Hi~

I wrote this as part of a trade with the lovely Goddess9Rouge from deviantART. She requested I write a Liberashipping fic, with a bit of Clashshipping on the side, and in return she would draw a scene of my choice from one of my Clashshipping stories up here (*squee*). Of course I said yes! So without much further ado...

Contains mild Liberashipping and Clashshipping. *Warning* Fluff alert *Warning*
Premise of Malik asking Yugi out and Yami being overprotective given as part of the request from G9R. And my weird brain ran with the idea ^^'
All characters (c) Kazuki Takahashi

Malik paced around his room, unable to sit down, restlessly picking up and setting down his ornaments.

Marik, his darker half, glanced up in irritation from the project he was working on; some sort of working mechanism of a beating heart. Malik hadn't wanted to know why he was painting it with red glue. He suspected it had something to do with making it more realistic. Malik didn't notice his silent disapproval and kept on shuffling around, lost in thought.

Eventually, Marik couldn't stand his more-innocent side's wandering and disrupting his light. "What's got you so worked up?" He demanded.

Malik jumped like he had forgotten Marik was in the room and sat down next to him on the bed, jostling him and making him paint some 'blood' on his wrist.

"There's something I want to do," Malik answered, fiddling with an earring nervously.

"Spit it out."

"I … I want to ask someone out. Like, on a date."

Marik raised one eyebrow and put down his project, knowing this could take a while. "So who's the lucky person?"

Malik looked at him anxiously. "You might not like who it is," he warned.

"Just spit it out," Marik said again wearily. He wanted to get back to his model; he took a sip of his tepid coffee and waited for Malik to work up the guts to tell his own dark half what was troubling him. Marik had been created as a companion for Malik in the first place, a friend to help him grow strong. He could be nice to Malik when it suited him.

When Malik answered, it was in a quiet voice aimed at his feet. "Yugi."

"Oh, is that it?" Marik replied, rather disinterestedly, taking up his model again. Only when it suited him, of course.

Malik gaped at him. "That's your opinion?" he cried. "Aren't you mad?"

Marik delicately painted an atrioventricular valve, flexing it open to get the underside with morbid precision. "Why would I be mad? If you want to go out with him, then do it."

"Because – I dunno – he was our enemy a while ago?"

Marik gave him a look that was hard to interpret. "My interest has always been in the Pharaoh, not his host. It sounds like you have issues with your own crush, Malik." At this last bit Malik blushed furiously and looked away.

"I do not!" He protested childishly. Marik didn't bother pointing out the futility of that statement; sometimes Malik just liked to pout and stamp his foot.

-x-x-x-

It was a good few months since those hectic events of the Battle City Tournament, when everyone thought Yami, the Pharaoh, had destroyed Malik's darker half in the finals, thus winning first prize and banishing Marik to the ShadowRealm. What they hadn't counted on was the intervention of the gods. They had considered Yami's acts to save the world proof enough of his good intent in this world and had granted him his own body as reward. They had considered the other yamis, too.

With Marik, they had debated amongst themselves whether to grant him his own body too. Eventually they had concurred, knowing that as a vessel for Malik's hatred and pain, his personality was at the mercy of his host. They reasoned that with Malik's redemption and Marik's defeat at the hands of the Pharaoh taking his overweening arrogance down a peg or two, he could be bettered. They granted him a body too, on the condition that he stay with his hikari to benefit from his positive influence. Despite his initial urges to leave Malik and have his own life, he found he didn't want to go. Yugi's friends could be alright when they weren't all on some sort of hallucinogenic that seemed to make them obsessed about friendship. And the Pharaoh, well. He could be fun to hang with.

Bakura had also gained a body once again, and promptly threw it back in the faces of the gods who pointed him toward a last chance at redemption, and ran off to Egypt to build up his name as a Thief King once again.

Malik and the two yamis had been enrolled in Domino High as the elder brothers of their hikaris, previous absences explained by the fiction they had been home-schooled until recently. Yami, of course, excelled at everything yet managed to stay in the background of things, never trying to draw attention to himself. He didn't want questions, or attention; he had plenty of that in the duelling world, and most likely as his time as Pharaoh. The gods hadn't seen fit to grant him his memory yet, much to his aggravation. Malik struggled (all his previous education had been in the ways of the Tombkeepers, after all) but in a surprising friendship – if he could use the word without shuddering – with Yugi's gang he was improving under their collective tutelage. With the gentling of his hikari, Marik became less of a social deviant and eventually levelled out to the status of Bad Ass. He worked hard when it suited him, which was usually in the more active subjects such as sports and he had a morbid interest in biology, ever-eager to get to the dissections.

With Yugi's gang the only ones who knew them and who seemed genuinely interested in discussing their pasts together, Marik and Malik slowly became inducted into Yugi's little gang. They got on surprisingly well, though Joey occasionally had fits of suspicion over Marik's presence.

These fits usually led to Joey being slapped by Téa and Marik leaving to avoid more arguments. Most often this prompted Yami to follow Marik to make sure, he said, that the once-evil yami didn't revert and hurt someone. He always said it with a smile, though, and Marik rather enjoyed the company. When away from his friends, the former Pharaoh knew how to play; it seemed a little surprising at first that the once-enemies got on so well, but they soon forgave each other their previous animosity. It was good for both of them to have found someone they could really be themselves with, as their hikaris might not like to find out about the darker aspects of their yamis. They frequently found things to do together, such as teaching the bullies a few lessons and scaring the school pets into gibbering fluffy balls, which naturally jut amused the yamis greatly.

As for Malik, by majority alone or mistrusted by his new friends, he found himself naturally turning to Yugi.

Yugi with his ever-present smile and soothing optimism, who seemed to have a wellspring of pure goodness inside him. He seemed to bear no grudge for what Malik – and Marik by extension – had done to both himself, his friends and the innocents strewn in their wake. He reached out to Malik and told him it was a wonderful thing that he was trying to be good, and looked at him with those large, compelling eyes. Malik wanted nothing more than to sit in Yugi's fondly encouraging gaze and hear his praise. It was unsettling at times how deeply this affection and yearning had grown in him, and yet he wouldn't change it even if he wanted to.

He just hoped Yugi felt the same way.

-x-x-x-

The next day, at break, Malik sidled up to Yugi, anxiety radiating from him in awkward shuffles and blushes. Marik, who had meandered over with him, gave him a 'go on' motion with one hand and went to sit with Yami in the shade of a tree, beaming when Yami nudged a gushing Téa aside so Marik could sit by him.

"Y-Yugi?" Malik said hesitantly, jerkily tapping Yugi on the shoulder.

"Oh hi, Malik!" Yugi beamed, turning to give the nervous young man his full attention. "What's up?"

"Could I talk to you for a minute? Privately?" He fiddled with the high collar of the uniform's jacket, feeling like it was wrapping around his neck.

"Sure," Yugi said immediately, curiosity obviously piqued as they moved to a less-populated spot. "What's bothering you?"

Malik tried answering several times but the words dried up in his mouth when he looked at Yugi's sweet, innocent face. He almost gave up but saw Marik looking over, obviously waiting. Marik smiled at him and he took a deep breath, deciding to come at the issue obliquely.

"You know I like you, right?"

"Of course, Malik, I'm your friend. I like you too." Yugi put his hand on Malik's arm, making him swallow several times. He didn't want to lose this precious friendship, but he wanted so much more too.

Not for the first time, he was regretting having been raised in a tomb away from other people. In school Yugi usually managed to help him if he revealed his shocking lack of social skills, and Marik normally took the view that it didn't matter, as long as they got their main point across. Right this moment, though, he couldn't ask for either of their help. It was all on him, and for the life of him he didn't know how to do this properly.

"I've never done this sort of thing before," he muttered, "But here goes. Y-Yugi… I, like, really like you. Like, m-more than anyone I've ever known."

Yugi blinked a few times in surprise, searching Malik's face. He couldn't be sure from the natural tan of Malik's skin, but he suspected Malik was blushing. Malik bit his lip and glanced anxiously at Yugi, trying to gauge his reaction.

Yugi's hand slid down Malik's arm to cling to his fingers, making Malik blush even more.

"I r-really like you too," Yugi whispered, flaming up much more noticeably and grinning foolishly. Malik felt a lot of the tension leave his tightly-strung frame and he grinned back.

"Would you like to go out with me, maybe, sometime?" He asked, the hope in his voice and expression almost painful to behold.

"I'm free later," Yugi said, almost coquettishly. Part of Malik couldn't believe this was happening and the other parts were dancing with joy. "What did you have planned?"

"I thought we could go see that new film, if you're interested, I mean. We don't have to go see something – or do something – you don't want. I've never done this before, I don't really know what I'm supposed to do…" he tailed off, biting his lip and horribly aware that he was babbling.

Yugi simply smiled that sweet little smile of his, and said they could meet outside the cinema complex at seven that night. Malik nodded, clutching at Yugi's hand that was still in his own.

"I-I've been trying to work up the courage to ask that for a long while now," he admitted sheepishly. "It didn't go so badly as I thought, did it?"

Yugi laughed happily and suddenly hugged Malik. However, because of the height difference, Yugi ended up with his arms around Marik's hips and his face pressed into Malik's chest. Malik felt like his cheeks were on fire he was blushing so hard. Awkwardly he put his arms around Yugi's shoulders and heard him murmur, "Me too."

Marik looked over and laughed happily. Yami made an enquiring noise and looked up from the model heart Marik had gifted him with. He saw their hikaris hugging and a sharp spike of some emotion – not jealousy, but something like it – ran through him.

-x-x-x-

Later that day, Yugi was practically sparkling with joy as he dressed for his date. Yami leaned against Yugi's desk with his arms tightly folded, watching Yugi dash about and change his clothes. Even though they were separate people now, sometimes they reverted back to how they had been joined by the Puzzle that Yami still wore; to when they had spent almost every waking moment in contact with each other, most often Yami in spirit form advising Yugi on what they had to do.

"You're sure it's alright I'm going out with Malik tonight? I know we usually play a game on Thursdays…"

"It's fine," Yami said shortly. "Have fun on your date."

Yugi looked over at him with a concerned frown. "Is there something bothering you, Yami?"

The spirit-given-form forced a smile on his features. "I'm fine. You go enjoy yourself. Just remember that your grandfather wants you back home by ten p.m."

"Will you be alright?"

Yami all but pushed him out the door. "Go," he smiled rigidly.

When Malik arrived to pick Yugi up, Yami watched from the window in Yugi's room, which overlooked the street. A brooding frown was upon his face, and a quiet sort of determination grew in him.

Yugi had been so good to him, the last thing in the world Yami wanted was for Yugi to get hurt. Although he did trust Malik, to a degree, Yami wanted to make absolutely sure that his little partner-turned-friend would be happy on his date. This was the first real date Yugi had been on, he knew – going to the funfair with Téa didn't count, seeing as she had nearly been blown up, and had been more interested in trying to find Yami – and he was damned if he was going to let it be a bad one.

Malik had better look after Yugi. Yami would make sure of it.

-x-x-x-

Malik felt like skipping with happiness as he walked – on his date! – towards the cinema. He and Yugi chatted excitedly; they found it very easy to talk with each other, their friendship holding them in good stead and preventing any of those detested awkward silences Malik knew were common from all those mushy films he had watched with Yugi's friends.

So smoothly Malik didn't notice at first, Yugi slipped his hand into Malik's and gave his fingers a squeeze. Nervous butterflies flapped in his stomach – what was he supposed to do? Should he squeeze back? Do nothing? – but despite them he couldn't have been happier if he had tried. At long last, he was on a date with Yugi! He slowly squeezed Yugi's fingers back and walked in a bit closer to the smaller boy; smiling at the delighted blush on Yugi's cheeks, making his large eyes shine.

They paid for the tickets and bought sweets almost without noticing what they were doing, and around them was a little bubble of space, as if those around them instinctively gave them a little privacy to concentrate fully upon each other. In any case, they wended their way into the screen and waited for the adverts to end and the film to start. Their hands remained tightly clutched together, and Malik hesitantly started rubbing this thumb up the back of Yugi's hand like he had seen some of the couples around school doing – he didn't just watch mushy movies for this stuff. Yugi sighed happily and settled closer into Malik, leaning over the armrest to get closer.

Malik felt a blush and a foolish smile on his face but didn't try to fight them; they were in a dark room, after all, and very obviously on a date. It wasn't a crime to be happy.

As the film started Yugi offered him a few sweets out of his pick and mix bag, which Malik happily accepted, blushing harder when Yugi held them up to his lips with a mischievous twinkle in his lovely eyes. Nervously – he was almost painfully inexperienced – Malik took Yugi's fingers in his mouth and sucked gently on them, licking at the sweets. Yugi clamped a hand over his own mouth to stifle a bout of giggles at the sensation, grinning between his fingers at Malik and reassuring him that he had done a good thing. Yugi took his hand back and leaned his head on Malik's shoulder, half-watching the movie and half concentrating on the warm support of Malik's shoulder beneath his cheek.

Feeling a little braver and more at ease, Malik put an arm casually around Yugi, hoping he wasn't coming across as too forward. This was only their first date after all, and he didn't want to seem pushy, but Yugi shuffled even closer and tugged his arm lower around his waist, surprising Malik.

Malik would have taken it further with such positive encouragement, if he hadn't felt the slight tremble in Yugi's hand; Yugi was just as nervous as he was. Now Malik thought about it, he hadn't seen Yugi going out with anyone else. Was this maybe Yugi's first date too?

No, he thought immediately. That's ridiculous! Yugi's way too smart and brave and attractive not to have been asked out before! But then again…

He swallowed nervously, and determined to make what might possibly be Yugi's first date a good one.

In the end, neither was really watching the movie, and all they really gathered about it was that it was some sort of action-adventure thing, with all the expected hero and damsel-in-distress stereotypes. Yugi mused that it probably wouldn't have been all that memorable even if he hadn't been sitting under Malik's arm.

He sighed again, contentedly, and took a handful of Malik's shirt in hand, the material soft against his skin as he snuggled up close. Malik slowly smiled and stroked Yugi's hair, thinking that so far, it was going pretty darn well.

-x-x-x-

Marik wandered around town towards the cinema complex, looking for his hikari and his date. He had planned on leaving them to it – as fun as it might be to crash their date and make himself a nuisance, he didn't think Malik would appreciate it – but he had decided in the end to see how they were getting along; Malik had been so worked up about this date, some of it seemed to have transferred onto Marik and he wanted it to go well.

Something he hadn't expected to see was Yami.

Yami was leaning against a wall, arms crossed and a broody look on his face as he watched the doors of the cinema. Marik chewed his lip, unable to deny the fact seeing Yami all of a sudden like this was pushing all his buttons and in a rather good way. Usually he could contain himself when he knew he'd be running into Yami at school, but there was something about seeing Yami that made his heart pound and his hormones start to buzz. He didn't know if Yami was aware of it, but he was happy for the moment to enjoy the little thrills that shivered under his skin at seeing Yami like this.

He sidled up to the former Pharaoh and leant on the wall next to him. Yami glanced over at him and smiled briefly, then returning to his scrutiny.

"What are you up to, Pharaoh?" Marik smirked, nudging him slightly with his shoulder.

Yami nudged him back playfully. "Nothing much, yourself?"

Marik raised an eyebrow. "You're waiting for our hikaris, Pharaoh. Don't lie. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"Do you not trust Malik? I can assure you, he's very genuine about his interest in little Yugi. He was all in a flutter last night trying to work out how to ask him on a date."

Some of the severity in Yami's expression faded at that. "It's not that I don't trust him. It's just… for a long time it's just been me and Yugi, the only people who understood each other. I feel a bit… pushed aside." He looked at the ground, frowning, at the last admission. "I want Yugi to be happy, of course I do. I just want to be sure he will be happy with Malik."

"That's all understandable," Marik smiled, nudging Yami again and seeing his smile as his reward. "And he will be happy with Malik. My weaker—ahem. My hikari wouldn't let himself hurt or disappoint Yugi, he's very taken with him. Okay?"

Yami smirked from under his eyelashes at Marik, nudging him back harder. "You're very wise today, Marik. Something happen?"

Marik feigned hurt shock. "Pharaoh! What a thing to say!" He couldn't keep the grin off his face, though. "I don't like seeing you down, that's all, and despite appearances I am rather fond of my hikari. I sort of need him to keep existing, you know."

Yami tilted his head. "I thought that body was yours to keep? And why me specifically, Marik?"

Marik shook his head. "On the condition I stay and look after Malik. If I don't, They'll banish me."

Yami nodded slowly, then quirked an eyebrow and faced Marik properly. "You didn't answer my other question."

Marik avoided his eye, hormones in full rampage. Damn this body. "You're my friend, Pharaoh. We have fun together. I don't like seeing you down, okay?" He crossed his arms defensively, and Yami let the matter drop.

"When does the movie end?" he said, turning back to watch the doors and hide a smirk.

Marik shrugged. "I've no idea, you've been here longer than me. I shouldn't imagine it will take much longer, though. You don't seriously plan on following them around for the rest of the evening, do you?"

"When you put it like that…" Yami mumbled.

"Why not hang around with me?" Marik suggested, a few beads of nervous sweat running down his back. "You'll be nearby if something happens to Yugi, which I highly doubt."

Yami beamed up at him, as much as Yami ever beamed. It made Marik happy anyway as he led the former Pharaoh off into town.

-x-x-x-

Coming out of the cinema, there was a brief moment of awkwardness as they wondered what to do now. The loud complaining of their stomachs prompted them to go eat, and at length they found a café still open at this time in the evening – they didn't have enough money to really go to a restaurant, and they were half-full from all the sweets they had eaten anyway. Yugi ordered a bacon sandwich and Malik awkwardly ordered the vegetarian version.

"I'm so sorry, Malik, I forgot!" Yugi squirmed, upset at his lapse. "Would you be more comfortable if I ordered something without the meat?"

Malik smiled and squeezed his hand under the table. "That's very sweet, Yugi. You have what you want, I'm fine as long as I don't have to eat it. Seventeen years without meat makes it kind of hard to get used to eating."

"I see," Yugi said, leaning forward slightly. "I-If it's not too much for you, could you tell me more about your time as a Tombkeeper? It always sounded so fascinating when you mentioned it before."

Normally Malik didn't like to talk about the years of loneliness and isolation, of the abuse at the hands of his tradition-obsessed father, but somehow talking with Yugi about it was a lot easier than with any of the other people who had tried. Yugi was a wonderful listener, quick to empathise in all the right places; the stories seemed to flow off Malik's tongue under the gentle encouragement of his gaze and the light pressure of his hands on Malik's, squeezing gently when he faltered in his narrative. They were so engrossed in the tales they barely noticed themselves eating, or how late it was getting.

They certainly didn't notice Yami and Marik sitting across the road, covertly watching them as they chatted.

"Pharaoh, why are we still following them around?" Marik asked wearily, seeing Yami's hand lying casually on the bench between them and aching to hold it. "Surely you can see by now that Yugi's in good hands."

Yami made a noncommittal noise and continued watching.

Marik sighed and shuffled closer, so his leg just nudged Yami's hand. Damn these hormones, but they felt good. "He's not going to abandon you just because he's going out with Malik. And he's not going to suffer for being out of your protection either," Marik said gently, daring to put an arm around Yami's waist and leaning in close. "I know that for a long time you've been his protector, but he's grown now. He can look after himself."

Yami tensed up for a moment but then relaxed, leaning back into Marik a little, much to Marik's satisfaction.

"I suppose," Yami said begrudgingly, looking away from their hikaris up at Marik's face in the evening lamplight. He smiled briefly. "You've strayed a bit close, haven't you."

"I know," Marik said lazily, grinning. "Would you like me to move?"

Yami considered it carefully – he rarely did anything without considering all the options – and after a few moments shook his head, edging closer to Marik.

Yes! Marik thought triumphantly, settling his arms familiarly around Yami's waist and hugging the small-bodied young man close into his chest. He wondered why Malik felt it necessary to make things so complicated for himself. But maybe that was the fundamental difference between yami and hikari, he mused as Yami settled comfortably into the embrace. Wanting to do things the proper way and doing things so they worked.

Back in the café and oblivious to scrutiny, Malik and Yugi were preparing to go, sitting snug together with their heads close, as it was clocking on for ten p.m.

"Um, Y-Yugi," Malik stuttered, his confidence falling again, "C-Could I…?"

"Yes, Malik?" Yugi smiled innocently. "Could you what?"

"What I mean to say is – would you mind if – could you let me… oh, shoot. Yugi, may I kiss you?" He stammered, blushing hard.

"But I had a bacon sandwich!" Yugi exclaimed in horror.

Neither moved for a second as the surreal quality of Yugi's statement sank in. In any other context, it would have made absolutely no sense whatsoever. Then they started to laugh.

At some point during their laughter, neither was really sure when or who started it, their lips brushed and they were kissing. A blush covered both their cheeks and they were nervous and inexpert, of course, but they had a good try. Yugi's hand brushed up to Malik's cheek and jostled Malik's arm as he tried to do the same to Yugi and they bumped noses and jaws a few times. After a few bumbling minutes, Yugi started to giggle again and Malik pulled away, crushed and thinking Yugi was laughing at his poor technique.

"What is it?" he asked uncertainly. "Is it me? I told you, I've never done this before…" he fretted.

"No! No, Malik, don't worry!" Yugi hastened to assure him. "It's just that, well, your hair was tickling my face."

Malik said nothing for a god few minutes, only blinking and looking at Yugi's earnest expression. Then he too began to giggle.

-x-x-x-

"See you in school, Pharaoh," Marik grinned as they stood on the corner around from Yugi's grandfather's shop, where he, Yugi and Yami lived. "And remember, he can look after himself."

Yami smiled fully and leant up on his tiptoes to kiss Marik firmly on the mouth, a twinkle in his eyes. "See you tomorrow indeed," he breathed between their lips, breaking away and walking off jauntily to the backstairs. Marik watched him go with a wistful grin, feeling like he'd won the jackpot.

Malik and Yugi's goodnight was inevitably less easy. They hugged, bumping each other again, and kissed again – better this time, thankfully – before Malik awkwardly waved Yugi off.

"See you tomorrow!" Yugi called from the doorway, waving back.

"I-I look forward to it!" Malik blushed.

Yugi found Yami waiting for him up in his bedroom. "Have a fun time?"

Yugi beamed and jumped onto the bed, bouncing off the floor. "Very fun! We went to see a movie then went out for some food. Yeah, it was a lot of fun, and we're definitely going out again soon."

"Good," Yami smiled, and this time it was a genuine smile. "I'm happy he makes you happy."

"Wonderful! You know, I did worry that you might not take this too well," Yugi said cautiously. "You know, because we've been so close and suddenly I'm moving away a bit…"

"It's alright," Yami smiled again. "You're big enough and daft enough to look after yourself now."

"What about you?" Yugi replied, strangely touched. "I can still look out for you, but…"

"Oh, I've got someone, never worry," Yami said, the faintest hint of a laugh in his tone.

-x-x-x-

On the way back to the flat Malik and Marik lived in, Marik ambushed his hikari.

"So, how'd it go?" he grinned, ruffling Malik's hair.

"Good," Malik squeaked, pushing Marik off. "It was good. And what are you doing, wandering around alone at night?" He added suspiciously.

"Who said I was alone?" Marik grinned with wide, 'innocent' eyes.

Malik rolled his eyes. "I don't even want to know."

Marik pouted. "Not even a little bit curious how I spent my evening?"

"Not a bit," Malik said firmly. "Let's get home. It's school tomorrow."

-x-x-x-

That night, unbeknownst to all of them, they shared a brief moment of connection with each other. They all thought the same thing: I can't wait for tomorrow.