a moment to focus on something other than what was currently running through her mind.
Kat quickly rounded on him while pointing a finger in his face close enough that he had to bring his face back to avoid getting hit in the nose.
"Are you out of your fucking mind," she said sharply through a clenched jaw.
"It wasn't what you were thinking," Atem quickly argued. "And even if it was, what does it matter to you? You obviously didn't have a problem with it before. If anything, you found it entertaining," he added.
"I was a bitch about that, and I'm sorry. And I'm sorry about constantly joking about it," Kat said with a scowl.
"Why are you so angry?"
"I will not watch two of my best friends hurt one another." Kat was breathing heavily in anger by this point.
Atem's temper was slowly rising to match.
"I don't intend on hurting anyone," he said, doing his best to try and be the calmer of the two.
"I won't let you waste what years you have on someone like Bakura."
"They are my years, not yours."
"By all rights they are! I gave them to you!" Kat shouted.
"If that is how you feel, then take them back. I will not walk around having my life dictated by someone that I have set free, yet will not offer me that same freedom in return."
Kat's face softened as she lowered the hand that had been pointed in his face.
"Gods…I'm being a hypocrite, aren't I?"
Atem's face softened as well. "Very much so."
Kat walked over and leaned on the counter, burying her face in her hands to collect herself.
"Gods, I'm so fuckin sorry," she said apologetically. She then lowered her hands from her face. "I know how the two of you can be in general, and I can't stand to watch either of you get hurt."
"Katrina, I assure you that it was just us fighting over something trivial as usual. There's nothing between Bakura and I."
Kat sighed heavily. "If you say so. I guess I just worry too much."
"Yeah you do," Bakura growled as he leaned his chin over Atem's shoulder. "I want an apology."
"Thief, get away from me," Atem demanded bitterly. "You are to blame for this misunderstanding."
"I'm not going anywhere until I get my apology. So either you move, or deal with my hovering."
"And why should she apologize to you?"
"Well, for starters she believed you and not me, even after I tried to explain things. Then there's saying that I'm a waste of your time. That almost sounds like she's insinuating I'm not good enough to be your partner. I am rather insulted that my supposed best friend would think so little of me."
Atem stepped forward and mockingly motioned for Bakura to walk past. Once Bakura was the rest of the way into the kitchen, Atem returned his gaze to his ex wife. "I believe your 'dog' needs to be reminded that he's a 'good boy' along with a few pats on the head. I'll be out in the other room." He then proceeded to leave the two elementals to sort out their own problems.
Bakura pointed an accusing finger towards the door as it swung shut. "He says shit like that about me, yet I'm the one you think would be a waste of his time?"
"You're an asshole," Kat argued.
"So is he!" Bakura said in his own defense.
"Yes, but he's an unintentional asshole. You're an asshole on purpose."
"He called me a dog…"
"If the collar fits."
"Seriously, though, what the fuck? Do you really think I'm not good enough for your fucking ex?"
"Atem deserves someone that won't fuck and dip, and unfortunately that's the kind of guy you are."
"Ohhh….that's the kind of guy I am…I see. Which means my last partner must not have existed, because I totally wasn't constantly worrying about the fact that all I was doing was 'wasting' her time."
"That was a one-off for you."
"Whatever...fine," Bakura said dismissively. "I'll try to remember that anyone on the same level as the royal fucktard is too good for me and I should totally steer clear so as to not get my non-existent feelings hurt. Wouldn't want to get my non-existent heart ripped out."
"I didn't mean it like that!"
"Sure as hell sounded like it!"
Bakura shook his head in bitter disappointment. "You know what. I don't even fucking care." He proceeded towards the door. "Some fucking friend you are," he said as he slammed the door aside.
Marik heard the kitchen door slam below, followed closely by the front door doing the same. Moments later Kat appeared in their room, flopping herself down face-first onto the bed.
"I heard the front door slam. Bakura?" he asked as he pulled on a tight pair of jeans that had decorative tears throughout.
"Mmhm," Kat muffled in reply.
"He's pissed because you told him not to do something?"
Kat turned her head. "Yeah," she groaned. "And now even if there wasn't anything between them, now he's gonna want there to be out of spite."
"You've lived with Bakura for millennia, yet you still don't know not to put a red button in front of him?"
"Oh, I know. Unfortunately my temper seems to keep forgetting."
"Did Atem at least understand your concern?"
Kat sat up. "I think he understood, but at the same time he pretty much gave me a reminder that it's not my decision so I should just butt out."
"He's right," Marik commented as he pulled a dark purple shirt over his head.
Kat's head and shoulders fell forward. "I know."
"You need to stop worrying about him, and maybe focus on something else."
"Like what? I've literally spent five-thousand years worrying and focusing on finding a way to bring back Atem."
Marik watched as his girlfriend pulled her feet up onto the edge of the bed while wrapping her arms around her legs. She buried her face into her knees as she squeezed herself together even tighter.
Seeing her like this, he realized how easy it was to forget that while she'd been around for millennia, inside she was still a teenager that struggled to find her way through her immortal life. There were times when she said or did something that reminded him that she was from an era that no longer existed, but then there were times like this where it was obvious she was experiencing something new. Like how she'd obviously never pictured life beyond bringing back Atem, or even having a life where he wasn't with her.
He sat down beside her and drew her into his side.
"Remember how you told me you hadn't really explored the city because you were on 'guard duty'?"
Kat lifted her head and nodded.
"Today while we're out, I want you to not divide your focus between enjoying yourself and keeping an eye on everyone else. I want you to do like you did at the arcade, and put all your focus into just letting go and having fun."
"But what if-"
Marik interrupted her by placing a finger on her lips. "Don't. Let everyone else worry about themselves today. When was the last time you placed all of your focus on you?"
Kat hesitated. "Can I at least try to fix things between me and Kura?"
"And how do you plan on doing that?"
Kat relaxed and allowed her feet to dangle off the bed. "There's a local drug lord that I'm sure he wouldn't mind visiting."
Marik stared blankly for a moment. "Drugs? You're going to fix things with drugs?"
Kat tilted her head. "Uhhh…more like point him in the direction of his next artistic masterpiece. He always feels better afterwards. He likes to 'color' in shades of red."
"You're going to let Bakura murder someone?!"
A head of white popped in the doorway.
"Did I hear my name and the word 'murder' in the same sentence?"
"They were said in consecutive order, actually," Kat stated casually.
"Go on," Bakura said in extreme interest.
"Are you going to stay mad at me?" Kat questioned.
"Maybe. I wanna hear more about this 'murder' thing first."
"Local drug lord. Likes to kill the families of anyone that he feels might be a threat."
Bakura's eyes shifted back and forth in thought. "Still hurt, but you're forgiven. Now give me an address," he demanded, rubbing his hands greedily in anticipation.
"Behind warehouse thirteen down by the docks there's a scummy little club. Basement level, back room. He's usually there during the red-light hours running rigged cage matches. You'll find him easily surrounded by no less than three bodyguards. They have a fondness for glocks and tasers."
"Hmmm…scummy club? I'll have to pick something nice to wear. Can't show up looking like a hobo."
"Don't forget to properly accessorize," Kat said nonchalantly.
Bakura quickly exited the doorway, mumbling to himself in thought as he began planning.
Marik kept his focus on the doorway, blinking a few times.
"I feel like I should be appalled, but for some reason I'm not, and that disturbs me a bit."
"If it helps, just apply his train of thought to the situation."
"And what kind of train is that? Off the rails?"
"Murder is never the answer. It's the question. The answer is 'yes'."
Marik placed a hand across his face while shaking his head.
"Life was simpler when all I wanted was to cast the Pharaoh into the Shadow Realm."
Murder? Murder! Gotta put Bakura back in a good mood somehow, and what better way than letting him paint a picture in his favorite color?