Malik ("Yami Marik") is the stubborn sort that will do something just because he's challenged to, especially when he's told he can't do it. This is the case when Bakura tells him he can't be normal and presents him with a rather unique way to prove otherwise.

This is a side-story to my Questionable Existence series and takes place just after chapter 7 ends and loops in to chapter 8. I chose to make it a separate story so I could post it in sections. These 'chapters' are shorter than my usual ones

I just wrote this from omniscient POV rather than anyone specific. But it will switch to Yugi's POV in the next section and remain his POV for the remainder of the story.

The Sleepover: Part 1 – The Challenge

"Ain't no way in hell that you could do it," Bakura cackled, shaking his head. Malik frowned and exhaled a disgruntled whine. "You'd never be able to even pretend to be normal."

"I can be normal!" he insisted.

Bakura burst out laughing, nearly throwing himself from his seat. "Yeah. Okay."

"Jackass! Like you know me!"

They were in Detention, 'they' being Malik, his brother, Bakura, Atem, and Mokuba. Malik and Marik were there because they'd put up pornographic posters up in the girls' locker room. Bakura was there because he'd finally succeeded in stabbing Atem in the leg with a compass. Atem was there because he'd returned the favor. And Mokuba was there because…well, he was there every day. The rest of the group wasn't sure why, but none of them ever asked. It was a strange collection of the school's freaks, and there was a good reason the teacher was hiding out in the bathroom.

"You're a freaking psychopath," Bakura chortled, making Malik's face twist. "Aww, don't get so worked up, Malik. You know you're insane, so what are you getting so upset about? You're worse than I am, and I'm a figment of Ryou's imagination."

"You're such an asshole, Kura," Malik stuck his tongue out, still moving his head to the music he was listening to over his ear-plugs. It was loud enough that Bakura could hear the lyrics to the Marilyn Manson song. "I am not insane," the spiky-haired blonde persisted. "I am perfectly capable of being fucking behaved."

Bakura chuckled and Malik dropped his headphones to deliver another scowl. It wasn't common that he fought with anyone, but when he did it was usually with his brother or Bakura, though he preferred Bakura. Everyone claimed that Malik was the craziest one between him and his brother, but he had to live with Marik and much preferred keeping his fights with the white-haired prick. Personally, Malik was scared to death of his brother most of the time.

"You eat gum off of chairs and lick ceiling tiles and walk around naked half the time," Bakura reminded. "Ain't no way you'd pass as 'normal' anywhere."

Malik pouted and glanced at his brother for some form of support. "Marik," he whined, "are you going let him talk about me like that?"

Marik shrugged, remaining mostly preoccupied with drawing a naked woman on his desk with a ball-point pen he'd found on the floor. Mokuba had been watching him, but Bakura had sent him to sit next to Atem in the corner and do his homework in effort to protect the child at least a little. "He's right," Marik agreed while drawing gashes on the woman's limbs, making himself smile a little as he drew the violent lines. "You're completely socially inept."

The second blonde cried out in distress and slumped in his seat, folding his long arms and scowling at the wall. "I could do it," he mumbled. "I could be fucking normal if I wanted to be. Normal's just so… so…boring!" He writhed in his chair a little before slapping a hand on his desk to express his growing irritation.

It really did seem to bother him, the idea that he was permanently abnormal. Bakura wasn't sure why. Normal people were boring, so why should Malik want to be part of the general, average, median, meaningless population? But watching the blonde have a spazz was entertaining, and he could use a new form of amusement here and there. "Prove it," Bakura dared, leaning in close to the Egyptian's scrunched-up face.

"Fine! I will! …How?"

Bakura pointed back at Atem, who was in the farthest chair at the opposite corer of the room, passed out with an Economics book on his face. "I dare you to spend quality time with the Mutou brothers," he hissed, his eyes bright and his teeth sharp and tight in a wicked grin. "And I'm not talking about sitting with them at lunch; I mean real quality time. Try and blend in with their little happy-squad. If you can manage that, you're capable of being normal. Otherwise," he leaned back, kicking his skinny legs up on his desk and slipping his arms behind his head as he smiled viciously at the ceiling, "you're just like the rest of this little group and don't belong anywhere in 'normal' society."

"You don't think I can do it?"

"No," Bakura laughed, shaking his head. "No, I don't think you can do it. Though, I'm not sure why you'd want to."

Malik stood up, glowering at the pale teen. "I'll prove it! I'll make the little shits love me!"

"I'll believe that when I see it."

On to part 2!