Resurrecting The Darkness

REVELATIONS

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Disclaimer: Nothing has changed....I still don't own and don't make any money from it either..... of course, I'd give up the money in exchange for Yami
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Mariku had arranged with Atemu and Kura to visit the Valley of the Kings, which left the hikaris free to spend time with Malik. The spiky-haired Egyptian was excited; it had been too long since the three of them had spent time together, hanging out and talking. He prayed that they were still willing to open up and share their confidences, their secrets, their pain, their fears, their hopes.

Grinning, Malik watched his friends as they manuevered along the narrow passages of the crowded marketplace. He quickly taught them how to negotiate so they didn't pay more than any of the items were worth. Aimlessly, the three friends meandered around, looking at the stunning displays of jewelery and other handcrafted items; many of which depicted scenes from the ancient past. Idly, Yugi wondered if any of the items represented Atemu's reign.

Ryou gasped when he spied a beautifully crafted dagger. "Kura would love that!" Enthralled, he studied the design and the craftsmanship of the antique relic. "How much?" After successfully bartering the price of the gleaming golden dagger, Ryou clutched it tightly against his thin chest. "My yami is going to be so surprised! I can't wait to give this to him."

The platinum-haired hikari held his tongue. Although he didn't voice his opinion, he believed that the Kura that existed now would be less appreciative of the stunning gift. The old Kura, most definitely would have loved the weapon. However, he did not want to dampen Ryou's enthusiasm, so he kept his opinion to himself. Perhaps the unexpected gift would ignite some of the passion, the cynicism, the casual cruelty of the Thief King. He could only hope that it would be so, for his friend's sake. The gentle, docile hikari could not long remain the dominant partner--it just wasn't his nature to be the person in control. Eventually, that burden, that responsibility, would destroy him.

The King of Games looked at several very interesting pieces of jewelry, but made no attempt to purchase any of it. Malik, in an effort to be helpful, selected a pair of beautifully wrought golden armbands. "Don't you think that Atemu would like something like this?" he asked, watching the shining amethyst orbs grow dull and flat. Sadly, he lowered his eyes, as he shook his head vehemently.

"No, he'd prefer me to buy something for myself; something like that," he pointed at an eleaborate bracelet with a matching ring connected with a delicate chain. A slave bracelet, Malik mused, his heart aching for his small friend. Seeing the tears well up, he quickly placed his arm around the thin shoulders and led him away from the crowded market. Ryou, confused, followed his friends away from the people, the noise.

They walked along in silence for a few minutes, finally stopping at a large house at the edge of town. "What are we doing here?" Ryou asked, his innocent brown eyes curious.

"I thought that we'd visit with Isis and Rishid for a while. We can also go swimming; they have a fabulous pool and spa." But Malik had other reasons; he was more determined than ever to get some answers. Yugi desperately needed someone to confide in; his soul was in agony. The platinum-haired one felt somewhat responsible for his friends' pain. After all, it was he who begged Mariku to do something, anything, to help the suffering hikaris.

"That sounds like fun!" Ryou said, excitement coloring his voice. "Don't you agree, Yugi?"

The tri-colored teen nodded vaguely. " I guess so. It will be nice to see them again." His eyes regained some of their lost sparkle. "And swimming sounds like fun. It's been a long time. Yami and I used to....." his voice trailed off, the memories too painful to deal with. His shoulders shook with the effort not to break down and cry.

The pain was too much for the tanned Egyptian. Grabbing Yugi, he pulled him tightly against him, rubbing his back soothingly, whispering to him. "Talk to me, Yugi. Tell me what is happening. I can't help you if you don't clue me in."

Heartbroken, the diminitive duelist shared the events of everything that had occurred since the yamis resurrection. Malik was enraged. It was worse than he had imagined. Remembering the lustful glances from the previous night, he made a new vow; a promise to prevent Atemu from further abusing Yugi's beautiful spirit. Now he just had to come up with a solution to this perplexing quagmire.

Ryou wept tears of compassion for his suffering friend. How could the former Pharaoh treat his hikari like that? Like a possession? Biaw. He shook his head, the tangled curls swirling around his shoulders. His beloved Kura wasn't the same person he had been, but at least he didn't mistreat him or act as if he were nothing more than something that he owned. Kura may have been controlling, but he always took his hikari's feelings into consideration.

"Yugi, I'm so sorry! Why didn't you tell me? I would have protected you. You know that." The pale skinned teen wrapped his own slender arms around the sobbing youth. "Please, Yugi. Don't cry...and no more secrets, ok?"

A trembling smile curved those pale lips up. "I'll try, but if I think that Atemu is angry with me, then I won't be able to talk to you. He's very possessive; he wants me to spend all my time with him." The smile faded away, sorrow and pain taking its place. "Physically, he's still my Yami; gorgeous and sexy. But emotionally and mentally he's completely different. He regards me as a possession, an object that he has absolute control over. He says he loves me, but he doesn't, not really. If he did, then he would treat me as his equal, his aibou." More tears threatened to fall. Resolutely, he held them back. "And he would still be my koishii mou hitori no boku."

Two hearts broke as Yugi's last words fell from his lips. Had Atemu's casual cruelty, his arrogance, his selfishness destroyed the soul-binding love between the hikari and his yami? "What are you saying? Do you mean that you don't love Yami anymore?" The tall beautiful Egyptian teen prayed to Ra that wasn't true. If so, then it wouldn't matter what his koibito did to the former Pharaoh. If Yugi no longer loved Yami, then Malik could solve this problem by repeating the suffering teen's words to Mariku. He would simply use the Millenium Rod to return the ancient spirit to the underworld.

The vehement denial came swiftly. "No! I still love Yami as much as I always have; but Atemu is not the man I love. Yami was caring, giving, tender, loving....." his voice trailed off sadly. He swallowed convulsively. "Atemu is the opposite. He's demanding, possessive, and he doesn't care about my needs. His only concern is attaining his pleasure even if it causes me pain."

Ryou broke down into tears as the truth of his friend's words settled into his brain. "He rapes you?" he whispered. His eyes widened in horror at the small nod of the tri-colored hair. "Ohhh, Yugi! How can you bear it?" He shuddered, knowing that if Kura did that to him, it would annihilate his soul.

A killing rage filled Malik; he clenched his fists tightly desperately wishing that Atemu would magically appear in front of him so he could make him suffer a thousand times more pain than he had so carelessly inflicted on his innocent hikari. Sparks of fury emenated from his lavender eyes.

The overwhelming anger was almost palpable. Sensing how furious his friend was, Yugi stepped forward and wrapped his thin arms around the slender waist. "Malik, please, just let it go. Getting angry isn't going to solve anything." A soft smile broke out on the tear-stained face. "Please, can't we just enjoy the rest of this day?" He attempted to lighten the smothering atmosphere. "Didn't you mention something about a pool and a spa? Why are we still out here?"

Grudgingly, the tanned one gave in; the chibi iti was right. Today was for the three of them to hang out and relax. A hesitant smile turned those sensual lips upwards. "That's right, I did. Let's go and have some fun." As he opened the door, he looked seriously at his closest friends. "There is just one rule.....this afternoon is about us, so no more talk, no more thoughts about Kura or Atemu or Mariku."

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What will Malik do with all the information Yugi revealed about Atemu and how he feels about the former Pharaoh? Will he tell Mariku? Hmmmmm......guess you'll have to wait for the next chappie! Please R & R! Thanks!!!!