Missing
By Alba

FANDOM: Yu-Gi-Oh!

CHAPTER: 12/?

RATING: PG-13 at most

SPOILERS: Well, if you're American and watch the show, you know who Malik/Marik is. Although for the sake of the fic, Ryou and his Yami are two people (Ryou and Bakura), Yami and Yugi are two separate people, as are Malik and Yami Malik (Malik and Marik).

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh, Yami Bakura, Yami and Kaiba would be tied to my bed and Malik would be playing with them, mkay?

DEDICATION: For Kris, my beloved, nasty elfslut. :)

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I apparently write Yu-Gi-Oh fic now. It's my newest obsession/weakness/whatever you may call it. I swear I'm 12. I think I lost 8 years in there somewhere. That's what I get from watching anime. This story was written for my best friend, who challenged me to write her a fic using certain people and a certain plot and well. Blame her. And there *is* a comment in here that is her fault… and she will certainly never tell me things again. She obviously didn't learn the first time!

SUMMARY: Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaand back to the Bakura household!

*****

Missing
Chapter 12

*****

"Malik? How do you know what colour my Dark Magician turns when he's embarrassed?" Yami demanded, glancing at Kaiba to check if the older boy was watching and finding he was. "You can stop playing guard dog, Kaiba. I won't throttle him. At least, not right this second."

"Good to hear, Yami," Kaiba said smoothly, not moving an inch from Malik's side.

"NOW TELL ME!"

"Um…" Malik stammered, backing up a few steps. "Marik told me?"

"AND HOW WOULD MARIK KNOW THIS?"

"I don't know, Yami!" Malik finally yelled, glaring at Yami. "I'm just repeating what I was told!" Sitting beside Ryou on the couch with a heavy sigh, he glanced up at the former Pharaoh. "I told you my yami was evil."

"Are we any closer to figuring out where Yugi and Bakura are?" Joey interrupted in an attempt to distract Yami and Malik from fighting yet again, at the same time dodging Kaiba's hand as it swung towards the back of his head, yet again. "Would you STOP that?"

"The puppy needs discipline." Kaiba tried to look innocent and failed completely.

"Yeah, well, MASTER. Not in public."

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. Ryou giggled. Malik snorted. Yami sat down quickly, fighting back laughter.

Joey turned red. "Okay, you can smack me for that one."

Ryou burst out laughing. Malik *did* fall over, nearly falling off the couch in the process. Yami was clutching his sides and Kaiba had turned faintly pink.

"I'm just gonna shut up now." Joey disappeared into the kitchen, looking very red. After a few minutes, Yami, Ryou and Malik had stopped laughing long enough to look at Kaiba, who was counting ceiling tiles and trying not to think about what Joey had just said.

"Ka-" Ryou started, but was elbowed into silence by Malik. "Where did he go?"

"Who?"

Rolling his eyes, Ryou pointed at the kitchen door. "Joey. You know-- your puppy? The one who needs…"

And just like that, Malik, Yami and Ryou were off again.

"All three of you are pricks," Kaiba informed them, leaving the room before he turned any redder, the sound of the trio's laughter following him. Joey was in the kitchen, trying to fit his whole right fist in his mouth.

"Mmmph."

"Would you get that thing out of your mouth! You don't know where it's been!"

Joey just looked at him.

"Well, okay, it's your hand so you probably *do* know where it's been and… Yes. I'm going to shut up now, too."

Joey removed his hand and grinned at the CEO, not used to seeing him ruffled. "Not so high-and-mighty now, are you?"

"Shut up."

"Make me."

Sudden silence from the living room.

"Is it me or is it very quiet in here?" Joey asked.

"Shh!" Kaiba grinned, rolling his eyes when Joey just gave him a confused look. "Just follow my lead, okay?" he said softly, motioning Joey to be quiet as well.

"Whatever, man."

Kaiba looked at the door, grinning like a child. "BAD PUPPY!" he shouted, clapping his hands together loudly to imitate the sound of his hand striking flesh.

Joey giggled under his breath, understanding now what Kaiba was up to. "Oh, Master! That hurt!"

"Does the puppy need more discipline?"

"Yes, please, Master! Harder!"

Kaiba clapped his hands together again, shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "You never learn, do you?"

"But I like your lessons, Master! Please, harder! I need this so bad, Master!"

Kaiba sputtered, fighting to keep his mirth down. "Take it like a… like a… well, like a puppy."

And with that, both boys fell over laughing, giving up all pretense of anything going on. The door slammed open and Yami, Ryou and Malik thundered in.

"That was just evil, you two," Yami complained.

"Who was eavesdropping?" Kaiba countered, pulling himself to his feet and glaring at the shorter boy.

"You started it!"

"No, you did."

"YOU DID!"

"YOU DID!"

"You know, Yami," Joey interrupted, using the bottom of Kaiba's jacket to get himself on his feet, "if you spent as much time looking for Yugi and Bakura as you do making trouble and yelling at Kaiba, maybe you'd have found them by now."

Yami stared at Joey, shocked. Ryou stared at Yami, half-smirking. Malik stared at the floor, sneaking glances at Ryou. Kaiba stared at the Millennium Puzzle around Yami's neck.

"You know… the puppy just may have a point."

"OW!" Malik suddenly shrieked, falling to the floor and clutching his neck. "Hurts hurts hurts!"

"What hurts?" Ryou demanded, kneeling next to his friend.

"Owowowowowowow!" Marik howled before his voice was cut off. His mouth opened and closed, rather resembling a fish, as he attempted to get air into his lungs with little success.

"MALIK! What's going on?" But Malik just shook his head, unable to answer as the invisible assailant was still choking him. Finally, Malik seemed to be over his fit and sat up with Ryou's help, coughing.

"Ryou?" he said, voice gravelly.

"Yeah?"

"I think I just found your yami."

/END