Warnings: Ryou-torture, M/M sex, disturbing elements

Disclaimer: I'm very tired, so I'll just say that I have no ownership of Yu-Gi-Oh, and leave it at that.

A/N: I don't have much to say about this, this is just an experiment on my part to see if I can make an attempt at angst, please tell me if I should scrap this and never try this again! I would really appreciate anyone's thoughts on this, all comments are welcome. Please enjoy!

When one finally reaches their threshold of pain, all other senses disappear, leaving only the white-hot agony as proof of still being alive. At the moment, Ryou Bakura was experiencing that agony, even though his threshold was quickly becoming redefined as ritual, rather than limitation. It was all just a matter of routine now. Screaming was as regular to him as breathing, and he wept so constantly on a daily basis, by the time the abuse began, he no longer had any tears left to shed. This added even more to his pain, since his abuser demanded visible signs of suffering, his favorite being the uncontrollable crying. And if that said abuser was dissatisfied with the response to the harm inflicted on Ryou, he made amends to increase the torment and ensure that Ryou would squirm and plea for his life.

The tormentor himself, Yami Bakura, was finding today's session quite entertaining. For some inexplicable reason, he was in a rare, excellent mood today, and even felt the need to try something new with his softer companion. He even went as far as to disregard his usual usage of weaponry, and decided that his bare hands would do in his vile pastime. Today, Yami Bakura reveled in the sound and feel of bare skin impacting bare skin, his gleeful energy expanding with every hateful slap and brutal punch. Oh, but he made sure to be more careful this time, because he wanted Ryou to be hurt, but not incapacitated. No, Yami Bakura was curious about something, and it required at least a moderately healthy body to satiate that curiousity.

The ancient thief finally felt it was time to call an end to his torture session for the day. He ceased his slaps, roughly lifted a surprisingly slightly bloodied Ryou by his shoulders, and flung the limp body onto the bed. The dark one gave the naked, bruised boy a quick once-over, to make sure that nothing was broken. He had the taste for something new, and that required an able, albeit an unwilling, body. Everything seemed in order, despite the shaking and choked sobbing emanating from the pale, reedy form. Disgusted, Yami Bakura laid a sharp smack across the distressed boy's face in order to still and quiet him. Ryou shook violently for a second, then obediently stilled.

Yami Bakura sat up and scowled down at the prone, skinny body. "So, did that hurt, boy? Answer me immediately!"

Ryou was well-versed in non-hesitant response, thanks to years of being beaten bloody for not observing it before. "Y-yes, it hurt so very m- much!" He barely got that much out, his throat was so parched, just like his wrung-out heart.

Yami Bakura smiled evilly. "Very good, exactly what I wanted to hear. Get up!" He hoisted Ryou up to a sitting position, and slapped him again. "Look at me when I'm speaking to you! I have a task for you, an important task, and you will listen to my instructions."

Ryou, who was in the midst of rousing himself out of the terrified shock he always put himself under when he was afflicted at the hands of dark half, widened his dry, sleep-deprived eyes. A task? What did it mean, was this another new way for him to suffer? No, he didn't think that he could take much more...his mind began to stretch with the strain of the terrifying possibilities that could be inflicted on him, who knows what the black- hearted Yami had in mind! Ryou felt ready to lose it, he was getting resolute in ending it all himself if he was forced to endure any more suffering. He stiffened in fear, looking at his dark half, shuddering at the sight of hatred in those stagnant brown pools so unlike his own. "Please...I need to rest..."

The yami chuckled cruelly, and harshly grabbed the soft one's face, his thumb and fingers applying bruising pressure to the pale cheeks. "Have you forgotten that speaking out of turn is not good for your health? You must have the luck of hell below on your side, because I'm not even in the mood to punish you for your insolence. I want you able-bodied and alert for this assignment, so shut up and listen to my orders."

Ryou nodded weakly and lowered his head a little as soon as his yami released his grip on his face. Ryou stayed perfectly still, save the barest tremble of his lower lip.

The ancient sadist smirked, pleased at how well-trained the spineless snowflake had become. "Good boy, now remember your place, and that I am the only one who controls whether you live or die and maybe I'll let you enjoy this as well...now, listen up. You may have noticed that I haven't used my usual 'toys' in today's game. Do not think of it as my softening up on you, I merely planned on you to be in good condition for something that has been on my mind for a long time." He suddenly thrust his hands onto Ryou's chest and shoved him down onto the bed, flat on his back. Yami Bakura, ignoring the frightened whimpers, pinned Ryou's head down with his forearm pressed across the slender neck, his other free hand speedily undoing the zipper of his own jeans. The gentle boy squirmed in fear and lack of air, stiffening as soon as he felt his thighs roughly parted by the powerful legs of his assailant. Then he felt...something hard, angry and intrusive pressed hard against his delicate opening. At the same time, the evil yami lowered his head close enough to Ryou to feel the irregular breaths coming from the boy's dry, choked throat. Yami Bakura leered at his scared counterpart, loving how he trembled in fear of not knowing what was about to happen...

"I will not mince words with you. I have showed you pain. So you will repay me...by showing me pleasure!" Before the last word left his mouth, Yami Bakura immediately burrowed himself into the weakened body, reveling in the bloodcurdling scream that pierced the air. 'Ahhh,' he thought, ' His screams are sweet...I want to hear more...' He proceeded to thrust harder, spiking his ruthless tool into the tight, unprepared passage. More tortured screams reached his ears, and a sweet familiar smell reached his nostrils, a smell that was so intoxicating to his deranged being. Blood, a lot of it, he could feel it now, lubricating both his shaft and the torn passage sheathing him.

Yami Bakura felt his mindless excitement peak at insurmountable levels, and closed his eyes as he succumbed to the sexual rage that built up within. He began to get caught up, and increased his assault on the battered , but yet stiff, body beneath him, cackling insanely. He barely felt the lithe hands reach up and wrap around his neck, and almost didn't register the tightening of those hands around his windpipe. Passion forgotten, he began to choke, his confusion and maddened shock paralyzing his ability to disengage those hands from his neck. It was happening so quickly, Yami Bakura only had time to glance in disbelief at the boy, his eyes bulging, but seething even more in hatred. Immediately afterward, he was no more, his lifeless body slumped against the white-haired boy.

Ryou, whose eyes were now cold and listless, absentmindedly shoved the dead weight off of him, and looked down at his former tormentor, his bruised face empty and expressionless. He just sat there and stared at his darker half, four words passing from his lips, his voice that of someone no longer of stable mind:"My pleasure, YOUR pain..."

Ugh...I have nothing more to say except that I might need to stare at some padded walls for this...