Wilted Rose

Summary: (Sequel to ALFoR) After selling his soul to save Marik, a mute Malik is slowly dying with Seto finding himself powerless to help. Meanwhile, Bakura tries to reason with a reckless Marik as Ryou searches for a way to save both demon and human. (MxM, BxR)

Rated: T

Genre: Supernatural/Romance

Author's Note: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME, THERE ARE STILL FOUR CHAPTERS LEFT!

Disclaimer: It's not mine...bleh!

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9 – The Reunion

Tired of watching Bakura flinch every single time Jounouchi so much as blinked at him, Marik decided to join Seto inside the innermost chambers of the spacious kitchen – he had a few questions that he needed to ask, specifically about the former brunette's relationship with Malik. Though he had a hard time finding the same animosity he had for Touzoku, there was still a very small voice in the back of his mind, screaming an irate warning. He really should have been more suspicious…

Marik found the elder demon sitting all alone on a small table, potato peelings and various stains of God knows what adorning the undoubtedly ancient wood. Seto held his head in his hands, eyes covered by a mop of unfamiliar blonde; Marik recognized the position, as he held the same exact one for countless nights after Malik's second departure. He felt an odd chill run up his spine as he stood there, silently, watching the demon as it did nothing at all.

He realized his use of 'it' to refer to Seto was horribly dehumanizing, and by doing so, he would also be downgrading Malik to nothing more than an 'it'. Still, he couldn't find the will to see the other demons as anything but 'it's; they weren't human, that much was true. They were before though; that was also true. Still, was that enough to treat them as such? It was impossible to cast a universal label over these beings without including Malik in the mix; he was, after all, one of them.

There…he'd done it again… Seto was an 'it' and yet Malik was a 'he'. They were the same…they should be treated the same… Why did he find it so hard to accept that Malik now had more in common with these…things?

"I usually find thinking to be less exhausting while sitting," Seto chuckled without bothering to look up.

"Sorry," Marik muttered, offering a hasty bow that no one would see. "I didn't want to bother you."

"You're hardly a bother to anyone," the demon sighed, finally raising his head. "It's that little one's attachment to you that seems to be the problem."

A pale blush stained the tanned blonde's cheeks. "You know I didn't ask him to do any of this." He pulled out a beaten stool resting under the table and took a seat, aware of his poor posture in comparison to Seto's. "Malik's always been really impulsive…even as a kid. I'm not one to talk though," he scoffed. "We were both pretty bad."

"I don't think impulsiveness is necessarily a bad thing," the other replied, tilting his head slightly. "Sometimes it leads to spectacular outcomes…other times, not so much." He smirked. "But I won't fault wither of you for being so rash – people do stupid things when they're in love."

"Did Ryou tell you about what happened?"

"I was told enough to piece together that this whole mess was the result of both of your idiocy. Shoving a fork into a slight socket? Honestly?"

"Bakura hid all the knives," Marik muttered, a hint of embarrassment in his voice.

"Do you know what happens to demons that are born through suicide?" Seto asked, staring deeply into dark plum.

"I have a pretty good idea…"

"You should try observing Touzoku when he gets here, if you have time in between punches," the demon suggested, etching a pattern onto the wooden surface. "Watch how he acts around his brother, specifically. If you had succeeded, you would have ended up just as he has – surrounded by friends, but still frightfully alone." He closed his eyes. "Some say those bat winged imbeciles are let off easy compared to the rest of us, but me…" A soft laugh. "Despite the shit I went through in life…I'd still take my shameful memories over anything."

Marik could only nod in silence. He couldn't even begin to fathom an existence where he knew nothing but his own surname; how wretched it would be to try and carve out a new existence, constantly being reminded that there existed a time where you did have a name, where you were important…where you were somebody. To be forced to see people walking by everyday, each with the same insecurities. Did I know any of these people before? Were they friend or foe? …Was I friend or foe?

Surrounded by friends, but still frightfully alone.

What a sad fate…and Bakura's brother had already fallen victim to it. If it weren't for Malik…he would have fallen victim to it as well. Perhaps the only reason Touzoku had wanted to keep Malik was so that he would have company, someone to talk to, to ask questions… Maybe he had taken Malik in hopes of combating the eternity of loneliness he was faced with. If that was the case…

…Maybe he had been just a little too hard on him?

"Don't pity him," Seto advised, as if he had read the blonde's muddled thoughts. "You need to remember that all of us, yes, even Malik, were sent here for a reason. We must accept the punishments that were given to us, no matter how difficult they may be."

"Malik doesn't seem to be taking his punishment too literally," Marik noted. "But then again…he's getting punished for refusing to be punished…"

"You two must be used to this sort of thing."

"Strangely enough, we are."

"Figures," the demon snorted.

They fell silent once again, their enthusiasm suddenly evaporating. Seto had been giving Marik odd looks throughout his entire time there, as if anticipating the very question he had been dying to ask. But if that was true, then the former brunette would have already had an answer rehearsed, wouldn't he? So what reason would there be to even bother asking it?

"You and Malik look very similar when you're thinking too hard."

Marik was startled out of his indecisiveness.

"You both get those cute little creases on your forehead," he continued.

'Cute'. Seto had used the word 'cute'. That had to mean something… The student steeled his nerves and looked up, determined to get rid of the polka-dotted elephant out of the room once and for all.

"What is Malik to you?" Marik asked, eyes cold.

"He was my charge," Seto answered without a second though. "That's all."

"You seem very invested in trying to save him," the blonde continued. "What do you get out of all this?"

"You've chosen a very inopportune time to become suspicious."

"Answer the question."

The demon scoffed, looking away uncomfortably. "I'll get some peace of mind. Marik, I won't deny that I've become attached to Malik, it's very difficult not to. However, I know my boundaries, and I can assure you that nothing outside of sharing a bed took place. And even then, all we did in that bed was sleep."

Marik failed to conceal a low growl.

"If you still don't trust me, you can ask Malik yourself," Seto shrugged, getting to his feet. "That is, if he and that horned idiot ever get here."

"How long does it usually take to…I guess, fly here?"

"Not this long…"

"Do you think something might have happened?" Marik asked concernedly, also standing up.

"Ryou told them not to come unless Malik was us to it, but judging by that animated conversation between all of you, he looked fine."

"So…sky traffic?"

"How on earth would that even work?"

"Well it's a lot less damaging to my already frayed nerves compared to thinking about the more reasonable explanation!"

"Which is?" Seto asked.

"They were attacked," Marik replied, much calmer than both had expected.

"It isn't completely out of the question," the former brunette said gravely. "But I'm sure Touzoku will be able to fend them off. He was able to ground me after all."

"How'd he manage that?"

"Cheated."

"…Oh."

"Another thing I failed to warn you and Bakura about – Touzoku can read thoughts; I'm not exactly sure if he can use the ability by will, but I'd be careful in any case. Malik's done an excellent job of defending against it, but I have a feeling it might have something to do with the curse."

"I think Ryou mentioned it some time ago, but he didn't say anything about that curse stuff. If that's really the case, then I should be just fine," Marik smirked, pointing at his own red eye. "So should you and Jounouchi by the looks of it." He blinked, looking towards the bar's main room. "We should probably remind Bakura though…"

"Good idea," Seto agreed. "Guests first."

The dark skinned blonde nodded and moved out of the cramped space, each footfall echoed by the demon's more confident movements. He noticed a sweet smelling something simmering on the stove, but after remembering Ryou's warning in regards to consuming anything in this world, he decided against taste test. Judging by the alluring smell, he suspected whatever was inside was meant for Malik anyway.

Marik eased himself over the bar counter, Seto opting to walk around it; both found themselves in the middle of a curious altercation between Jounouchi and Ryou, with Bakura mirroring the blondes' confused expression.

"Is it really necessary to frighten him so much?" The angel said in exasperation. "Honestly, these two are already nervous as is! The least you could do is help them feel more comfortable!"

"I don't know how you airheads spend your down time in the clouds, but down here, this kind of thing is called 'having fun.' Do you know what 'fun' is?"

"Throw a baseball!"

"…At his head?"

"Jounouchi," Ryou growled. "If you can't sit still for ten minutes without poking someone in the eye, then I think it would be best if you just stay here."

"Are you kidding? You guys are gonna need all the help you can get!"

"Not if it means having to babysit! Malik's already enough of a handful as it is, and I have a feeling Marik and Touzoku are going to make themselves issues as well," he shot a warning glance to said human. "So if you want in, then behave!"

"Sure thing," Jounouchi saluted. "…On one condition."

"No! No more conditions! I'm sick and tired of conditions! If it weren't for all your stupid demonic conditions, then I'd be eating a parfait right now! BUT NO! I have to be in charge of this damned operation! I haven't had a decent dessert in days!"

"I think he's finally lost it," Marik observed, joining Bakura on the other side of the room. "You should say something."

"Like what?" His fellow student said incredulously. "You should be the one saying something to him! This is all your fault!"

"Oh yes, send me to deliver comforting words to the angel who killed Malik, great idea."

"He didn't kill him, Malik was already dead!"

"I'm not going to argue with your blinding ignorance Bakura," Marik sighed. "Now talk to him before those arrows start flying."

"You talk to him."

"HEY RYOU, YOU LOOK FAT TODAY!"

The angel paused mid rant and stared blankly at the blonde human, a hot blush drawn on his cheeks. He then shifted in his robes sheepishly and pulled them against his frame, trying to figure out if there was any truth to his words, a frantic look on his face – why oh why did he have to have such a sweet tooth? He had been feeling a touch heavier than usual…

"There, I talked to him," Marik blinked. "But I don't think it helped as much as you thought it would…"

Bakura growled and shoved him aside, a frighteningly positive expression on his face, "Ryou, he was only kidding! You know how that idiot is!"

"Are you sure?" was the slightly panicked response. "My clothes have been feeling a bit tight…"

"Positive," Bakura nodded, wrapping his arms around the cherub's waist, "you're just as huggable as before."

"Oh thank goodness," Ryou breathed, grabbing Bakura's hands.

As soon as the angel had finished speaking, there was a deafening crash that shook Ivory's very foundation, sending a number of plates, cups, and other breakable items smashing onto the floor. Dust rained from the ceiling, coating the group in a layer of grit and allowing everyone to see how Bakura and Ryou would look as brunettes. It took Bakura all the willpower he had not to start screaming at the top of his lungs; he looked towards the dripping sink longingly, but managed to resist. Physically anyway.

A startled scream echoed from upstairs, and in just a few moments, the notably absent Noa sprinted down the stairs, pale green hair still unkempt. He dove and hid underneath the table Marik was leaning against, much to Jounouchi's ever present amusement.

"Morning sunshine," the former blonde grinned. "How d'you like your new alarm clock? Pretty effective, huh?"

"Sh-Shut up!" the smaller demon snapped, covering his ears. "There's a hole the size of Seto's ego in the upstairs bedroom!"

"A hole?" Jounouchi repeated, raising an eyebrow.

Suddenly hysterical laughter floated down from the upper level, accompanied by a series of agonized swearing in several different languages. Bakura looked skywards, wearing a decidedly hopeful expression; it had been so long since he had heard that sound…

A clammy hand placed itself over Ryou's chest, his eyes already stinging with tears; the brothers' reunion was certainly not going to be a pleasant one…

"Now that's what I call a crash landing!" the new voice chuckled, though it sounded slightly strained. "Pun intended, of course."

"TOUZOKU, YOU IDIOT!"

"They're finally here!" Jounouchi gasped; Marik was very well aware of this, as he was already halfway up the stairs with Seto following closely behind. Ryou moved to join them, but was halted by Bakura's almost frightened appearance; glancing towards the steps once more, the pale angel elected to stay behind.

Upon reaching the second floor, Marik nearly ripped the ornate door off its hinges, finding a rather terrifying sight on the other side (for him anyway). There was a gaping hole in the ceiling, just as Noa had reported, bits of wood still hanging precariously from the opening; planks littered Seto's formerly unblemished bed, surrounding the demonic pair that had conveniently landed right in the middle of the soft mattress. For whatever reason, Touzoku had decided to use Malik as a cushion, a fact the small demon was not too happy with; his plush wings were currently serving as a kind of feathered pillow.

"Why did I have to break your fall?" Malik coughed.

"Would you have rather landed on these?" Touzoku blinked, pointing at his horns. "And need I remind you that it was I, the noble Touzoku who hauled your sorry ass down here? Honestly, it's like we were up there for nine months!"

"That's true," the blonde sighed. "Now can you please get off of my spine?"

"I actually like it here…you're very bouncy and OW, OW, OW, OW, OKAY! STOP IT!" The bat-winged demon cried, still failing to learn that Malik's fangs were not something to take lightly. "Geez…"

"There's a large sword to your left," Seto whispered into Marik's waiting ear. "You grab that, and I'll get one of Katsuya's axes; then at the count of three, we both aim for the bastard's head."

"Way ahead of you," the blonde grinned, striding over to the occupied bed, ready to deck the offending creature straight off the bed. His purposeful movements did not go unnoticed, and the platinum haired demon turned to face the enraged human, spreading his wings to their full span, steel grey eyes glinting dangerously. He had been waiting for this confrontation for a long time; he would finally be able to show the poor, misguided Malik that he was the superior choice – Marik was nothing but an over-emotional idiot, and 'feelings' couldn't hold a candle to claws and teeth.

"Hold it porcupine head," Touzoku warned, placing a hand atop Malik's head. "Long term relationships aside, Malik is my charge and therefore my property!"

"Leave him alone!" the svelte demon coughed, finally managing to throw his keeper off; the horned demon's threatening display was instantly turned into the last half of a lowbrow comedy bit. Malik blushed and looked to Marik, bright eyes filling with jewel-like tears. He didn't know if he still had a physical heart, but there was a warm rush of heat building inside his chest, threatening to explode into flame if they were kept apart any longer. Slowly, quietly, shyly, he stepped from the mattress, lower lip trembling, salty tears threatening to obscure his vision.

"Marik…I…"

"Wait," the taller blonde said hesitantly, stepping back, eyes wide. "I…I don't think you can touch me yet…"

"Wh-what?" Malik breathed, his hands clenching into fists.

"Some long lost lover you are," Touzoku drawled, hopping off the bed and grabbing his charge by the waist. "I give you an F."

"N-No, it's not because–!"

"Looks like your quest has been in vain my love," the horned demon continued, heaving a dramatic sigh, "Marik's made his choice…"

Ryou appeared in the doorway, looking very disheveled despite his divine status; he quieted the overconfident Touzoku with a pointed glare. He spoke a few muted words to Seto, who promptly nodded and headed to the main floor, giving Malik a warm glance which was not returned; understandable, since his former charge had no idea why 'Jounouchi' was being so friendly all of a sudden.

"They aren't to touch because I haven't allowed them to," the angel explained, gathering what had just taken place by Malik's broken expression. "And you. Enough meddling."

"So what, now you're acting as a human chastity belt?" Touzoku scoffed.

"Wait, so you just need to give me permission?" Malik asked, trying to pull away from Touzoku's embrace. "A-And I can…?"

"That's the plan," Ryou winked. "Alright, let's see…what was it again?"

"If you're faking ignorance, I am going to give Bakura the most painful Indian Burn mankind can imagine," Marik growled, clearly annoyed.

"Okay, okay, keep your hair on! I hereby give the demon, Malik Ishtal, permission to make physical contact with the human, Marik Ishtar."

Somewhere, a small bell chimed.

Ryou watched as the small demon instantly broke out of his keeper's hold, running full speed to his never-forgotten love, tears streaming down his cheeks. He slammed full force into Marik's embrace, familiar arms pulling him closer with each breath.

"I'm sorry I got you mixed up in all this again," Malik hiccupped, burying his face into Marik's chest. "But I couldn't just stand there and let you kill yourself, I–!"

"Shut up," the other mumbled, holding him tightly, "I don't blame you for any of this." He laughed quietly to himself, the familiar scent of incense enveloping his senses. "At hey, at least I got to hold you again, right?"

Malik's wracked sobs were his only response.

A few paces away, Touzoku's jaw clenched into an uncomfortable vice. The scene unfolding in front of his eyes was like something ripped out of his most wretched nightmares. The tender look reflected in his young charge's face…why hadn't he ever witnessed such an expression? Once again he was left on the sidelines; alone, waiting, watching as the object of his affection showered another soul with what should be his. But why? Why was he always the one left out? Why was he cursed to spend the rest of his half existence alone? What horrible crime had he committed in life to deserve such a painful fate?

Surrounded by friends, but still frightfully alone.

"Touzoku," Ryou said quietly, tapping him on the shoulder.

The demon turned slightly towards the pale angel, looking exceptionally sullen.

Ryou stifled a giggle; now that he was able to see him in person, he could definitely pinpoint the shared features between the demon and Bakura. "…Thank you for taking care of him."

"I plan to continue 'taking care of him' as soon as you and that disgusting human go back to where you belong," he replied scathingly, his hateful gaze refocusing on Marik. "Your time here is temporary. Ours is forever."

"You can't be too sure," Ryou muttered, dropping his cordial approach and opting for an icier one. "You can never be too sure when Malik is involved."

"I'll agree with you on that point and that point only."

Faint footsteps rattled up the stairway as Bakura finally decided to join the party upstairs; he looked much calmer than he did previously, but the inner peace was shattered as his long deceased brother slowly came into view. No one noticed his quiet entrance; Marik and Malik were still locked in their intimate embrace, having a very private conversation. Both Ryou and Touzoku had their backs to the door, engrossed in their own discussion, which sounded much less…friendly, for lack of a better term.

Still, from his position, Bakura could see the unmistakable features of Akefia – the sun kissed bronze skin, the messy off-white hair, and dearest of all, the double slashed scar under his piercing grey eyes. The pale student swallowed hard, fighting back the wave of emotion that engulfed his chest; he stared, wide eyed at the back of his brother's head, as if attempting to count every single individual strand of hair. The two small horns jutting out from either side were a new feature, as were the leathery wings, but neither of those aspects took away from the fact that the creature standing within just a few feet away was indeed his brother Akefia. There was no doubt about it; even the timbre of his voice was just as he remembered it…

"Bakura!"

He snapped out of his muted daze and found the ever adorable Malik standing to his left, dual colored eyes shining in excitement. Marik had moved to inspect the gaping hole in the ceiling, sending Touzoku frequent 'glares of doom' whenever he got the chance.

"Long time no see!" The smaller blonde smiled, resisting the urge to give him a big hug. "So how's it been? Are you still a total neat freak or did you finally grow out of that?"

"It hasn't been that long," he replied, pouting.

"So…you're still all weird then, huh?"

"You're one to talk!"

"Actually, up until a little while ago, I was completely silent."

"If only the curse had lasted a little longer…"

"You're so cute when you're concerned," Malik twitched, baring his fangs. His playful demeanor dropped as he followed Bakura's gaze, remembering the connection between his new keeper and the only person (so far) that had ever seen him naked. "Is he how you remember him?"

"Exactly, actually," Bakura muttered, unable to look away. "It's almost scary…"

"He's kind of a pervert, but honestly…" he looked over his shoulder to make sure Marik was still distracted, "he's an alright guy. You should talk to him later…uh, well, if you want to I mean."

"Talk about what?"

Malik shrugged. "He was your brother, how should I know? But still, you can't just stare at him like that the whole time…you'll make a bad first impression." He thought for a moment, tapping a finger to his chin. "You should bring up something about flowers!"

"Flowers…?" Bakura repeated, a pale blush coloring his cheeks. "You mean…he still…?"

"He's nuts about them," Malik smirked. "And if you fake interest, you'll be on his good side in no time. Trust me."

"…Thanks for the tip," he nodded, his burden suddenly becoming a touch lighter. "But you're going to have to help me bring it up."

"Hmm?"

"I can't just randomly bring up hydrangeas when we're planning this stupid thing; I'll attract his attention for a completely different reason."

"I don't know…he really likes plants…" A short giggle. "But I see your point; I'll see what I can do, okay?"

Bakura made a mental note to give Malik a super squishy hug whenever he got the chance (given Marik was looking away); he'd forgotten just how helpful the troublesome demon could be, granted he was being rather saucy about it, but…

"Stop it!"

Malik and Bakura turned to find a harassed Ryou standing in between a sopping wet Touzoku and an enraged Marik, sporting a freshly bruised eye.

"Give me permission to touch that cocky bastard!" The horned demon panted, wiping the unknown liquid from his bangs. "I'll only maim him a little!"

"I'm sure you will," the angel sighed, rolling his eyes.

"How's that beer taste?" The taller blonder cooed.

"Like a black eye!"

"Mm. Minty."

"That doesn't even make sense!" Touzoku exclaimed, pointing wildly at the human. "What kind of asshole throws a mug of day old beer at a defenseless civilian?"

"'Defenseless civilian'?" Both Marik and Ryou echoed, expressions deadpan.

"Marik," the small blonde said disappointedly, stepping forward. "Throwing beer? Really?"

"Hey, at least I didn't throw a fucking chair!"

"Because you were too stupid to think of it!" The other demon said triumphantly. "I win!"

"Shut your face you gargoyle!"

"You first!"

"Make me!"

"Believe me, if it weren't for that cheeky cherub's restrictions, I'd have you looking at your own ass right now!"

"At least I wouldn't be looking at your crusty old one," Marik gagged.

"You're one to talk about crusty! You smell like a wilted rose!"

In a rare moment of mental agreement, Malik and Ryou exchanged confused looks. "Marik smells like licorice," they said in unison.

"He smells like a dead flower," Touzoku protested, holding a hand over his nose. "As soon as he stepped in here the stench of rotten petals drowned out everything else! It makes me sick!"

"No…Marik definitely smells like licorice," Ryou agreed. "Malik smells of incense, and you smell of the sea. I don't smell anything like a dead flower…"

"Me neither," Malik blinked. "And…aren't dead flowers the equivalent of potpourri?"

"To the untrained savage, yes. But to a refined individual such as myself…"

"Quit stroking your ego," the small blonde scoffed. "It's probably just the rose Ryou was supposed to give me. And yes Ryou," he added, seeing the angel's frightened expression, "I did remember."

"You never gave him my rose?" Marik asked incredulously, leaping back into the group conversation. "I gave that to you months ago!"

"I didn't have any time!" Ryou said defensively, searching his robes for the trinket. "You know, going back and forth between heaven, earth and hell is a lot more tiring than any of you would think!"

"The freedom to cross realms at will," Touzoku snorted, "what a burden."

"Oh be quiet," the angel sighed, finally locating the lost rose. "Found it!" he tossed it to Malik, who caught it between his middle and forefinger. "Sorry I took so long…but at least you have it now, right?"

"Wow, it's still so red!" Malik said in awe, savoring the sight of each individual petal before running back to Marik's side and giving him a quick peck on the cheek, much to Touzoku's irritation. The 'ha, ha, you suck' look the human had of his face didn't help matters much.

"So if it's not the bastard and it's not the rose," Touzoku grumbled, unable to continue watching the saturated display of affection, "then what the heck smells so bad?"

"Maybe it's Bakura," Marik suggested, casting a dual-colored glance to his roommate, who was still lingering fearfully by the door; the unwanted attention from every eye in the room was even more nerve-racking for the already unsettled student. For the first time, Bakura was able to gaze upon his deceased brother's marred face, memories of their time together, up until the tragic end, flooding back. But there was something about those cold grey eyes that seemed different; they still reflected the same turmoil and uncertainty they had in life, however, there was a faint glimmer of what looked to be peace – peace in the midst of chaos? Was that even possible? Either way, the light of recognition that Bakura had foolishly been hoping to see was painfully absent.

"So there's another one?" Touzoku growled, wings drooping. "Geez, how many humans are involved in this stupid thing?"

"Leave him alone," Ryou said fiercely (or, tried to at least). "It's none of your concern who I've brought or why; the fact is, all of them have an important role in this deal, just like you do."

"So is this guy your boy toy?" The horned demon guessed, displaying a fanged smile. "How adorable. The cherub has an unhealthy relationship, just like the poor, lonely, undeserving demon you're trying to help out of pity."

"Well, believe it or not, I now have a newfound appreciation for you Malik," the angel twitched, addressing the small demon. "The fact that you were able to endure this creature's obnoxious comments and ignorance for so long has made me realize that you aren't as impatient and foolhardy as I had previously thought. I apologize."

"Thanks, but…hitting him really hard shuts him up too, you know," Malik laughed.

"Useful information," Ryou nodded, giving Touzoku the angelic equivalent of a death glare. "I'll have to test it out as soon as I get the chance."

"So what are you in for?" Touzoku sniffed, unknowingly addressing his own brother. "Or did you try to slip into Malik's pants as well?"

"I've seen him naked, if that's what you're getting at," Bakura answered awkwardly, trying not to stare and choosing his words carefully. "But then again…who hasn't?"

"I haven't," the rest of the room (save Malik of course) chorused, giving the medical student reason to rethink his statement.

"W-Well I mean–!"

"Malik…you let this nobody check out your package and left me, your own keeper, completely in the dark?" Touzoku gaped, feigning offense. "Your taste in men continues to baffle me."

"In my defense, I was unconscious," Malik snapped, "and I wasn't completely naked. I was wrapped in bandages."

"You mean like one of those slutty mummies? Wish I could've been there…I've got a huge bandage fetish you know."

While his charge tried very hard to stop Mariku from ripping out one of Seto's bedposts, Bakura took the opportunity to laugh, a little too loudly, at his sibling's lewd comment, receiving questioning glances from Ryou and Touzoku. The latter merely looked disturbed at the troubled student's horribly fake amusement; the angel however felt a pang of sympathy. All poor Bakura really wanted was for his older brother to give him a sliver of attention; it hurt seeing him try so hard to no avail. Whoever Akefia had become was clearly more interested in irritating the sanity out of Marik than reconciling with his former sibling – after all, Touzoku technically wasn't Akefia; considering that memories played a large role in shaping an individual's persona, if this demon had no recollection of the trials and hardships Akefia had gone through…

"B-Bakura, it wasn't that funny," Ryou said weakly, abruptly silencing him.

"The cherub's toy is kind of weird, don't you think?" The horned demon muttered to both Malik and Marik, raising a silver eyebrow.

"You should meet his older brother; huge nutcase." Marik said solemnly, earning an elbow to the gut by the smallest blonde.

"He's just nervous Touzoku," Malik said brightly, raising a claw. "But you know, I think you two would get along really well! You should try talking to him about…s-stuff!"

"Why would I waste my time getting to know some human," the other snorted, giving Marik a nasty glare. "The only one I'm half-interested in is the poor idiot who thinks that he can somehow take you away from me." He paused, looking over to Bakura with very mild interest. "But I know I've heard his name somewhere before…I just can't place my finger on it…"

"Guess stupidity runs in the family," the tall blonde muttered, rolling his eyes.

In the midst of the groups' scattered discussion, a head of muddled green head appeared outside the open doorway, the not-so-frightened Noa finally joining the party. He looked from one stressed out face to the next, trying very hard to remember how on earth he ended up knowing all these insane people. His eyes rested on the small blonde who had stolen his coin pouch, smiling bitterly at his rotten luck.

Always beware the cute ones…

"Hello, hello, hello, what have we here?" he said loudly, attempting to be heard over the sea of voices. "If I didn't know any better, I'd guess all of you'd forgotten the reason you were brought here, yeah? Seto's been waiting for you for about a half hour already, and he's taking out his impatience on me and Jounouchi. So if you're all done saying hello…"

"Oh, Noa," Touzoku blinked, giving a light wave. "I'd forgotten you existed."

"YEAH, SO DID EVERYONE ELSE APPARENTLY!"

"Aw, don't feel bad, I remember you," Marik smiled a little too sweetly (it was creepy), "you were that little pussy who got scared of the big bad hole in the wall, right?"

"Th-That's…!"

"Noa…? Oh yeah! You were my replacement!" Malik said, clasping his hands together. "Guess they could have done worse…"

"How are things going at the bar?" Touzoku smirked. "Has it been educational and fulfilling?"

"You've got a lot of nerve speaking to me after trading me out for a prettier model," the other horned demon scowled, placing a hand on his hip. "I've been doing all the grunt work around here ever since you left."

"You know, all your complaining might have been the reason they shut this sorry place down."

"They shut this place down because the boss and his stupid puppy are having identity issues, didn't anyone tell you?"

"'Identity issues'? You mean they've become women?" Malik gasped. "I don't believe it!"

"No Malik," Ryou laughed, unable to get the amusing image out of his head, "Dartz altered the contract so that Seto and Jounouchi's bodies were switched; Seto is now Jounouchi, and Jounouchi is now Seto; more evidence that Dartz wishes to punish everyone and anyone connected to you. We're hoping to resolve this little problem along with yours, but both (…Seto mostly) have agreed to stay as they are if a better deal cannot be reached."

"…Seriously?"

"I'm afraid so."

"Poor Seto," the blonde demon cooed. "Being stuck in that mutt's body… It makes my imminent demise seem like ten minutes in time out."

"Not even close!" Marik exclaimed.

"I was just kidding," Malik giggled, sticking his tongue out. "But you should have figured it out by now Marik; I'm the least of my concern – you're the one who needs the most help. Honestly, if you had just listened to me when I told you to move on–"

"I'd rather have this conversation in private if you wouldn't mind," the other said, a hard edge to his voice. "It doesn't matter who else gets saved in the process, as far as I'm concerned, this is all for you."

Sensing one of Malik's infamous meltdowns, Ryou quietly ushered both Bakura and Touzoku out of the room, lest one of them ended up mortally wounded. The latter resisted the angel's gentle chiding and chose to watch the event from the short hallway clearly enjoying himself. Bakura looked back, pain still reflected in his eyes; he had already messed up his first impression…but hopefully he'd be able to make a better one once things became more serious. Then maybe he'd be taken a little more seriously.

"But I don't want it to be all for me!" Malik protested.

"Well it is, so you'll just have to deal."

"You're one to talk!"

"Why are you arguing with me? I'm only trying to help!" Marik said incredulously.

"Well this whole mess came about because I was trying to help you NOT DIE, so maybe both of us should just quit trying to help each other!"

"But you'd let Touzoku help you?"

"I never said that! Even so, at least Touzoku's already dead! You, on the other hand are still alive, remember?"

"Well it's kind of hard to concentrate on the joys of living knowing that my boyfriend is living in a fiery pit of despair with a bull-headed idiot who apparently has a bandage fetish!"

"Okay, review the timeline again; Touzoku came in after I made the deal."

"…Did he really?"

"YES."

"Sorry to interrupt your wonderful little spat, but we're expected downstairs, remember?" Touzoku called from the doorway, wearing a satisfied grin. "Keep pushing the kid's buttons Marik; you're only making my job that much easier."

"We're coming," Malik said shortly, "keep your horns on and your mouth shut."

-

"It's about time," the other blonde demon growled, a stretch of parchment rolled out in front of him. Ryou and Bakura were seated on either side, Jounouchi leaning against a wall behind Seto's chair and Noa out of sight, busying himself with the kitchen. Torn scraps of paper and blobs of melted wax spotted the surface of the small round table. "I'm happy to see you're well Malik – though I'd appreciate it if you'd try harder to be on time."

"You're…Seto right?" Malik blinked, unsure.

"So someone finally filled you in."

"You'll forgive me for not wanting to give you a hello hug," the small blonde laughed nervously, "it's…way too weird."

"You can always hug me," Jounouchi smirked, offering a smile that looked horrendously out of place on Seto's face. Even Marik felt uncomfortable.

"…I'll pass."

"Enough idle chit-chat," Ryou said sharply, clapping twice, "the sooner we all know what's coming the sooner we'll all be back to our normal lives…existences…whatever!"

Taking the blunt hint, Marik grabbed the seat next to Bakura, with Malik and Touzoku falling in after, completely filling the circle – in this arrangement, Bakura could clearly observe the creature his brother had become without craning his neck in uncomfortably obvious positions – still, he made a mental note to make his glances brief and inconspicuous…hopefully. Marik, annoyed that Touzoku had also managed to sit next to Malik, instinctively pulled the small blonde more toward his side – the horned demon responded by simply scooting his chair closer as well.

"Alright," Seto sighed, drumming his fingers against the table, "so ultimately, our goal is to reverse the effects of Malik's original contract and avoid as many unnecessary deaths as possible. Given the circumstances, I'm going to make an educated guess and assume that the only lives that are currently in danger are Malik's and Marik's – however, seeing that Jounouchi and I are in our current situation, we can't rule out that the rest of us are completely safe. This excludes Ryou of course."

"Lucky bastard," Jounouchi mumbled.

"However, if we set out to reverse the contract exactly," the former brunette continued, ignoring the remark, "then a possible outcome would be Marik's death – and since he had been trying to kill himself purposefully, it would mark up as a suicide. We all know what that means," he finished gravely, amber eyes flitting to Touzoku, who snorted.

"So is that the only reason I'm even allowed in this discussion? So you can use me as an example?"

"You said you had experience with these sorts of dealings before," Seto reminded him. "You're here because you're a potent information source."

"If you say so," the other demon shrugged, rolling his eyes. Mid-roll, he caught sight of Bakura looking at him very intently, almost as if he wanted to burn a hole right through his forehead. Touzoku had noticed him giving him odd looks back in the bedroom as well; at first he meant to think nothing of it, however, the pale human's continuous stare was starting to piss him off. What was even more unsettling was that he felt as if he had seen those eyes somewhere before, but was absolutely certain that this was the first time the two had met. Perhaps he had seen his face in the short while he had been inside Malik's mind? Yes…that had to be it.

"So what you're saying is that I'd end up like this guy?" Marik asked, jutting his thumb towards Touzoku.

"Possibly."

"But that won't happen," Malik said briskly, though his lilac eyes were painfully cold. "Because I'd couldn't live with myself knowing I had subjected Marik to that."

Bakura's heart skipped a beat.

"So either you both die or you both live," Touzoku stated plainly. "This should end nicely."

"Can you stop talking?" Marik spat, leaning forward to give the horned demon a scathing glare.

"Here's an idea – their lives in exchange for their memories. That way they'll both end up with a blank slate and Malik can end up with me like he's meant to."

"That's a horrible idea!" Malik protested, clenching his fists.

"Well it's better than both of you going poof."

"So you'd rather we turn out like you?" Marik snorted.

"Hey, if you don't know what you're missing, then you can't miss it, can you?" Touzoku chuckled bitterly, his eyes taking on an odd shine. "You only think it's bad now because you know what's coming. But trust me, it's really not as bad as you're all making it out to be."

"Really? Because you don't seem like the happiest star in the sky."

"Neither does anyone else in this place smartass; remember, we're in Hell."

"Don't you even consider this dumbass idea as an option," Marik demanded, turning towards Seto and Ryou.

"We weren't going to," the angel retorted, crossing his arms. "Honestly, give us a little credit!"

"That's asking a bit much of the poor guy," Touzoku pouted.

"God, just shut up!"

"So we're back to this discussion, are we?"

"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah–"

"Oh, that's real mature!"

Bakura had to stifle a laugh. Years ago, when Touzoku was Akefia and the brothers' relationship wasn't in the toilet, he had often mocked their father's overdramatic lectures just minutes after he had left the house. Akefia had always been excellent at mimicking that particular phrase, perfectly imitating the older man's stiff expression. True, he hadn't meant to poke fun at their father this time, he wasn't even aware he was doing it, but that minute detail was enough to give Bakura some peace of mind, knowing (this time for certain) that Touzoku had once been Akefia. He wondered if there were anymore odd mannerisms that had been unknowingly retained, and if there was any chance of reattaching the memories connected to them.

"You know, if you were still alive, you'd be so old," Marik teased, stressing the last two words. "So very old. Malik would have met while volunteering at a nursing home; that's how old you'd be."

"Marik, he'd be in his mid-thirties at most," Ryou blinked.

"SO. OLD."

"You better hope you die young kid, because if you end up here in your sixties, I will laugh at you so hard–"

"Will you two cut it out!" Malik snapped, his final nerve giving way.

"You sure you're not part harpy or something?" Jounouchi said suspiciously, tapping a claw against his chair, "Because this is getting ridiculous."

"I think you have your mythology mixed up," the smaller demon replied moodily. "Either way, there's no way any of us can put a decent plan together if you and Marik keep arguing like a couple of five-year-olds! And Bakura, do you think you can make your nervous glances a little less obvious? Honestly, even I could do better than that, and one of my eyes looks like a flipping spotlight!"

"Seconded," the rest of the table agreed.

"I've no idea what you're talking about!" Bakura coughed, turning bright red.

"Kid," Touzoku drawled, turning to face his little brother, "look. I know my extreme attractiveness can make lesser beings a little awe struck when they first lay eyes on me, but seriously, you look like one of those 'rabbut' things just before a hawk rips its head off."

"Rabbit," Malik corrected.

"Whatever."

"Can we please get back to the situation at hand? I'm happy that you're all having so much fun getting under each others' skin (make a sexual comment and die Touzoku), but need I remind you that Malik's soul is on the line here?" Seto ground out, dragging a blotted line onto the parchment. "Marik, I expected you to take this a little more seriously!"

"Well it's hard to keep focus with bull-face over here making an ass of himself!"

"Let Touzoku do whatever he wants, he's not the one in danger here," the former brunette spat. "Now if you would all just sit down, shut up, and pay attention, Ryou and I will draw out Plan A."

"Plan A?" Malik blinked. "Just how many versions have you made?"

"One for everything and anything that could possibly go wrong during the mission!" The lone angel replied, sounding a little shrill. "A few other angels and myself, with the assistance of Seto, have taken it upon ourselves to prepare for the worst…because as we all know, Malik's–"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm a magnet for trouble," the small demon grumbled. "So, what's the plan Ryou?"

"Seto, would you do the honors?"

"As you like it," he sighed. "Alright, so as soon as we get to Dartz's place, Ryou and I will try to…huh?"

The group paused and looked over to Ivory's main door, which had flown open just as Seto had begun to outline the main details of the plan. There was a brilliant white light emanating from beyond the doorway, a familiar glow that brought up bittersweet memories of the time had Ryou accidentally broke the Mirror all those nights ago. The seated demons looked away forcibly, unable to stand the intense light; however, the lone angel looked on as if nothing particularly strange had happened. Bakura and Marik exchanged quizzical looks, slowly turning into ones of speechless amazement as a pair of robed figures stepped into the empty bar, each emitting the same ethereal light Ryou had when he was revealed in his true form.

"Stunning entrance, if not completely unnecessary," Ryou huffed, getting to his feet. "Anyway, I was wondering when you two would show up. Can you cut the glitter while we're down here? There are demons present after all."

"Of course, our apologies" The taller, male angel nodded, instantly becoming less 'glittery' as Ryou had put it. He looked around slowly, observing at the sad state of the once busy tavern. "Are we too late?"

"Couldn't say; nothing aside from mindless bitching has taken place." He turned to the rest of the group warmly, gesturing towards the new arrivals. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Mahaado and Mana; these two have been helping Seto and I with our research."

"A pleasure to finally make your acquaintance," Mahaado nodded.

"So you guys are all demons?" the smaller Mana squealed excitedly, eyes wide. "Amazing! You're nowhere near as disgusting as all the scriptures said you'd be!"

"Gee, thanks," Malik twitched.

"Ha, I was expecting some monstrous thirteen headed troll or something!"

"That's enough Mana," the tallest angel smiled nervously, noting Malik and Touzoku's murderous glares. "So you haven't been able to explain the plan yet Ryou?"

"We've tried. Several times."

"I see," he smirked. "Well, I can assure you that no more nonsense will take place now that we've arrived – from here on out, it's all business, are we clear?"

"Crystal," the demons chorused, each with an extremely sour expression. Even Marik and Bakura looked somewhat put out. From their experience, demons, while unruly, were fun and exceptionally human-like. Angels on the other hand, save for Ryou, who had learned to loosen up after spending some time away from the clouds, seemed painfully rigid and stiff.

This discussion was about to become much more productive. And another word for productive?

Boring.

-

CHAPTER DONE (faints).

Okay, okay, long end note – I'd like to give special thanks to SunnydayinPallet who drew me some lovely fanart a while back; it'll be posted on my profile along with some other fanart I've received, now that I've finally learned how to attach links to text! …Yes, I am slow.

I'd also like to give a super huge thank you to everyone who has been patient with my updates for this fic. Honestly, I'd hit a wall last year and it took a lot to finally break it down. Hopefully the next update will come a sooner, but I'm not making any promises, especially considering my classes have suddenly become a lot more taxing.

But I promise you, this fic will not be abandoned.

Still, if you'd like to read more from me, I have an pair of stories I'm currently very invested in; Ningyo and it's prequel Ningen. If you haven't read them yet, you should really give them a shot – they're wonderfully twisted in an adorable way (yes, it's possible) and are filled to the brim with yummy Malik goodness.

Also, baby birds…(insane grin)

I'd strongly suggest reading Ningyo first, and then Ningen – if you don't you'll be SO CONFUSED. …Actually, you'll be confused either way, but since I wrote them, I think I know how they're supposed to be read, you know? For anyone with shipping phobias, Ningyo contains Thief, Citron, and a touch of Power (barely there) and Ningen has Bronze and developing Thief.

Go read them after you review this chapter, you won't regret it~!

DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!
(Please?)