This is for the fourth round of BED's contest. This oneshot is fragileshipping, with a bit of tendershipping in an abusive sort of way. It's set right after Battle City. I will be referring to Dark Bakura as Ryou's yami, the spirit, or Yami Bakura and Yami Yugi as Yami or the pharaoh, mainly because at this point in the show nobody really knows of their past, except Dark Bakura who really only refers to Yami Yugi as pharaoh. Anyways, I don't own Yugioh.

"You're weak! If it weren't for you, we could have beaten the pharaoh," A voice hissed in his ear sending chills down his spine. He pressed his hands against his ears in a vain attempt to keep the wretched voice out.

The voice laughed as it watched the boy. "You even cower in fear of a spirit. You're worthless, and to think I actually believed you could win one simple duel for me."

Having had enough of the mental torment, the boy lashed out at the hovering spirit in front of him. "If I'm so weak, why don't you just leave? I obviously have some importance to you; otherwise, you wouldn't still be here."

Silence filled the room before the spirit once again erupted in laughter. The boy leveled his gaze at the spirit, trying to intimidate his yami but failing miserably. Instead the spirit advanced towards the boy, who backed up against the wall. His yami may have lacked a physical body, but some things were worse than physical pain.

"If it weren't for the fact that I don't have a body, I wouldn't need you at all. As you can see, I have yet to gain that, so I have no choice but to stick around. However, due to certain events, it doesn't seem like you can even provide me with an able body. If I hadn't feared you being killed in that duel, we could have won, and then I wouldn't ever need you, Ryou," the spirit hissed, continually advancing towards the boy.

Ryou squeezed his eyes shut, wishing this was all some horrible nightmare. He knew his yami wouldn't be satisfied until he had been taught a "lesson."

"Go away!" Ryou screamed with every fiber in his body. Yami Bakura only smirked at the trembling boy.

"No." The one word sentencing him to a life of agony. Ryou shook his head, unwilling to accept this fate. He refused to live in fear of him any longer. Slowly, he opened his eyes, suddenly determined to free himself of this curse.

"Then I'll make you," he whispered with a look of fortitude in his eyes.

Yami Bakura blinked, unsure of how drastic his hikari's actions might be. Instead of responding, the spirit waited to see if Ryou really had the courage to end it all.

The boy grabbed the golden object that hung around his neck, its spikes clattering together as they hit each other. Without even looking at the item, Ryou hurled it across the room, an array of golden lights splattering across the vicinity. Yami Bakura looked on in amusement as the Millennium Ring flew past him.

Ryou began to think that was it; he wouldn't have to deal with it anymore. A smile began forming on his face before he realized his yami was staring at his chest. Slowly, he looked down, a look of horror appearing on his delicate features.

The Millennium Ring was once again resting on his torso as if it had never left. Ryou glared at his yami, his eyes demanding to know the answer to how this happened.

"You really thought you could get rid of it that easily!? Ryou, Ryou, I thought you knew better that that. The Millennium Ring chose you. Throwing it across a room isn't going to keep it away. There's only one thing you could do…" Yami Bakura trailed off.

"Yeah, and what's that?" Ryou stared at his yami as he suddenly realized what the spirit meant. "You mean…killing myself?"

Yami Bakura shrugged in response. The boy's eyes grew wide as he realized that was the only way to truly free himself of this curse.

"I can't…I mean…well, if there's no other option…I guess I have no choice," Ryou turned around and began walking towards the door.

"Where are you going!? You don't have the guts. You'd never really kill yourself. I won't let you. I'll just take control of your body," Yami Bakura screamed.

Ryou just shook his head. "No, not this time. I won't let you."

"You're too weak. There's nothing you can do to stop me." Yami Bakura then focused his mind on controlling his host but was surprised when it didn't work. Ryou took this as his chance to go and left his yami, who was too busy wondering why it didn't work to notice his absence.

----

Yami gazed at his sleeping hikari, the young boy's chest slowly rising and falling rhythmically. It was about midnight, and Yami's only concern right now was to make sure Yugi was safe. After all that they had been through, he just wanted his hikari to have some peace and protection. Yugi needed a break; he was still a teenager after all.

As he gazed out the window, however, he couldn't help but think how about the duels that had occurred during Battle City. One specific one played over and over again in his mind. He could see Ryou, clutching his arm in pain and asking for help, and Yami had been unable to do anything. If the spirit of the ring hadn't taken control in the end, he could have been hurt even more if forced to go on with the duel. And then Yami would only have himself to blame.

He closed his eyes, and tried to tell himself that everything was okay now. Ryou had recovered, and that was what mattered. What could have happened wasn't relevant, only that it hadn't happened.

A sigh escaped his lips; this wasn't the first time he had remembered the hurt Ryou had suffered. How could he ever forgive himself for not helping him more?

His gaze was adverted to a lone figure walking down the alley. On closer inspection, Yami could make out some white hair and pale skin. Ryou. What was he doing out there by himself? And why did he look hurt?

Within seconds, he was down the stairs and making his way towards the front door. This was his chance to make up for his last mistake. He had to help Ryou in any way possible.

Exhausted, Ryou collapsed by the wall of a building before Yami reached him. Blood flowed down one arm where a long cut had been made. Yami gasped in surprise at the sight and wondered what had happened.

He reached Ryou and, forgetting he was translucent, Yami attempted to put a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. It passed right through, but even though the act was intangible, Ryou shuddered at the touch.

"Who's there?" he whispered in a coarse voice. Yami leaned forward to inspect him more closely. There was a lot of blood, but it was apparent the cut wasn't deep enough to kill him.

"It's me, Yami."

Ryou opened his eyes slowly as if it took great strength to perform the simple task. He only nodded his head in response, his body to physically and mentally weak to do much else.

"What happened to you?" Yami whispered wondering why he could never be there when Ryou was in trouble.

"Nothing much…just got in a fight…with the spirit of the ring," he answered taking breaths in between.

"But he couldn't have caused the physical damage," Yami replied. Ryou sighed before speaking again.

"Well…it wasn't him…"

Yami gasped. Ryou had done this to himself, to get away from the spirit of the ring.

Ryou looked away, ashamed that he hadn't been stronger. Maybe the spirit was right; he was too weak. He couldn't even bring himself to end this suffering.

Yami's heart ached for Ryou. If only he had a body, then he could be of more help. At the very least, he needed to confront the spirit of the ring, and if necessary, send him to the Shadow Realm again. That way Ryou would have at least some peace, if only until Yami Bakura returned.

"It's okay, Ryou. I promise I'll make him regret everything he's ever done to you," Yami whispered.

Ryou nodded before closing his eyes once more. Within a few minutes, his breathing was even, and Yami realized he must have dozed off to sleep. Looking down at the boy's arm, he realized the bleeding had decreased so that now only a few crimson drops oozed down his pale arm.

Yami looked down lovingly on the fragile boy, and made a promise that no harm would ever again befall the boy. Even if it meant putting himself in danger.

----

Yami Bakura stared at his hikari and the pharaoh, his temper intensifying with every second that passed. Ryou had left him for the pharaoh. He narrowed his eyes at the pair.

"If there's one thing you can't have pharaoh, it's him. He's mine."