A side-story to the Questionable Existence series. It's part 4 and the end of the sleepover section. This one is from Yugi's POV (yes, Yugi) and is mostly fluff.

It's the night after the Ishtar twins stay with the Mutou twins.

You'd think that they'd have done a sleepover on a Friday so they'd have the weekend, but apparently it was a Thursday? I dunno. I was tired, my morning-coffee hadn't sunk in yet, and it made sense at the time.

Anyways! Enjoy! I…guess!

Part 4: No Worries

(Yugi's POV)

I climbed out of the car, dropped off by my brother so we could head into the school. Atem still wasn't talking to me, but that was one of the perks of this relationship.

Once making sure I was out safely, Malik locked the door to keep his own twin inside, and Marik shrilled angrily as the car sped off.

"You ready for the quiz in Biology?" I asked, watching as the car left. I wasn't sure how long it would take for them to find a parking spot, but leaving Atem and Marik in the same car together didn't seem like a very good idea. The car jerked around as it drove away and I giggled a little before turning my eyes upward to look at my new friend.

Malik wasn't even watching the car, but rather his lilac eyes were set hard on me. I had to force my small body to keep from shaking under his intense stare. After all, just a day before I'd been almost scared to death of the Egyptian (mostly due to the knowledge that he could probably eat my face).

"I'm not sure I am," I continued my thoughts when he remained quiet, "but I studied the day before yesterday, so I think with a little reviewing in Study Hall that I'll be okay." He was gazing down at me from his immense height, his lilac eyes studying everything I said and every movement I made, no matter how small. Something told me that nothing seemed insignificant to Malik, which I'd never bothered to notice before. "Think it'll be tough?" I smiled again to prompt him to speak.

"I read the chapter," he finally responded. "So I should be fine." He continued to watch me as I moved towards the school, heading up the massive concrete staircase. Most people would find such intense scrutiny as off-putting or startling, and I did find it at least a little strange, but he was just awkward in general and there wasn't any reason to allow it to make me uncomfortable.

"What about Math?" I asked, happily shuffling down the hallway with my blonde escort right behind me. Normally, I'd have to weave through people to make a tiny me-sized path for myself to get to my locker while trying not to be trampled in the process, but Malik's presence seemed to create a road of its own. People scrambled to move out of our way, whispering as we passed by. I had to admit, seeing us together was probably a strange sight. "Did you do your Geometry homework?"

"I'm not in Geometry."

I stopped to glance back up at him again, nearly breaking my little neck as I worked to look him in the eye. The eye contact must have thrown him off, because he shifted a little when I did it. He probably wasn't used to it, people making eye contact with him, but I was determined to educate him how to be at least somewhat normal. "But you're in my class," I insisted. "You sit next to Marik and Bakura, don't you? On the left side of the room, next to the bookshelves?" Kaiba would normally be sitting with Bakura, too, but he was in an advanced course. Malik grinned at my observations and I felt my cheeks blush a little. I always watched their group from a safe distance—they fascinated me a little. I mean, they were always so loud and rambunctious and care-free (except for Kaiba, of course). I wasn't the sort to just let myself go like that, and though my friends were fun and could be crazy sometimes, they weren't anything remotely similar to Malik's friends. "You guys never seem to do any of the work," I added. "I think the only reason Bakura passes his classes is because Ryou always makes good grades."

"I sit in the class," Malik nodded and began to walk again; I noted how he slowed his stride to allow me to walk comfortably beside him, "but I'm in Physics with Kai." 'Kai' must be his nickname for Kaiba. I wondered how the billionaire reacted to it; he usually hated nicknames. "They keep me in that class because my brother doesn't do very well when we're apart." He shrugged. "It's just easier that way."

"Wow!" I gasped. "I knew you were smart!" He just kept watching me with that curious, purple gaze. "Maybe sometime you can help me with my Geometry homework? I have a little trouble with the Pythagorean Theorem," I admitted. Stupid Math… I hated Math. It had always been my worst subject. I could do the basics, like the ones in Duel Monsters, but anything that brought in graphs and letters and theorems was beyond me.

He nodded, stopping when we spotted his brother pushing through the crowds from the opposite side of the hall. "No problem," he grinned. Malik pat my head a little when he saw my anxiety and I released a giggle, unable to keep it in my chest. His hand was so large and so warm, like everything else about him. His fingers gingerly settled and twisted in my hair, studying my scalp and making his eyelids droop a little.

I smiled again in bashful gratitude, trying my best to hide the red blush that was quickly staining my face. "Thanks!" I squealed, and cursed inwardly at my voice for cracking.

He probably thought I looked and sounded like a child, especially since he was so much larger and just so much more masculine than I was (or, if my brother was any hint, would ever be). Malik's five-foot eight-inch body (which was still growing) was long and angular and hard and stiff. I, on the other hand, was a stunted four-foot-ten-inch pygmy with awkwardly-large hands and feet, and a squishy little body that betrayed me by making me squeal like the freaking Pillsbury Dough-Boy every time someone poked my tummy. When the heck was I going to get bigger?

At these observations, I pouted a little and his smirk only grew.

"I should go before Marik tries kicking you or something," he sighed. "He gets a little possessive and I don't think he likes you very much."

"Marik doesn't seem to like a lot of people."

Malik chuckled. "Yeah, he's like that."

"So…" I poked at the speckled linoleum with my tennis shoe, blushing hopefully before beaming a smile up at him. I hadn't intended to 'beam', it just happened that way. I knew I was beaming because I could almost feel the rainbows and sparkles shooting from my eyes. Crap. I was such a child. He'd probably think I was fool for asking, especially while beaming so gaily, but I forced the words from my throat anyways. "You think you want to sit with me at lunch today?"

He blinked a little at my offer, tilting his head in quiet consideration before flashing another creepy grin. "How about you sit with me?" Sit…with him? With…them? With the crazy group? With Marik, Duke, Bakura, and Kaiba? That was almost everyone that hated me! I must have worn a horrified expression on my face because he rubbed my head again in what I guessed was reassurance. "No worries, Yugi." I released a breath I'd been holding tight in my chest when he used my name instead of calling me 'kid' like most people tended to do. It was the first time Malik had actually said my name aloud, I think, (I mean, directly at me) and it seemed strange and relieving at the same time to hear it roll off his tongue. "I'll protect you." The words had come out smooth and firm, like he'd made a conscious decision before now to do this very thing: protect me.

I wasn't sure how to respond to that, or how to process the growing ball of fuzz in my stomach, but I didn't get the chance to try. He removed his large hand and turned to walk towards where Marik was screaming at Joey (whom I'd have to rescue, no doubt), leaving me at my locker to collect my things for class.

For the rest of the morning, I found my thoughts rolling over the night before: how Malik had tried so hard to be polite and well-mannered (though he failed a few times when Atem was around), about our conversations about school and family and how everyone thought he was insane, and how he'd curled up at the foot of my bed and slept there like some enormous guard-dog. He was strange, sure, (that much I'd already decided years ago) but he wasn't dangerous, at least not to me, and I couldn't think of any reason not to be his friend. …Aside from the people he hung out with.

Bakura wasn't so bad, really, especially since he had (finally!) hooked up with Kaiba and had someone to keep him focused. He and I were on decent terms and talked often when Ryou wasn't around. Occasionally he'd tease me, but it was never especially hostile.

Kaiba was always a jerk with an attitude and hated most everyone and everything in existence. I couldn't imagine me being around him would change any of that. He'd probably just ignore me, regardless of where I was. He was with them strictly because Bakura was, and where Bakura went, Kaiba followed. He even kept close to Ryou, whom he was especially protective of (it was really sort of adorable).

Duke was just following them around because they had similar tastes, I think. He'd followed my friends and me for a little while, but he seemed happier and better-suited to the 'Bakura Clan', as Joey called them. That, and I was pretty sure he was involved with Marik somehow, but I wasn't about to allow myself to think too hard on that.

It was Marik that I was nervous about.

Marik Ishtar: Malik's identical twin brother. The quiet, well-dressed, (supposedly) well-mannered one. He always seemed so relaxed, just standing there and watching Malik's antics, but after a single evening with them, I was well-aware that Marik was the more dangerous of the two of them. I guess I'd never thought to pay attention to it before. Usually, Malik was so loud and abrasive that he got all of the attention, so Marik sort of jut melted into the background and looked like any other observer of his brother's chaos. But, in reality, he was almost always the instigator and usually made Malik's behavior even worse with subtle, calculated prompting.

Malik wasn't insane—he just lacked the social filters that most people were born with. He acted when he felt like it and did and said whatever he wanted, but he wasn't unsafe. Just…strange, but in an endearing sort of way.

Marik, on the other hand, was the snake of the twins: coiled, tense, and ready to strike at any given moment. I wasn't sure what triggered Marik to bite, but I could tell his bites were toxic (…maybe he wore those bright colors to warn his peers). He'd kill you, probably, if given the chance and felt motivated to do so. Malik told me about how Marik had stabbed Bakura on more than one occasion, but not before giving me way too many details on the relationship the two had once shared.

But Malik's words repeated over and over in my mind every time I felt myself getting nervous when sensing Marik glaring at me from the other side of the classroom: I'll protect you. I'd have to take his word for it. I got the feeling that Malik was the only thing that could keep Marik from killing me, aside from Bakura directly intervening on my behalf, and I didn't think the white-haired teen liked me enough to risk that.

My own friends might try, but none of them would be able to prevent Marik from hurting me. Joey would probably end up with a broken limb in the process, though. He was always doing that sort of thing, throwing himself in front of me to keep me from danger. I bet he'd make the best secret-agent-guardian-guy ever. He really should look into working for the Secret Service or something. Nobody would ever be able to kill the President with Joey there to take a bullet.

I smiled a little, even though I felt sick to my stomach. I was lucky to have such devoted friends, but part of me wished that I didn't have to be protected.

Someday I'd be able to protect myself.

But not today, and that was only more apparent when I was approached by the same bullies that tried squirming lunch-money from me every day before lunch began. It was exhausting, really, being this small. Everyone larger than me (which was almost everyone) felt like they could just kick me around, and I couldn't do much to stop them. If the school had been the wilderness, I'd have been that tiny little antelope that all the lions were eyeing. My only chance of survival was provided by my friends, my little herd of friends. When we were together, I was harder to attack, but when I was isolated, I guess I had a big 'please come kick my ass and steal my money' sign pasted to my back.

"Hey, twerp," one of them barked as I closed my locker.

I sighed and turned to look up at him. He was several inches taller than me, almost Malik's size, maybe, and had two friends to support his incessant bullying. "Hello, Travis," I smiled and waved a nervous hand, pressing my little back up against the purple lockers. I immediately began to look for a route of escape, but the three weren't going to make it simple. Usually I could slip under their legs and make a break for Joey (who was always in the bathroom when I needed him the most), but today they kept tight enough that I couldn't manage it.

"Got my lunch money?" he snarled.

I gulped a little but kept my smile. "Do we have to do this every day?"

"Of course we do, you little fart," Travis hissed, and his two friends chuckled and agreed robotically. "Now hand it over, before I beat your face in."

I looked away and prepared myself but was surprised when I heard a muffled cry. I opened one of my eyes, blinking up at the strange scene that was unfolding. Malik had shown up out of nowhere and was lifting Travis in the air with a single hand, his fingers coiled around the bully's neck. Travis was kicking and yelping helplessly, and his two friends had vanished. I'd never seen the expression Malik was wearing before, but it was a violently pissed one. He meant business. He might even intend to kill Travis.

"What are you doing?" Travis clawed uselessly at Malik's arm and hand. "Put me down! Freak!" He gasped when I saw Malik's fingers tighten.

"Malik! No!" I pulled at his elbow and he turned his eyes down to me. His expression remained tense but shifted from anger to slight confusion as I begged for him to drop Travis. "Put him down! Malik!"

"But he was bullying you," Malik responded casually, his voice level and firm. He really did intend to cause Travis harm, but he was just being protective. Like Joey—only scary and huge and maybe jut a little crazy.

I smiled to show my understanding of his motivation but waved my little hands in effort to disagree with the behavior. "But you don't have to hurt him! Or you'll be no different than he is," I explained. "Please. Just…set him down."

It was a little surprising when he actually did as I asked and slowly placed the other's feet on the floor, glancing in my direction as I nodded before releasing his grip on Travis' neck. The teen collapsed to the floor, gasping for air, and proceeded to scramble away, spouting curses and other offensive material. "Why'd you make me let him go?"

"Because you're not a bully like he is."

Malik watched me with his lilac eyes for a long, silent moment before his expression relaxed and he smiled that strange smile of his. "You're strange," he chuckled.

Being called strange by Malik was sort of weird in and of itself, and I was about to laugh at this when Travis and his friends reappeared, now with several other particularly nasty-looking boys.

Malik turned to face them, his expression hardening again as he kept between me and the group.

"You think you're so tough now," Travis growled, "with your bodyguard! How'd you even get one of the Ishtars to protect you? Stupid little bitch! It doesn't matter now, because even he can't take all eight of us! We're going to kick your ass! And his, too!"

Malik didn't seem so concerned, but he did seem irritated. I whimpered a little and that seemed to activate a deep rumbling noise. I'd heard him growl before, but never like that.

What was I supposed to do now? I couldn't just abandon him, should the opportunity to escape present itself (even though he'd probably prefer that). But if I stuck around, he'd end up getting hurt while trying to protect me. We needed backup!

"Malik," I whispered, "you don't have to do this. I can get away, I think."

"Don't be stupid," he growled back at me without turning. I got the sense he was sizing-up the group, like a lone wolf protecting a sheep from a whole other pack of wolves. That's all I was—a helpless, useless sheep. "We're friends now, and I don't let my friends take shit from other people. Besides, I can handle these fuckers."

I would have tried to correct his harsh language, but this wasn't exactly the best moment. Instead, I just whined a little more and did what I did best: hid in his shadow. He was a deal bigger than Joey, and his shadow was larger and cast darker, but it was safe there.

I'll protect you.

He hadn't been lying when he'd said that.

"There ain't any way that you can handle all of us, Ishtar!" one of the bullies cackled.

"Watch out, man! He's totally insane!" another warned. "I bet he bites!"

"Yeah! He's a total freak!"

Malik growled a little but I tried to hush him gently from behind. "Don't let them get to you… They're just bullies. Stupid bullies. You're not insane, Malik. You're not. I promise. Just keep your cool, okay? And don't do anything stupid."

"But stupid is what I'm best at," he chuckled back.

"Don't let them get to you," I repeated.

He moved and I closed my eyes tightly, readying myself for the punches to begin flying. I'd never seen Malik actually get into a fight before, but I couldn't imagine that it would be clean. There would probably be lots of broken limbs, fat lips, and blood on the floor when he was finished. But again, when I opened my eyes, he'd surprised me.

The blonde had turned to face me, his hands on either side of my head, leaning down so the top of his head was resting against the locker, his long body close to mine in a defensive stance. He became a sort of human-cage of muscle and bronze skin and blonde hair. I stared up ah him, our faces close, and he stared back down at me with his piercing eyes. No one would be able to get to me now. He'd effectively become a cavern for me to hide within, and he would take the punishment to keep me from being injured.

"Ma…lik…" My eyes quivered and my little body shook as I worked to contain myself.

He grinned his strange grin, his eyes softening. "We're friends now, right?" I nodded a little. He kept his voice low, and even with the yells of the bullies that had surrounded us still going on in the background, they were nothing but noise. Malik was all I could see or hear, all that I focused on. Nothing else mattered. He'd completely enveloped me, and in this cavern I knew I was safe from everything outside of it. "I'll protect you," he promised again. "Don't worry about them. It's just you and me now."

I closed my eyes again, soaking up the heat he was giving off, and leaned to rest my forehead against his chest. It was like a hard wall—a burning, hard wall. "Malik…"

I didn't even notice that the group had dissipated. Bakura's voice broke the silence and I felt Malik perk his head. "Hey," the white-haired teen barked. I could only imagine that Kaiba was with him. "You getting into fights now?"

Malik chuckled but didn't move from around me. "I could have handled them," he insisted.

"You babysitting the runt today?" That was Kaiba's voice.

Malik moved closer towards me and released a growl. I didn't move.

"Goodness," Bakura laughed. "So protective. –Relax, Malik. We won't hurt your new plaything. Now chill. We have to go to lunch. It's chicken-friend-steak today and I can't wait to see your brother puke." Bakura winked before wandering off, Kaiba close behind him.

"They like you," Malik grinned as he retracted his body.

The rest of the air in the hallway seemed so cold when compared to Malik's cavern. I rubbed my arms as a shiver shot up my back. "That was like?"

He smiled and jerked a nod. "I told you I'd protect you, and that includes from them. Come eat with us."

"Okay." Still dazed, I followed him towards the cafeteria.

This was the beginning of my friendship with Malik Ishtar, and I was certain my life would never quite be the same.

And there's the end of this little side-story!

Hope you enjoyed it! I really like writing from Yugi's POV. He's so adorable. And Beth (my roommate) and I are spazzing over this pairing. It started out so freaking weird. I was worried when I told beth that she'd think I was crazy, which she did for all of about 5 minutes until she read the part 3 (which I wrote first) and then melted into a shameless Yami Marik/Malik x Yugi fangirl. Now I've converted several of our friends and I'm finding myself drawing Malik x Yugi fanart… I am loving watching these two in my head way too much. It's freaking precious, even if it is awkward! Malik's always holding Yugi like someone's going to steal him away, and Yugi just absorbs the attention like a cute little sponge… 3

…Make the cuteness stop? Please?

There will be more of these short pieces from Yugi's perspective, primarily dealing with his observations throughout the QE plot, as well as his involvement with the Ishtars.

To keep up with this pair, be sure to read Questionable Existence! They're a background pairing that keeps Bakura confused.

I'll update this series in individual story posts, rather than by chapters in one large collection, so you'll have to keep an eye on my page for the next updates on this and other QE-related stories. I plan on doing some in Kaiba's POV, as well as Atem's and Ryou's. (Poor Ryou gets ignored in QE since it's all from Bakura's POV! My poor baby!)

Now it's time to return to Questionable Existence and pick up there with Bakura's POV again. I wonder how HE feels about all of this...?