AN: UPDATE TIME AGAIN! Let's spare the comment and just dive right into it.

Enjoy.

CHAPTER XII
Say It.

With this fateful encounter that didn't go exactly to Marik's plan the evening was downright ruined. Ishizu was able to protect herself from the ancient power of the millennium rod by simply using fire against fire and blocking the attack with her millennium necklace. She escaped and with that Marik failed bitterly in his attempt to seek through her mind to get a clue about the locations of the other two god cards. And I somehow felt responsible for it, but also relieved that nothing had happened to her. However Marik felt about her, I still loved her as a sister and couldn't imagine hurting her in any way.

The ride home lasted literally for an eternity. The car felt more like a coffin than a luxurious SUV. I've never heard such a loud silence before. Every breath I took nearly tangled my throat, anxious about my bare existence after that incidence. Marik sat right beside me on the backseat and I could sense from miles away that his blood was boiling. The atomic plant on two legs was close to a disaster beyond all expectations - at least it was what I expected to happen as soon as we got back to the headquarter.

'I can't let you stay with my brother any longer. It's not save.' Ishizu's worried words from earlier recalled in my head when I looked outside the window and watched the dessert dunes passing by fast. 'My millennium necklace showed me the future, you really should come with me.'

I wondered what it had shown her that Ishizu wanted me to come with her so badly and leave Marik behind like out of the blue. What was so awful that it troubled her so much? Whatever it was I would have never left him. Especially after that dance earlier and that one kiss we shared in public in front of everyone's eyes. He showed weakness by his own choice. It was like his way to make things official between us? That moment almost made my heart jump out of my chest in joy. Little did I know that I would regret this decision bitterly and learn it the hard way that Ishizu was right about him.

'I want you to do this with me. Together.' I remembered Marik's soft words to me during the dance and my heart was racing a Formula 1 from joy. I never expected him to hurt me the way he would on one day in the future. Since then Ishizu's warning was like a sword of Damocles hanging above my head, ready to fall down on me when time was right.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye cautiously. Marik stared outside his window at nothing in particular, his chin rested elegantly in his palm. The clear moonlight of the night painted a breathtaking contrast to his profile. And if it wouldn't have been awkward I would have died for a picture of this scenery. I would also have killed for taking a look into his mind - to know what he was thinking right now. But with Marik life was like a chocolate box - you never know what you get.

We got back to the headquarter in the middle of the night. The corridors were silent and probably all of Marik's servants were already asleep, except of the two who stood guard at the entrance. Odion soon said goodnight and disappeared into his quarters. Marik and I walked side to side without saying a word down the long floor that lead to our rooms. I took off my heels after they started to hurt and held them in my hands while my bare feet took one step after the other on the cold stone floor. He had loosened his bow tie and the buttons of his snow white shirt were opened. Somehow we both looked like we had a rough night. With every step I made my heart started to pick up pace.

Finally we arrived in front of our doors. Both of us were waiting for the other one to speak. I so badly wished for a sign. Was he mad at me? Was this literally the silence before the storm? My mind was aching - I felt affection and fear for the same guy in the same moment. As if it wasn't already confusing enough to experience something like love for the first time. We stood there for what felt like an eternity. Our eyes locked and I stared up at his stern face with its unreadable expression. My knees became weak when I lost myself in the depth of his lavender coloured irises once again. My cheeks burned like they were on fire.

"Good night." Marik then said short and crisp eventually and disappeared behind the door of his quarters. For a few seconds I just stared at his closed door dumbfounded. He was the master of leaving the people around him to the unknown. I let out a heavy sigh in frustration. Then I did the same and clicked my room's door shut behind me.

I cautiously slid out of the black dress and packed it back into the clothes bag, then I changed into one of my quite casual kaftans for the night. After I opened my pinned up hair and combed it back into place I removed my make up carefully as I sat by my vanity table. My eyes were focused on my reflection in the mirror in front of me. He drove me crazy in all positive and negative ways. I knew Marik for so many years and still he managed to show me new facets of his fucked up soul every day.

'I love him.' That's what I said to Ishizu as an excuse for not coming with her as she asked me to. They repeated and repeated in my mind again and again, over and over. One question tortured my mind mercilessly.

'What if he was still the same, not hiding his real nature behind a wall of coldness?'

Lost in my thoughts I just wanted to slump onto the bed, but then I got interrupted by three knocks against my door and I immediately froze in my tracks. I swallowed before I went over to open it. My heart skipped a beat when I realised it was him, still wearing his fine suit from the evening. Without asking he stepped in and pushed the door shut behind him again, never breaking eye contact with me.

Mentally I prepared myself for the roasting of the year and bit my bottom lip as we faced each other. "I'm sorry." I then said preventively. "I disappointed you again." My voice was low and defensive.

Marik sighed and looked down at me. "You didn't disappoint me." His voice was soft and calm.

I frowned in surprise at his words, questioning him for further explanation with my expression.

"You didn't leave like my sister wanted you to. You've proven your faithfulness…" He answered the question he read from my staggered face. With his words spoken I froze. Did he hear everything of what Ishizu and I spoke? Everything?

"Oh… Well then…" I exhaled in a whisper. My words were almost stuck in my throat. He nodded at me, again answering my unspoken question, and a shiver creeped down my spine. Marik made one calculated step towards me until our bodies almost touched. It felt like my cheeks would fall off every second from the literal fire that burned on them. Then he gently placed his forehead on mine and closed his lavender eyes - so did I. A delightful shudder shot through my features when I felt his hands touching mine. His breath stroking across my lips drove my senses crazy. From all possible scenarios after that evening I didn't expect this.

Marik's hands then wandered up my arms and shoulders until they reached my neck. I took in a deep breath as his thumbs stroked gently across my cheeks. There it was again… this loud silence that told much more than words could. Cautiously I rested my hands on each side of his waist underneath his jacket.

"So that's how you feel about me?" He asked then and I looked up at him with staggered eyes. He definitely heard what I had confessed towards Ishizu. After a moment of hesitation I nodded slightly.

I swallowed hard. "I-I think so."

"Say it." Marik commanded and stroked his thumb across my bottom lip. Our noses almost touched and it was like my heart was pounding in my head like crazy. My grip on his waist became tighter.

Never did I think it would be so hard to repeat those words in front of him. They came so easily out of my mouth when I spoke to Ishizu. "Say it." Marik urged again.

"I love you." I then pressed out and held my breath for a second. Did I really say it out loud? And whatever it was what I felt for him and whatever it was that let my knees go weak whenever I was around him… If that was what love was supposed to feel, then yes. I loved him.

Marik's body relaxed, but his hands still held my neck in a gentle embrace. Suddenly he pulled me closer to him and continued the kiss we shared earlier on the dance floor of the gala. I wrapped my arms around his waist and accepted every single one of his touches, wether it were his lips that deepened our kiss or his hand that messed up my hair.

Then he gently shoved me towards my queen size bed and pushed me down, then he positioned himself laying on top of me. I gazed up at him as our lips separated for a moment and I stroked a few of his sandy blonde hair strands that hung into his face out of the way. "W-what about you?" I asked shyly.

His icy eyes looked down at me, but this time they held so much gentleness and also a little bit of confusion. He laid his hand in mine and touched my fingertips with his like a feather as a sigh escaped from his throat. "Jesara. Give me a little time to adjust to this new… situation between us. You know I'm not good in things like that."

Marik's words got me disappointed at first, but it was he first time in years that he pleaded me for something. He seemed so vulnerable and faithful in this moment. For a second he turned from the dominant control freak he was to the submissive and I knew I was walking inside the thick walls he has built around his heart. And I wanted to never leave again. It was hard for him to show what he felt deep inside of his heart, yet it was harder for him to say it out loud. But I was sure his words would be pure and honest if he said them eventually.

"All you need to know is that you are important to me and that there is more I feel for you." He added dryly with a gentle undertone and tightened his grip on my hand a little more for emphasis.

I put on a little smile and nodded. "I won't push you. This whole thing between us is all new to me too. I have no idea how this works."

Our foreheads touched again and his nose tip stroked against mine softly. "Same goes to me." Marik confessed and I could sense him smiling.

I nibbled on my bottom lip and my other hand traced along his jawline. "Kiss me." This time I was the one to tell commands and it surprised me. With those words spoken his lips met mine eagerly and his body pressed down against mine. Without hesitation I opened my mouth to let our tongues dance against each other in an intense embrace.

His hand glided down the side of my body slowly and my flesh started to crawl in sensation from the touch. With my senses trapped in the overwhelming power of the moment I slid Marik's jacket off his shoulders and he didn't do anything to stop me, instead he assisted me and threw it into a corner of my room.

I felt a shiver creeping up my body as Marik's hand touched the bare skin of my thigh and I took in a deep, sharp breath when his cold golden armlets met my heated skin. This whole situation was so brand new to me - to us. Emotionally and physically. I wondered how far he would go or how far he would let me. Carefully I grabbed for the uppermost closed buttons of his shirt and started to fiddle until it was open. Then I went on to the next one after Marik didn't seem bothered about it, but continued to place gentle kisses on my cheek and neck.

My breaths became heavy with every time his lips touched the skin beside my ear. The tickling feeling that built up inside of me was almost too much to take. Finally I managed to unbutton his shirt completely and this time I pushed it off of his shoulders a bit more roughly, hungry to explore more of his body and soul. Again he did nothing to stop me, but his hand wandered carefully up the outer side of my thigh once the shirt flew off.

My eyes admired his bare chest and shoulders and I bit my lips nervously. I had to admit that what I saw was more than just satisfying. Marik gazed down at me with hungry lavender eyes and his lips wore a smart smirk. It was like he wanted to let me know that I was allowed to go on without using words.

His mouth pressed on mine again, pushing me deeper into the mattress and cushions than before and even this new kiss was more untamed than the one before. My hands wandered from his shoulders down his back. The feeling of the scars on his skin made me sad, but I tried to ignore it. It was a part of him and what made him special.

Suddenly he drew away from me and roughly grabbed for my wrists. He pinned me down and held me in a tight grasp underneath him. His icy eyes glowed down at me and I stared up at him in puzzlement. Did I do anything wrong to offend him?

"Don't touch me there." Marik said sharply.

I blinked at him in confusion. "S-sorry… I-I should have known that you-"

He cut me off. "It's okay. But I think it's enough for today."

My lips formed into a wry line at his words, but I accepted his suggestion. I really didn't want this moment between us to end. "Okay." I whispered.

Marik then let go of my wrists and stood up from the bed after he placed a soft kiss on my forehead. "You should sleep now. It's late."

"Can't you stay here? I mean… overnight?" I asked shyly. "I mean… we've spent a night together before and I don't want this moment to end like that. I-I just don't want you to leave just yet."

He was silent for a moment until a little smile appeared on his lips. "Okay." This little word made my heart jump in circles.

I cuddled myself against his chest when we laid next to each other and I probably smiled like an idiot when his muscular arms embraced me. Never did I think that this little word called love would drive my senses crazy like that, but it felt so good and sensational. I placed a kiss on his lips to tell him goodnight.

Until sleep overwhelmed us we just enjoyed laying beside each other. The world around us stood still and there was only us that really mattered.

AN: Honestly, this was hard. I should have thought about writing the story in POV before thinking of lemons, limes or whatever stuff like that is called. However, I hope I didn't mess up completely here and hope you enjoyed this little chapter.

And thanks to everyone who favourited, followed and reviewed the story so far. Thanks for the support! Much love, merci.