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"I'm perfectly capable of making tea for a guest, Jounouchi-kun. Boiling water is something even we Egyptians can do." Malik replied with a clever smile and a light chuckle, as he walked out of his kitchen, carrying a bundle of white cloth in one of his hands.

“Here," Malik said handing the other the cloth. "You can wrap your leg up in this,"

"Y'know.. your being too proud Jounouchi-kun." Malik said raising an eyebrow, and folding his arms against his chest as he watched the other struggle in the task of wrapping his wounds. Suppressing his laughter had become rather difficult by the time Jou had put the cloth in his mouth.

He cleared his throat in order to shake the laughter off and he spoke up, "Maybe you should let me help you with that." Impatient lavender eyes gave an insistent stare at the other and without waiting for a reply, he swiped the cloth out of Jou's mouth and took the other's hand into the palm of his own to examine it.

Malik stared at him blankly, confused by the bitter remarks that had just been thrown his way. Didn't Jounouchi want to help him? At least, that was the vibe he had given off earlier. Now he was just being a complete jerk.

"I'm just trying to help you! What's with the sudden attitude? What, I try to be nice and this is what I get in return?" Malik put the other's hand down, and tossed the cloth in Jou's lap. "Do it all your self then."

The silver kettle on the stove began to whistle obnoxiously in the background of their conversation. Malik turned his back to go to the kitchen, lavender eyes full of hurt stared distantly at one of the vanilla white walls of his apartment, but when he spoke a much different voice came out. This voice was filled to the brim with coldness and detatchment. "Look, I guess I had mistaken notions about you. Maybe it wasn't you in my vision, and it really was Rishid who swept away the pain." With that he left to get the tea without another word.

In the kitchen Malik gave an angry sigh, taking the screaming kettle of boiling water off the stove. At this point he didn't understand Jounouchi at all! And he wondered why he had reacted to his offer of help in such a horrible way. Malik really thought he was trying his hardest to be nice, when all the other did was reject him. He was coming to the conclusion that perhaps Jou wasn't the compassionate guy he had seen through the Sennen Rod, who had dueled with heart and honor during Battle City... maybe it had all been a fluke, and Jounouchi was just a big jerk under some kind of mask.

Malik slammed a confused fist into his counter top, causing his whole stove top to rattle with the force. Why should I be nice if he still treats me like I'm still some kind of a villain! Malik thought stubbornly. He let out a sigh, letting the hot steam fill his lungs and soothe his inner being. It felt good to him, and he closed his eyes to absorb the warm feeling of the moisture on his face. I am trying... maybe, I'm just not doing it right.. After all, Malik had been raised to read, write and learn the ancient traditions. He had figured out how to dominate people, control them and manipulate them, but the idea of actually having friends and a social life was one he was new to. He wanted to learn it, and master it, just like he had mastered most other aspects of his life. Maybe, just maybe Jou could help him learn this...

The Egyptian pulled out two tea cups from the tall wooden pantry of his kitchen, letting out a heavy breath to relax. Isis had taught him how to relax and find his center, but... well, he never had been very good at it. He tried with all his might to cool himself off before rejoining Jounouchi in his living room. He stacked the cups up neatly on tea plates, putting two packets of tea inside of them. The kettle was cool enough to carry now, and he carried it with the stack of ceramic dishes into the living room, still remaining wordless, but trying to be polite all the same.

Malik had started to arrange the cups on the table, and pour Jounouchi hot water for his tea, before he heard Jou's question. When he had finished pouring the small cup for Jounouchi, he looked up at the other, a little surprised by the change of attitude.

He gave an awkward,yet tired smile. He was mostly glad that Jou didn't sound mad anymore, but he couldn't really find a way to put that into words.

Once he was done with the pouring, he put the hot kettle on the tiled trivet that sat on his living room table. He joined a stop next to Jou on the sofa, finally saying quietly, "To tell you the truth, I've been better."

Malik nodded, taking a sip of his tea as well, closing his eyes to enhance the feel of the warm liquid run down his throat.

He set the cup down neatly, staring at it glumly as he did so. What am I supposed to say? He wondered as he watched the soft ripples in the tea come to a calm.

The room had grown quiet except for the faint chirp of the morning birds that played in the sun outside.

Malik didn't let his gaze off the cup as he spoke in a reluctant voice unlike his own. The voice that came out was quiet and sincere, "I hope I haven't hurt you, Jounouchi-kun."

“What? No! I didn’t mean that.” Malik said, a little surprised about the misunderstanding. “I... I mean... you know, everything from before!” He sighed, lavender eyes full of shame averted to the blond, “...Everything from Battle City. I’m sorry if I hurt you back then. I’m just assuming that your memories of the pain my dark half and I caused you are what commenced your visions. I’m unsure what to make of everything that has been happening, but I think that is what triggered my own visions of him. I was nearly cured of all my mental issues, the day it happened....” his voice seem to fade, as he began to reminisce. When he realized he had stopped so abruptly, he shook the memory away, and said simply, “It’s a really boring story anyway.”

(^^ Oh right - I just want to remind you I haven't actually finished the series yet. I know that ending part.... because well, spoilers were all over the net and I ran into them. (So no worries there!) But, well, I don't want to go to into it too much in this roleplay, just cause I'm completley ignorant to the whole subject.

I haven't been able to finish the series because I have trouble letting go of certain things... everything is changing, and Yugioh is probably the only thing that I've been able to keep the same for these past 3 years now. Anyway! Sorry 'bout that bit.)