Impermanence
"Hey, Bakura-kun!"
"Ah, hello Yuugi-kun." Ryou turned to smile at his short friend. Yuugi grinned back, then continued.
"Ryou, have you seen my Millenium Puzzle? I took it off a little while ago, and now I can't seem to find it."
Ryou opened his mouth to respond, when a call reached his, Yuugi and Anzu's ears.
"Hey, Honda, catch!"
Yuugi groaned. "Come on guys, I think I know where it might be…"
The three raced down the school's hall and around a corner to see Jonouchi and Honda playing catch with Yuugi's Puzzle. Ryou, Anzu and Yuugi sweatdropped as Honda tossed the Puzzle to his friend.
"Guys…" Yuugi said, eye twitching.
"Eh? Ah, Y-Yuugi!" Jonouchi exclaimed. "W-we didn't see you there."
"Can I have my Puzzle back now?"
Jonouchi sighed exaggeratedly. "Fine. Catch!" The boy yelled, tossing it towards Yuugi… only to have it sail straight over Yuugi's head. The Puzzle skidded on the floor and landed at Ryou's feet, the boy standing father back in the hall than Anzu and Yuugi. Ryou looked down at the Item and blinked. Before he could bring it to Yuugi's attention, someone interrupted him.
"Great throw, 'Joey'." Anzu snickered. "I'd stick with dueling if I were you."
"Hey!" Katsuya protested, and Yuugi and Honda stopped to laugh at the two bickering, Ryou and the Puzzle temporarily forgotten.
'Now's your chance!' An eager voice exhorted Ryou. 'Grab the Puzzle, now!' Bakura commanded, gleeful at how easily he would gain the Item. He would only come out if he had to, it might draw suspicion, but right now Ryou could slip the Puzzle into his bag and tell the others he didn't know where it had gone, and later go home with the Puzzle in Bakura's possession…
…Why was Ryou just standing there?
'What are you waiting for? Grab it now, while they are distracted!' Bakura's irritated voice demanded, but Ryou continued to stare at the wall, trying his best to ignore his yami.
Bakura growled. Ryou wasn't making this easy. The spirit quickly took possession of Ryou's body, careful to keep the guise that Ryou was still in control up. Quickly he bent down and swiped the Puzzle off the floor, about to pocket it when a voice interrupted him.
"Oh, you found it Bakura-kun! Thanks."
Bakura looked down to see Yuugi smiling up at him.
"Oh, y-you're welcome." Bakura said, handing him the Puzzle. Inwardly, however, he was swearing. He wasn't foolish enough to try and steal the Puzzle with four mortals staring at him, and it had seemed so perfect a second ago.
Retreating into the Ring, he shoved Ryou back into control. The boy shook his head slightly, for a second afraid his yami had the Puzzle before seeing Yuugi place the Item around his neck.
Sighing in relief, he hurried after Yuugi and his gang to their next class.
'That was very foolish of you, Ryou.' Bakura snarled, causing Ryou to wince, although he continued walking as usual.
He had a bad feeling about this.
Ryou walked into his bedroom slowly, absently fingering the Ring, until he reached his window. He stared down at the moon-soaked street below, and smiled absently, knowing he wouldn't feel like smiling for a while in a few seconds, and he was eager to soak up whatever bit of tranquility he could.
A heavy pull at his soul from the Ring and Ryou felt the yami materialize himself behind the boy. Sighing, Ryou decided to face the inevitable and turned to face Bakura.
A grim smile grew on the spirit's face, and in one motion he seized Ryou's arm and flung him towards the middle of the room. Ryou stumbled backwards, and before he could regain his balance Bakura had dashed forward and punched him in the face. With a cry, Ryou flew back and crashed into the wall. Ryou lifted a hand to feel his face, only able to assure himself Bakura hadn't broken the skin before the yami was upon him again.
Ryou struggled to suppress a scream as Bakura kicked him in the stomach then the ribs. As Ryou coughed, the yami kicked at Ryou's legs before hoisting the boy up by the collar. Ryou gulped as his yami stared straight into his terrified eyes, before Bakura sneered and thew Ryou roughly to the ground a short ways off.
Ryou curled up on his side as his yami stalked towards him. Smirking, the yami apparently decided his host made a good footrest, as he lifted his left leg and slammed it onto Ryou's side slightly below the ribs. Ryou winced as the spirit shifted his weight so his foot was jabbing into Ryou's side. Bakura raised an eyebrow, and lifted his foot up. Ryou turned his gaze up to his yami.
"You can move if you want."
Ryou didn't know what Bakura's game was, but he knew if he was given the chance to move he should. For a second Ryou considered turning onto his stomach, before shifting onto his back. At least now he'd still be able to see his attacker.
As soon as Ryou was on his back, Bakura grinned and drove his foot down, straight onto Ryou's stomach. The air thrust from his lungs, Ryou gasped and clenched his fists in a futile attempt at distraction.
"Well, hikari, I did you a favor, aren't you going to say thank you? You couldn't have forgotten your precious manners now, could you?" Bakura mocked, grinding his heel into Ryou's flesh.
Ryou grit his teeth, tears begging to form in the corners of his eyes, even though Ryou forbade them to spill over. Raising his eyes slowly to his yami, he saw the figure had folded his arms, glaring expectantly at Ryou. Did he really think Ryou would…?
"Well, yadonushi?" Bakura snarled, smirk gone.
Apparently he did. Mustering up as much of a glare as he could, (the effect was completely lost due to his tear-filled eyes and the quaver in his voice) Ryou managed to get out a quiet, "Thank you, Bakura."
"Good," Bakura smirked, satisfied as he got off of Ryou. "Now we can address the issue."
Ryou sighed as he dragged himself to his feet. Bakura was 'talking things over' this time, giving Ryou a chance to explain himself. Not that it did any good, Ryou's justifications never changed Bakura's mind, and Ryou decided it was just another tool Bakura used to agitate Ryou.
Ryou quietly stood, staring at the floor waiting for him to start, so they could finish and get this over with.
"So, yadonushi, why do you think I am correcting you?"
"I didn't take Yuugi's puzzle when you asked me to." Ryou mumbled.
"You're smarter than your actions would imply, hikari. I told you to take the puzzle, Ryou, and you disobeyed me. Even worse, you ignored me! You should have known better, yadonushi, or had you forgotten your job?"
"Job…?" Ryou blinked, raising his gaze to meet his yami's.
Bakura sighed, crossing his arms in annoyance and obviously considering this explanation a waste of time. "Yes, hikari. I expect you to cooperate with me as long as you are my host, and it… disturbs me when you do not."
Ryou's eyes took on a pained look. "Just because you can do whatever you want with my body doesn't mean you can order me to do your bidding! I know I can't stop you, but I won't let you take away my last solace."
"Oh, won't you?" Bakura smirked, more amused than annoyed at Ryou's protests— for the moment, anyway. "I think you're a bit confused, host. I don't just need your body as a tool, but you as well. You are my hikari, Ryou, not just your shell, so it would be to your benefit to always keep that in mind."
"I… don't want to." Ryou protested weakly, dropping his eyes to the ground once again.
Bakura's eyes narrowed. "This was never about what your wants are, hikari. Just because I have allowed you to keep your sense of self, do not let that deceive you into thinking your opinion has any effect. I may have been too lenient…" Bakura mused, staring into space absently. Ryou tentatively raised his eyes, only to jump back in surprise as he saw his yami leering at him.
"Are you going to shape up, or will I have to turn you into a mindless puppet?"
Ryou shivered inwardly, but tried his best to keep up a bold front. "Aren't you trying to make me into your puppet anyway?"
Bakura chuckled slightly and leaned back. "Yes, but it's much funner this way."
Ryou groaned softly. "I… I still…"
Bakura frowned. His host was beginning to get on his nerves. "Why, yadonushi? You know what will happen if you continue to oppose me. Why don't you stop pretending to be righteous and help me? I know you hate your punishments."
"Yuugi-kun." Ryou stated immediately. "Yuugi-kun and everyone. I've finally made some friends, and if I helped you I know I'd lose them. And I couldn't stand that."
"Hmm." Bakura's eyes narrowed in thought. "So, Yuugi and his friends are stealing you away from me…?"
"They can't take something from you that wasn't yours to begin with!" Ryou protested. "I'm not yours Bakura, and just because I don't fight you doesn't mean I'll follow your every dictate."
Ryou's remarks had finally gone too far as far as Bakura was concerned. Bakura's face twisted in fury, and Ryou took a step back. This gesture was soon proven futile, as in a few quick steps the yami was standing directly in front of Ryou.
"It seems like I'll have to remind you of the truth…" Bakura murmured so softly Ryou wasn't sure if he was talking to Ryou or himself.
Before Ryou could react, Bakura had punched him in the stomach. Ryou doubled up slightly, and the next second Bakura struck him across the cheek, sending Ryou skidding across the carpet.
Cheek throbbing, Ryou squeezed his eyes shut, curling up in preparation for Bakura's next assault. He felt his yami kneel down by his head and yank Ryou's wrists up sharply until they were above his head. Ryou's eyes still closed tightly, Bakura stood up and nudged Ryou onto his stomach with a foot before walking off.
Ryou managed to open his eyes a crack, wondering why Bakura had stopped hitting him. Could he be done? But then, why had he…
As Ryou made out what was going on, the dim moonlight his only light, he realized wearily that his Yami was far from finished. Although the spirit was nowhere in sight, Ryou saw his hands tied together in front of him, attached to his desk leg.
The boy tugged half-heartedly on the rope, but he knew from past experience it wouldn't give. Ryou bit his lip in worry. Bakura only tied him down like this when he wanted to make absolutely sure Ryou would not escape. Although, Ryou thought bitterly, it wasn't like it made much of a difference. Even unrestrained, he was never able to get away from Bakura.
But what was Bakura going to do to him?
A shattering noise reached Ryou's ear, and the boy had a sinking feeling that had something to do with whatever torment Bakura would be putting him through next.
Twisting around as much as he could, Ryou saw his Yami standing a short ways off, the moon from the window behind him casting a deceptive halo around the yami. A smirk adorned his face, and Ryou noticed the remains of a glass pane on the floor, a large shard in his yami's hand.
Ryou shuddered and whipped back around, pulling against the rope almost frantically, even as he felt his yami stride towards him. Ryou didn't know what his yami was about to do to him, but he had a feeling it would be worse than anything before.
Bakura smirked down at his hikari, writhing about even though he had barely touched the boy yet. He kneeled over the boy, and with one swift, clean stroke, the shard of glass sliced through Ryou's shirt, barely stroking the skin but leaving it bare. Ryou stilled for a second, frozen, then squirmed more, desperately trying to free himself. Bakura leaned down, and in a mockingly soft voice, gave Ryou a warning.
"Careful, my precious yadonushi," his yami's voice breathed into Ryou's ear, "Or you might get hurt."
Then the glass tore through Ryou's skin.
Ryou shrieked in pain, only able to convulse once before another stroke came. Ryou thrashed wildly, agony almost maddening, until Bakura's hand slammed down on his shoulder, shoving him against the carpet once more. Ryou fought back for a second, before stilling. His yami knew better than to kill him, but if he continued to struggle he might cause Bakura to cut something important... and he had nothing to gain by trying to escape, besides giving himself assurance he hadn't totally given in to his yami. He was helpless, and he knew it. All he could hope was that Bakura tired of him soon and left him to lick his wounds.
Three more decisive strokes came, and Ryou realized there was a purpose to Bakura's strikes. He… was writing something?
"W-what are you doing…" Ryou managed to whimper; though pain clogged his throat.
Bakura paused in his work to grin wildly down at his host, the boy's own blood over his arms. "You'll see."
Ryou clenched his eyes against the pain, although this did no good, as it failed to ease the pain or halt the steady flow of tears from spilling down his cheeks. His back burned, and Ryou kept thinking he couldn't possibly feel more pain than he was in that moment— until Bakura made his next cut and proved him wrong. Blood poured freely from his back, staining his forever-ruined shirt, and in a morbid corner of Ryou's mind he wondered how Bakura could tell if he was writing what he was trying to through the blood.
He couldn't tell what Bakura what inscribing into him. But that didn't really matter.
He knew what it said anyway.
He knew because Bakura had been telling him it ever since he had revealed himself to Ryou.
After what seemed near an eternity to Ryou, Bakura pulled away from him. Ryou made no attempt to move; not that he had the strength to rise even if he was unbound. Bakura walked in front of Ryou, squatting in front of the boy and grabbed his hair, yanking it back so Ryou was forced to look at his yami's blood-soaked form. Ryou recoiled as much as he could, which made Bakura grin.
"Well, hikari, I hope that you enjoyed that."
Ryou, not having the strength to speak, stared up at Bakura with tear filled eyes, causing the yami to laugh and throw Ryou's head back to the floor.
"You didn't? Aww, what a shame. If you don't want it to happen again, then don't force me to, got it?"
With that parting note, Bakura vanished into the Ring, leaving Ryou still tied to the desk. Ryou's eyes caught the Millenium Item glowing, and the next second he fell into unconsciousness.
Authors notes: Well, here's my first Ryou fic, and my second Yu-Gi-Oh! one. I have a bunch of others planned, but I promise they will not be nearly as… gory and such as this one was. (Well, most of 'em won't, anyway. I mean, Bakura'll still be antagonistic towards Ryou, but not hurting him this badly.) So, um, anyway, I hope you liked it, and please tell me what you thought of it!