Love Lies

Two Shall be as One

“Really? You mean that?” Malik ask eagerly.

Ryou nodded without hesitation.

“I could use the company. I’m sure my father won’t mind, he’s never around anyway. Besides,
it’s been two years since I last heard from him. I’m willing to bet he’s settled down in some
foreign land with no intentions of ever returning here.”

“Well.....if you say it’s okay.” Malik smiled as he stood up, holding the fuzzy red blanket around
his waist. “This is very hospitable of you. If it’s okay with you, I’ll bring my stuff over
tomorrow.”

Ryou swung his legs up onto the cushions Malik had been keeping warm anghedghed contentedly.

“I can help you move your things if you need.”

Malik nodded his head.

“That would be great.”

Malik covered his mouth with his hand as he yawned.

“Awe damn, I’m not all that tired anymore. Mind if I go upstairs and take a bath?”

Ryou chuckled lightly.

“I don’t mind. I’ll be down here watching television if you need anything.”

Malik nodded his head and started walking toward the stair case. He stopped as he stepped up
onto the landing.

“Uh, Ryou?”

Ryou turned his head.

“Yes Malik?”

“Got any booze around here?” Malik ask casually.

Ryou cocked his head.

“Like what?”

Malik shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t care, wine, schnapps, whisky, wine coolers.......anything.”

Ryou thought for a minute than turned back to Malik.

“ I think there could be some in the basement. I’m not a big drinker, think you could come down
there and look with me?”

Malik quickly walked back into the livingroom and followed Ryou down the basement.

As Ryou flipped the light switch on, Malik gasp in amazement. His violet eyes lit up when he
saw the many treasures in Ryou’s basement. There were cases of various kinds of beer stacked
up next to liquor cabinet filled to the seams with unopened bottles.

Ryou scratched his head.

“Where did that come from?” He ask himself.

Malik had already staked claim to a blue bottle of vodka and a case of beer.

“Wow Ryou, for a guy who doesn’t drink, you’ve sure got quite the arsenal of alcoholic
happiness here.”

Ryou held his hand up in front of himself defensively.

“It’s not mine, honest!”

Malik chuckled light heartedly,

“It’s no big deal. I’m just glad it’s here! Bubble bath, here I come!”

Malik rushed passed Ryou and bolted for the bathroom.

Ryou chuckled at Malik’s childlike eagerness as he shut out the light and closed the basement
door. A bubble bath would probably be good for Malik’s sore wrists.

Only about 30 minutes had passed when the phone rang.

“Hello?” spoke politely into the mouthpiece.

//May I please talk to my brother?//

“Isis? Is thiu?&#u?”

//Yes. I really must speak with Malik.//

“Uh- okay. I’ll take you up to him. He’s taking a bath.” Ryou replied as he took the phone with
him upstairs.

The bathroom door was closed, and a blanket of light laid out a path under the bathroom door.
Ryou approached the door and knocked.

“Malik? Are you alive in there?” he called out.

He got no reply, so he knocked again.

Still no reply, so he turned the knob.

“Locked? Damn it!” He said in frustration, not realizing he’d said it into the phone.

//What’s locked?// Isis ask.

Ryou let out a frustrated growl.

“Malik locked the bathroom door and he isn’t answering. Can I have him call you back Isis?”

//Yes, I’d appreciate that Ryou. Thank you. Goodnight//

Ryou hung up the phone and tried opening the door again.

“Hey Malik! Can you open up? I need to get in!” He shouted, hoping Malik would hear him.

“Huhmuhawha?” Malik yawned back.

Ryou let out a sigh of relief. At least Malik was okay.

“Can you unlock the door? You’re sister called, she wants you to call her back.”

Ryou could hear the water splashing a little and than footsteps walking to the door. The knob
clicked and the door opened.

“Come on in” Malik said casually. Droplets of water were trickling from his hair, down onto his
shoulders, making their gradual descent to the floor, splashing into the white tiles. A slight bitter
scent of alcohol hung in the air.

Ryou stepped over a fuzzy red blanket and into the bathroom. As Malik closed the door, Ryou
realized he hadn’t bothered covering up with a towel. Ryou fought the urge to stare as he handed
Malik the phone-keeping his eyes focused on Malik’s eyes to the best of his ability.

“Did she say what she wanted?” Malik ask as he stepped shamelessly back into his mountain of
freesia scented bubbles. The bottle of vodka sat next to the bathtub 3/4 empty.

“Have a seat” Malik said to Ryou calmly.

Malik dialed the phone and rested back as Ryou sat down in the same spot on the floor as he’d
sat on earlier. While Malik talked with his sister, Ryou thought back how strangely exhilarating
his encounter with the spirit of his ring had been. It was in this very spot a few hours ago that
Bakura had made his first real face to face contact with him. He’d never done that before in
quite that fashion. Infact, any contact Bakura had with Ryou prior had all been negative. Bakura
wasn’t known for his kindness and good will, that was a well established fact. But over the
years, Ryou had gotten used to the spirit, and eventually, didn’t notice him at all. Bakura wasn’t
causing trouble, so Ryou had assumed he’d left somehow. It wasn’t until recently that he noticed
the tell tale signs of Bakura’s return.

Pain and suffering.

The two things Bakura liked most.

Ryou had learned the history behind the tomb robber from the pharaoh. He felt sorry for Bakura
after hearing what a crappy life he’d had, but didn’t express it to anybody. He knew there was
nothing he could do to change the past for the spirit. Ryou didn’t understand why he felt
compassion for the evil spirit that possessed his body whenever it pleased, but he did.

Ryou closed his eyes and recalled the bewitching eyes of his dark looking down at him.

Two things stuck out in Ryou’ind ind as he remembered the smoldering chocolate orbs of his
other.

Pain and suffering.

There was something else is Bakura’s eyes, but Ryou couldn’t quite place it. I was something
he’d never seen before.

Compassion?

“Sorry Isis, but I can’t help you. Tristan is your problem, not mine.” Malik said firmly into the
phone.

Isis yelled something, but Malik didn’t wait to hear it.

“I don’t need this shit.” Malik growled as he abruptly hung up. He turned off the ringer before
setting the phone down on the floor.

“What a bitch” Malik groaned as he relaxed back among the frothy bubbles.

“I can’t believe she thought I’d actually go out looking for that rat bastard fuck toy of hers.”

Without looking, Malik picked up the bottle of vodka next to the tub and chugged it the rest of
the way down.

Ryou sat motionlessly on the floor in his daydream. Malik noticed the strange expression on
Ryou’s face.

“Ryou? Hey, Ryou!” he called out.

Ryou heard Malik’s voice and snapped out of it.

“Oh, uh, I’m sorry. I was deep in thought.”

 “I could see that” Malik chuckled as he playfully blew a couple bubbles at Ryou.

The bubbles Malik blew landed in Ryou’s hair.

Ryou snickered as he wiped them out.

“So what is it you were saying? Isis eats rats?”

Malik snickered as he propped his cheek up with his hand on the ledge of the tub.

“Not that I know of. She called because Tristan didn’t come home yet. She’s on the war path. Do
me a favor Ryou, will you?”

Ryou cocked his head ananedaned in.

“What’s that Malik?”

“Get caller ID” Malik retorted in a frustrated tone.

Ryou laughed softly and nodded as he got to his feet.

“Sure thing.”

 Malik reached out quickly and grabbed for Ryou’s arm.

“Wait!”

Ryou stopped and turned around.

“Yes?”

Malik slowly released his grip on Ryou’s arm.

“Will you......um........stay in here with me? I could really use the company.”

Ryou nodded his head.

“Sure, I can stay. What’s on your mind, Ishtar?”

Malik released Ryou arm and relaxed as Ryou kneeled down next to the bathtub.

Marik looked simply divine.

He’d pulled his blond hair back into a ponytail. A few stray strands of his creamy colored hair
fell loosely around his face. His earrings dangled over his strong shoulders. Droplets of water
had beaded up under his eyes and over his nose. The golden hues of his tanned skin
complimented the gold jewelry he wore around his neck. His eyes sparkled like amethysts under
the fluorescent lighting of Ryou’s bathroom. Ryou looked down and noticed the entire bottle of
vodka empty.

“Holy hells Malik, you drank all that?”

Malik loosely balanced his elbow on the ledge of the tub and rested his cheek in his hand. He
grinned with a drunken smile at his surprised cohort.

“Uh-huh.....I’m sorry, did you want some too?”

Ryou shook his head and made a sour face.

“I wouldn’t touch that with a ten foot pole. It’s disgusting.”

Malik shrugged his shoulders.

“You get used to it. After living with Isis and Tristan, I’ve gotten used to drinking whatever I
can. You have to be drunk off your ass to live with their stupidity.”

Ryou’s facial expren ofn of disgust changed to one of sympathy. He slowly brought his hand up
and boldly took hold of Malik’s hand. He wasn’t quite sure how Malik would react to his touch.

“Malik? Did you forget? You live with me now. Do I bother you that much?”

Malik resolutely shook his head.

“Hell no Ryou! I think I’m going to enjoy living with I d I don’t foresee us getting into even
half the altercations I get into with Tristan.” Marik closed his eyes and shook his head.

“Gods do I hate him! I can’t stand how he obeys my sisters every command. He jumps at
everything. Sometimes I just want to go up and punch him in the head!”

Malik opened his eyes as he felt a cool hand brush over his cheek, but to his surprise, Ryou was
no longer kneeling in front of him. Icy chestnut orbs peered out from beneath spiky silvery
bangs. Malik flinched slightly, not quite being sure what exactly the new presence had in mind.

“Bakura? What’s going on?” he ask nervously.

Bakura’s eyes seemed to see right through him.

“My light is too much of a coward to show you how he feels, but I’m not.”

Malik cocked his head.

“Say what?”

Bakura wasted no time and pulled Malik into a deep kiss. Malik made a noise at the back of his
throat, but didn’t pull away. Infact, he deepened the kiss. A quiet moan escaped Bakura’s lips as
Malik slipped his tongue eagerly into Bakura’s mouth. The taste of vodka passed from Malik to
Bakura. The yami pulled slowly away from his lover’s hikari.

“I think it’s time for me to go. Tell Marik I say hi”

Bakura lowered his head, and when he looked up, Ryou was in his place, looking a bit dazed.

Malik bit his bottom lip as he gazed into Ryou’s puzzled eyes.

“Ryou?” he said softly as he tipped Ryou’s chin up with his finger.

“Yes Malik?” Ryou replied nervously.

Malik smiled endearingly.

“You don’t bother me at all”

Ryou smiled happily back at Malik.

“Good”

Malik cocked his head. An expression on bemusement fell across his face.

“Ryou? Are you blushing?” he ask playfully.

Ryou turned his head to the side and tried to his crimson cheeks from Malik.

“Uh.....well...um......” he replied.

Malik chuckled lightly as he turned Ryou around to face him.

“Ryou? Do you really feel more for me than friendship?”

M hel held onto Ryou, not allowing him to turn away again.

Ryou knew Malik wanted an answer, there was no way out of this one.

“Yes” he replied softly, looking directly at Malik.

Malik lit up like Christmas. It seemed as though something very heavy had just been lifted off of
him. He threw his arms around Ryou triumphantly.

“Come here you!” he laughed as he yanked Ryou into the bathtub with him.

Ryou shrieked in surprise as Malik pulled him into the tub fully clothed. The water splashed,
sending bubbles spilling out onto the floor.

Marik boldly pressed his lips against Ryou’s and continued where Bakura had left off.

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             Seto shifted restlessly around in his king size brass bed. He’d thrashed around so much
that his sheets were wrapped tightly around his long, slender body. A light film of sweat covered
his forehead, and his breathing was irregular.

“No, don’t!” He yelled in his troubled slumber.

“Stop!” he shouted even louder as he jerked himself out of his nightmare.

Seto sat up breathing heavily. He wiped the sweated off his eyebrows with the back of his hand.

His room was hot. His body felt numb. Seto looked at the clock. The numbers “1:55" illumina in in red through the darkness.

Seto laid back down and stared up at the ceiling.

“What’s wrong with me?” he thought to himself as he placed his hands behind his head.

Suddenly, Seto head a light tapping on his window. He slowly got out of bed, slipping on a pair
of silk boxers as he walked quietly over to the window.

A broad smile spread across his face as he fiddled with the locking mechanism.

The person stepped into Seto’s dark room and stood looking up at the CEO. The light from the
full moon illuminated the fair skin of the visitor.

“Well, isn’t this a surprise. I was just thinking about you”

Seto wasted no time in pulled the “intruder” into his bed.

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