Disclaimer: They're not mine. If they were, this would be a three-part
episode in the new season. Unfortunately, it's not, so I guess it's stuck
being a trilogy on FanFiction.Net. However, the story, plotline, and Jamie
are all mine, and you cannot have them.
Yami: Did she say trilogy?
Seto: Again? Dang it!
Me: What's wrong with trilogies?
Yami: Nothing at all. We're just bored and ticked off at the world.
Me: Ah. That explains a lot.
Seto: Am I still dating Serenity?
Me: Yup.
Seto: Dang it!
Me: Who would you rather date?
Seto: No one. I like being single.
Me: Fat chance. You're dating Serenity.
Seto: Dang.
Author's Notes: I wrote this as a side story to "Shattered", so it's recommended that you read that before this. There's not too many references, but there might be a few things you don't get unless you read "Shattered". I figured I should let you know. I'd also like to point out that child abuse is a serious problem, and if you are or know someone who is being abused, tell someone immediately! Anyway, here it is.
// Yami Bakura talking to Ryou //
/ Ryou talking to Yami Bakura /
'Thoughts or writing'
~*~
Second Chances
By Macavity
SMACK! The harsh sound of fist across face was very distinct in the Bakura household that fateful night. Nearly all the lights were off; passerby would come to the conclusion that no one was home. Neighbors would assume the fourteen-year-old boy who lived there with his father was home alone again. But this was not the case.
"You little runt," Yami Bakura spat, backhanding his smaller other across the face.
Though in tears, Ryou Bakura huddled against the wall and didn't make a sound. His Yami was always like this to him. He'd found eventually that if he remained silent and accepted the harsh beatings, Yami Bakura quickly tired of abusing him.
"Who do you think you are?" he demanded, looming over the shaking boy. "What makes you think you have any worth? You're nothing!"
He kicked Ryou hard in the ribs, and the smaller boy had to bite his lip to keep from crying out.
"What's the matter, weakling? I'd think a crybaby like you would be bawling by now." He pressed his sneering face close to Ryou's. "Trying to be tough? It won't work."
With that, he easily picked Ryou up and flung him against the wall, disappearing into the Millennium Ring as he did so.
Weeping bitterly, Ryou picked himself up and staggered to the bathroom. He managed to fill the tub with hot water and sink in before passing out, unconscious.
Slowly, the blood from his wounds began tinting the bath water red.
By the time Ryou awoke, the water was a startling crimson. He drained out the water and refilled it, soaking again.
"At least," he noted ruefully, "he didn't come out and try to drown me again."
Yami Bakura must have been tired that night. Any other time he would have appeared and tried to suffocate Ryou in the bathwater. Thanking whatever it was that kept him safe, Ryou quickly washed his cuts and stepped out of the bath.
He dried himself off, slipping painfully into comfortable flannel pajamas and dressing his visible cuts. It wouldn't do to have Yugi or the others see them. Yami Bakura would be very angry that he showed any sign of weakness, especially telling others about his own problems.
As fast as he could, Ryou made his way to the bed and collapsed, finding some momentary relief in the soft mattress. He promptly fell asleep.
~*~
The next day at school, poor Ryou was positively exhausted. He could barely keep his eyes open throughout classes, and actually dozed off once in Math. However, a small poke from Yugi woke him back up very quickly. Fortunately, no one noticed.
At lunchtime, he discovered sadly that he had been too tired to pack a lunch, and he had no money.
"Oh, well," he mumbled wistfully. "I guess I'll just go without today."
He retreated to a secluded corner of the lunchroom, preferring to huddle in the shadows as opposed to sitting at a table with his friends.
"Besides," he tried to console himself. "It's better this way. They won't see the-the cuts and marks, and.watching them eat would just be.just be."
He trailed off, his heavy eyelids fluttering closed.
Meanwhile, Joey Wheeler made his way through the lunch line. He scouted the lunchroom for his friends, heading towards their usual table. When he was halfway there, he noticed something strange in the corner. He began walking towards it. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a shock of silvery- white hair that had caught his eye.
"Hey! Ryou!" he said, wondering why the small boy was sitting in the corner.
Ryou didn't reply; he was too deep in slumber.
Joey set down his tray and tapped Ryou on the shoulder. "Hey? Hello in there? Ryou?"
"Don'.ple'se.don' hur' me.ple'se.Yam.i.sor'y.don'." the white-haired boy mumbled.
"What? Ryou!" Joey nearly yelled, shaking him hard.
Ryou awoke with a start. "No! I'm sorry! I-" Suddenly he noticed Joey and his surroundings. "Oh.Joey.what's going on?"
"Are you okay, Ryou? You've fallen asleep twice today."
Ryou blushed. He was hoping no one had noticed him in class. "I, uh, guess I just had a long night. You know, studying and stuff."
"Right.studying." Joey repeated suspiciously. "Hey, why aren't you eating? You're thin enough as it is."
"Um.I forgot my lunch at home? I forgot to bring money?"
"Well, why didn't you say so?" Joey exclaimed, taking a seat next to Ryou. "Here, I can share."
Ryou was amazed. "You? Share food?" he teased. "Wow, this is a first."
Joey laughed as well, but inside he knew something wasn't right. What was going on with Ryou? What was he hiding?
He watched in sort of detached amusement as Ryou gobbled down the slice of pizza and cookie that Joey had offered him. "Boy, you must be hungrier than I thought," he said with a grin, handing Ryou another cookie.
Ryou blushed deep red and accepted it, trying to hold off his hunger. He didn't want to seem greedy in front of his friend. "I'm.um.not that hungry anymore." he tried halfheartedly.
Joey smirked and tousled his ivory hair. "C'mon, Ryou, go ahead and eat. And don't lie to me," he added, seeing the smaller boy open his mouth to protest. "I can see that you're starving. Now eat."
They sat like that for a few minutes before Ryou began to speak. "Joey.I.my.I'm." he stammered, tears welling in his eyes. He was so close to blurting out the whole miserable story of his abusive Millennium Ring, but then he realized that his Yami could hear the whole thing.
"What is it, Ryou?" Joey asked, concerned.
"I.I.never mind," the small boy said in a voice below a whisper. "It's nothing."
But somehow, Joey didn't believe that. Not for a minute.
After school, Ryou had to hurry right home. He wanted to get away before Yami Bakura had the chance to do something to his friends. He raced along the sidewalks, panting from weariness and overexertion. He was so tired, in fact, that he forgot to watch where he was going.
He ran right into a strolling pedestrian, toppling them both to the ground.
"I'm sorry!" he cried out, his eyes wet with tears. "I'm very sorry!"
"Kid, it's okay," the girl he'd bumped into said, picking herself up. "But what are you in such a hurry about?"
"I'm.I'm.I have to go!" Ryou stammered, but before he said anything else he bolted like a frightened deer, taking off for home.
The girl stared after him, confused. With a sigh, she picked up her purse and continued on her way.
~*~
Joey left school right on time (an unusual feat for him; he usually stayed after to hang out with Yugi and the others) and began walking towards KaibaCorp. The Ryou matter was troubling him so much that he almost walked right past the tall skyscraper, but managed to catch himself before he did.
He entered the silvery building, checking in at the front desk and stepping into one of the high-speed elevators. Within seconds he was on the fiftieth floor.
Walking down the hall, he tapped on a beautifully finished walnut door. "Enter," came the voice from inside.
Joey walked into the office. "Hi, Yami."
Yami Moto turned. "Joey!" he exclaimed, setting down a deck of Duel Monsters cards. He rose and walked over to his friend. "C'mon in, sit down, and tell me what the heck you're doing here. Did something happen to Yugi?" he asked worriedly. "Why didn't I feel it? Is he hurt?"
Joey couldn't help but laugh at the Pharaoh's concern. "No, no, and no. Yugi's fine. How's business?"
Yami scowled. "Tell that to Kaiba. He's been negotiating all day, and from the thuds and yells I've been hearing from upstairs, I take it it's not going well."
Joey chuckled. "Negotiating what?"
Yami rolled his eyes. "Another buy-out, what else. Some corporation in France. Kaiba's thinking of releasing Duel Monsters there. This place would not only distribute the cards, but offer free lessons on how to duel and tournaments for the skilled players."
"Interesting. And you?"
"Fine. Just paging through some new cards when you showed up, actually. For example, this Golden Serpent card," he added, holding up the card, "is much too powerful to be distributed in every pack. It's got almost the same power as your Red Eyes. So that means I get to keep it, and we look for new ideas."
"Free Duel Monsters cards?" Joey's ears perked up. "Think I could get a job here?"
Yami snickered. "If I know Kaiba, he'd hire you-as a janitor!"
"Listen, Yami, I have to talk to you. Serious talk, I mean."
Yami groaned. "For the last time, Joey, no, I will not talk Kaiba out of dating your sister! I don't care how much you pay me or whine about it, the answer is still no!"
Joey grimaced. "You had to remind me, didn't you? But no, that's not what I came here for." He took a deep breath. "I think something's wrong with Ryou."
"Ryou?" Yami repeated, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"Well.he fell asleep at school today. Twice. Then I found out he'd forgotten his lunch. And Yami, he was positively starving. I shared my pizza with him, and he ate the entire thing, plus two cookies. And he looked like he was still hungry after that."
"That doesn't sound like the Ryou I know."
"Me neither. Plus, when he was sleeping, he murmured something that sounded like, 'Don't hurt me, I'm sorry, please'. You know how I feel about him, Yami. He's like a younger brother to me. I don't like seeing him this way."
"Yami?" another, softer voice said.
Yami and Joey whirled. A smirk of recognition appeared on Yami's face as he saw who it was, but Joey just looked puzzled.
"Did I come at a bad time?" the owner of the voice said, looking worried.
"Not at all," Yami said, taking her hand and leading her inside. "Joey, this is my girlfriend, Jamie. Jamie, this is my good friend Joey."
"Pleased to meet you, Joey," Jamie said with a smile.
"Hi," Joey replied, awestruck. He turned to Yami. "Man, how is it that you always luck out? Jeez! Honestly, that ain't right."
Jamie looked confused. "That's Joey's way of saying you're very beautiful," Yami supplied, snaking an arm around her waist. "So, what's up?"
"I was out shopping and I thought I'd stop by," Jamie explained. "You know, something strange happened on the way over here."
"Strange?" Yami inquired, his eyes narrowing. "What kind of strange? Did some idiot say something to you?"
Jamie giggled. "You don't have to be so protective, Yami. Actually, I was walking through the park, taking a shortcut here when this kid just rammed straight into me. It knocked me down, but I was okay. I tried to ask him what was wrong, why he was in such a big hurry, but he just burst into tears and ran away. He looked about our age, maybe a little younger."
"Huh," Joey said. "Wonder if I know him?"
Jamie shrugged. "Not a clue. I didn't know him. But he had the strangest color of hair I'd ever seen. Pure, snowy white, and it hung down to his waist."
Yami shot a glance at Joey. "That sounds like-"
"Ryou," Joey finished. "I don't know anyone else with hair like that. Had to have been him."
"He looked really broken up," Jamie continued. "He was panting hard and running like the hounds of heck were on his tail. I kind of felt sorry for the poor kid."
"Something is seriously wrong, Yami," Joey said.
"Yes.and I get the feeling we'd better find out what it is. And fast." Yami's eyes closed in thought. "Joey, why don't you go to his house and see if he's there. I think I might know what's going on, but I have to be sure. Bring Ryou here." He checked his watch. "I'll be here another three hours or so."
"Right," Joey agreed, heading out the door. "Nice to meet you, Jamie!"
Quickly, he rode the elevator to the main floor. He had to get to Ryou-and fast.
~*~
SMACK! "How dare you! Insolent dog!"
Ryou cringed as blood poured from his nose. But he managed to keep his mouth shut and didn't reply.
"I told you, NEVER let anyone know about these scars. How dare you show weakness in front of others!" Yami Bakura growled, grabbing his arm and twisting it harshly.
Ryou couldn't help but scream at the agony. A cruel grin crept over Yami Bakura's face. "Well, so the little runt can speak after all, eh? Let's hear that again," he said evilly, twisting his arm even harder.
"Stop!" Ryou cried, tears streaming from his eyes. "Please, stop!"
"Pathetic nothing!" Yami Bakura barked at his other. He pressed his face close to the trembling boy's. "Do not defy me!"
"Why are you doing this?" the small boy sobbed. "Why are you hurting me?"
A boot came up and kicked him hard in the ribs. "Because it's fun," the dark one replied demonically. "And because it's so easy."
He began twisting Ryou's arm again, but just as it felt that it was about to break, there was a tap on the door. "Ryou?" a voice called. "Are you in there?"
Yami Bakura's eyes narrowed. "Who is that?" he demanded of Ryou. "Why are they here?"
"I-It's Joey," Ryou whimpered. "I-I don't know w-why. I d-didn't invite h- him."
"Get rid of him," Yami Bakura ordered, disappearing into the Ring.
Ryou literally crawled to the door and pulled it open. "J-Joey," he said weakly.
Joey was horrified. "Ryou! What happened to you?"
Then Ryou realized his nose was still bleeding and his clothes were tattered. "Um.I.hit my head.on the kitchen counter.there was some water on the floor.I slipped." he lied.
"Right. You slipped," Joey replied suspiciously. "Anyway, come on."
"W-Where? I mean, I-I can't leave. At all. I, um, have to take care of the house. For my dad. He's away on business."
"I don't care," Joey said, grabbing his arm. Ryou screamed in agony at the touch to his painful arm, and Joey jumped back, startled.
"Ryou."
"Joey, listen to me," Ryou whispered frantically. "You have to go away, now! Please, don't ever come here again! I don't want you to get hurt."
"Hurt? Ryou!" Joey demanded. "What is going on?"
"I-I can't-please, just leave!"
"No. I'm not leaving unless you come with me."
Ryou tried to make contact with his Yami.
/ Yami? /
// What do you want, runt?! //
/ Joey won't leave. He says I have to go with him. /
// Slam the door in his face. //
/ But Yami.then he'll know something is wrong. /
// If you can't handle yourself, weakling, then I'm coming out and putting an end to the problem! //
/ No! Don't hurt Joey! I'll get rid of him, I promise! /
// Good. Now don't talk to me again! //
Ryou glanced at Joey with watery eyes. "I can't go with you, Joey," he whispered.
"Ryou, you have to. Please, I want to help you!"
"Joey." Ryou bit his lip. He tried to steady his breathing and his voice. "I hit my head on the kitchen counter. I can't leave because my father is depending on me to watch the house. So I'm sorry, but I can't go with you. Now, if you don't mind, I have to go clean up that water. Excuse me," he said, beginning to shut the door.
"Wait!" Joey said, blocking the way with his foot and keeping the door open. "I'll help you."
By now Ryou was very scared and Yami Bakura was getting very impatient. In an instant he had switched places with Ryou, forcing his other into the Ring. "You must be denser than I thought," the dark one hissed. "So I'll make it simple. Get out. And don't come back." And then he slammed the door shut.
Joey was taken aback. Ryou's personality had just changed so suddenly.he never acted that way in school! What could be going on? So sweet and innocent one minute, and the next so harsh and cruel.
Sighing deeply, he turned away from the door and trudged down the sidewalk.
"Why don't you get it, Ryou?" he wondered aloud. "Why don't you understand that I just want to help?"
Biting down a sigh, Joey continued on his way, not really knowing where he was headed, but just wanting to get there.
Back inside the Bakura household, Ryou was afraid to speak. He crept into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, sliding out a jar of tomato sauce. A quick trip to a cupboard resulted in various herbs and spices. Quickly he started some pasta boiling, and began work on the sauce.
Ryou somehow managed to bring the sauce to perfection. A professional Italian chef couldn't have done better. By then the pasta was bubbling nicely, and he strained out the water, emptying the soft noodles into a bowl. He topped it off with the sauce and carried the steaming dish to the table.
/ Yami? /
// Why are you talking to me, runt?! //
/ I-I'm sorry.I-I fixed you s-something to eat. /
// Pathetic nothing! Haven't you figured out by now that I don't need to eat? //
/ Yes.but I.just thought. /
Suddenly Yami Bakura appeared out of the Ring with a flash of light. "But what?" he growled, snatching Ryou up by the collar and pressing his face close.
"I-I just wanted t-to do something n-nice for y-you." Ryou whimpered.
The backhanded slap sent him flying halfway across the room. "Nice?! Aren't you weak enough already?! Why are you degrading yourself even further?!"
Ryou bit his lower lip and said nothing, tears welling in his huge brown eyes.
"Worthless nobody!" Yami Bakura yelled, grabbing him and throwing him into the kitchen. A wicked smile crossed his face as he picked up the boy and threw him onto the still-hot burner.
Ryou screamed in agony. But Yami Bakura was holding him down, and he couldn't move. The heat seared his back and the pain was so intense, it was like nothing Ryou had ever felt before.
"Yami! Please! I'm sorry, just let me go!" Ryou shrieked.
Yami Bakura's eyes narrowed. "Am I supposed to pity you? You expect me to feel sorry for you?"
"PLEASE, YAMI, LET ME GO!" Ryou sobbed, terrified beyond rational thought.
The tears running off his face hissed and steamed on the searing burner. Yami Bakura watched this sight with a touch of amusement.
'The boy has had about all he can take. Is this what you want? To kill him?'
That nagging voice in his mind had bubbled up again. Enraged, he threw Ryou off the burner and into the sink, where he turned on the water icy-cold. Then, while Ryou yelped from the abrupt change in temperature, he went to the refrigerator, taking out four trays of ice cubes and dumping them all on Ryou.
"I'm tired of you," he spat before disappearing into the Ring once again.
Shivering and crying his eyes out, Ryou tumbled out of the sink and landed on the floor, dead to the world.
The next day at school, Joey noticed Ryou wasn't there. Concerned, he skipped lunch and fourth period to go to his house.
The day was warm, with pure blue skies and little puffs of clouds scattered all over like cotton candy. Joey walked quickly, the whole time wondering what would keep Ryou away from school. Second only to Yugi, Ryou was a straight-A student and one of the teacher's favorites. He had a record for perfect attendance. To not show up meant something was seriously wrong.
As he walked up the sidewalk, Joey immediately got a feeling of dread. He tapped on the door. "Ryou? Are you in here?"
All he heard was a very faint groan.
Joey rushed forward, slamming against the door. "Ryou!"
This time, however, there was no reply. Joey shoved against the door, surprised to find it unlocked. "Ryou!" he yelled one more time. "Where are you, Ryou? Are you okay?"
He raced in the door, finding himself in the front hall. He paused, listening for the slightest sound. What seemed to be a low whimper was coming from the kitchen. Quickly, he found his way to the gleaming room.
Joey was horrified by what he saw. The stove was still on; the sink was still running, overflowing onto the floor. The refrigerator was hanging open, spoiling all the food and whatnot inside.
But what scared him the most was the sight of Ryou, lying unconscious in the middle of the floor. His lips were blue from the cold air of the refrigerator and the ice cubes that had fallen still surrounding him.
"Oh, no," Joey whispered, repulsed at what he saw. Cuts and burns covered the small boy's arms, the back of his shirt was ripped in several places, and his normally white hair had been stained with blood. His big brown eyes were closed, but Joey could see that, even unconscious, Ryou was in great pain.
"Ryou," he said in a shaky voice. "What happened to you, kid? Who did this to you?"
Carefully, he hefted Ryou into his arms and tore off down the street, heading for KaibaCorp. Calm, logical plans were completely gone. He could have called for help; he could have gotten an ambulance. But he just ran.
Meanwhile.
Seto Kaiba headed down into Yami's office. "Hey, Yami."
Yami didn't bother to turn. "Can I help you, Master CEO?"
"Just wondering where the card catalogue is."
Yami snickered. "Why don't you try your local library?"
Kaiba groaned. "That. Was. So. Not. Funny."
"Sorry. Actually, it's right here. I just finished the work on it," Yami explained.
Kaiba flipped through the packet offhandedly, but his eyes widened when he saw notes written in bright orange pen on the "To-Do" list stapled to the cover. "Yami." he said threateningly.
"Yes, Kaiba?" Yami replied innocently.
"Did you write "give Yami Moto three Blue Eyes White Dragons" on the To-Do list?"
"Me? Why ever would I do a thing like that?" he said with a pout almost as cute as Yugi's.
"Yami, I'm not stupid. There's only three Blue Eyes White Dragons in the world. There are only going to be three Blue Eyes White Dragons in the world. I have them all. And I am not giving them away."
"Rats," Yami muttered jokingly. "And I would have gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for you meddling corporate executives."
"Ha. Ha. And also, ha. Very funny."
"It was, wasn't it?" Yami said sweetly. "I'm glad I lightened up your torturous day."
"So anyway, what cards did you-"
Kaiba was cut off by the entrance of Joey, who was panting and sweating from carrying Ryou.
"Yami!" he gasped out, falling to his knees but still not letting go of the unconscious boy. "Help!"
~*~
Yami: sniffle Ryou torture? Meanie!
Seto: May the wrath of the raging hordes of fangirls be upon you!
Me: No! I promise it gets better, really! There is a happy ending!
Seto: suspicious look You promise?
Me: Honest! Just don't tar and feather me! It will be all right in the end!
Yami: How come Yami Bakura is evil? Why'd you make him evil?
Me: Look, you're just going to have to wait until I write the rest of the story to find out.
Yami: Dang.
Seto: Dang.
Anyway, please read and review! Your input means a lot to me. And do not be alarmed, fangirls of Ryou. Our adorable little bishounen will not be harmed. Besides, I've done worse in "Shattered", and there was still a happy ending, right? Have faith! It will get good! Joey the Flame Swordsman is being especially protective of Ryou, so flames will definitely not be tolerated. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!
Yami: Did she say trilogy?
Seto: Again? Dang it!
Me: What's wrong with trilogies?
Yami: Nothing at all. We're just bored and ticked off at the world.
Me: Ah. That explains a lot.
Seto: Am I still dating Serenity?
Me: Yup.
Seto: Dang it!
Me: Who would you rather date?
Seto: No one. I like being single.
Me: Fat chance. You're dating Serenity.
Seto: Dang.
Author's Notes: I wrote this as a side story to "Shattered", so it's recommended that you read that before this. There's not too many references, but there might be a few things you don't get unless you read "Shattered". I figured I should let you know. I'd also like to point out that child abuse is a serious problem, and if you are or know someone who is being abused, tell someone immediately! Anyway, here it is.
// Yami Bakura talking to Ryou //
/ Ryou talking to Yami Bakura /
'Thoughts or writing'
~*~
Second Chances
By Macavity
SMACK! The harsh sound of fist across face was very distinct in the Bakura household that fateful night. Nearly all the lights were off; passerby would come to the conclusion that no one was home. Neighbors would assume the fourteen-year-old boy who lived there with his father was home alone again. But this was not the case.
"You little runt," Yami Bakura spat, backhanding his smaller other across the face.
Though in tears, Ryou Bakura huddled against the wall and didn't make a sound. His Yami was always like this to him. He'd found eventually that if he remained silent and accepted the harsh beatings, Yami Bakura quickly tired of abusing him.
"Who do you think you are?" he demanded, looming over the shaking boy. "What makes you think you have any worth? You're nothing!"
He kicked Ryou hard in the ribs, and the smaller boy had to bite his lip to keep from crying out.
"What's the matter, weakling? I'd think a crybaby like you would be bawling by now." He pressed his sneering face close to Ryou's. "Trying to be tough? It won't work."
With that, he easily picked Ryou up and flung him against the wall, disappearing into the Millennium Ring as he did so.
Weeping bitterly, Ryou picked himself up and staggered to the bathroom. He managed to fill the tub with hot water and sink in before passing out, unconscious.
Slowly, the blood from his wounds began tinting the bath water red.
By the time Ryou awoke, the water was a startling crimson. He drained out the water and refilled it, soaking again.
"At least," he noted ruefully, "he didn't come out and try to drown me again."
Yami Bakura must have been tired that night. Any other time he would have appeared and tried to suffocate Ryou in the bathwater. Thanking whatever it was that kept him safe, Ryou quickly washed his cuts and stepped out of the bath.
He dried himself off, slipping painfully into comfortable flannel pajamas and dressing his visible cuts. It wouldn't do to have Yugi or the others see them. Yami Bakura would be very angry that he showed any sign of weakness, especially telling others about his own problems.
As fast as he could, Ryou made his way to the bed and collapsed, finding some momentary relief in the soft mattress. He promptly fell asleep.
~*~
The next day at school, poor Ryou was positively exhausted. He could barely keep his eyes open throughout classes, and actually dozed off once in Math. However, a small poke from Yugi woke him back up very quickly. Fortunately, no one noticed.
At lunchtime, he discovered sadly that he had been too tired to pack a lunch, and he had no money.
"Oh, well," he mumbled wistfully. "I guess I'll just go without today."
He retreated to a secluded corner of the lunchroom, preferring to huddle in the shadows as opposed to sitting at a table with his friends.
"Besides," he tried to console himself. "It's better this way. They won't see the-the cuts and marks, and.watching them eat would just be.just be."
He trailed off, his heavy eyelids fluttering closed.
Meanwhile, Joey Wheeler made his way through the lunch line. He scouted the lunchroom for his friends, heading towards their usual table. When he was halfway there, he noticed something strange in the corner. He began walking towards it. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was a shock of silvery- white hair that had caught his eye.
"Hey! Ryou!" he said, wondering why the small boy was sitting in the corner.
Ryou didn't reply; he was too deep in slumber.
Joey set down his tray and tapped Ryou on the shoulder. "Hey? Hello in there? Ryou?"
"Don'.ple'se.don' hur' me.ple'se.Yam.i.sor'y.don'." the white-haired boy mumbled.
"What? Ryou!" Joey nearly yelled, shaking him hard.
Ryou awoke with a start. "No! I'm sorry! I-" Suddenly he noticed Joey and his surroundings. "Oh.Joey.what's going on?"
"Are you okay, Ryou? You've fallen asleep twice today."
Ryou blushed. He was hoping no one had noticed him in class. "I, uh, guess I just had a long night. You know, studying and stuff."
"Right.studying." Joey repeated suspiciously. "Hey, why aren't you eating? You're thin enough as it is."
"Um.I forgot my lunch at home? I forgot to bring money?"
"Well, why didn't you say so?" Joey exclaimed, taking a seat next to Ryou. "Here, I can share."
Ryou was amazed. "You? Share food?" he teased. "Wow, this is a first."
Joey laughed as well, but inside he knew something wasn't right. What was going on with Ryou? What was he hiding?
He watched in sort of detached amusement as Ryou gobbled down the slice of pizza and cookie that Joey had offered him. "Boy, you must be hungrier than I thought," he said with a grin, handing Ryou another cookie.
Ryou blushed deep red and accepted it, trying to hold off his hunger. He didn't want to seem greedy in front of his friend. "I'm.um.not that hungry anymore." he tried halfheartedly.
Joey smirked and tousled his ivory hair. "C'mon, Ryou, go ahead and eat. And don't lie to me," he added, seeing the smaller boy open his mouth to protest. "I can see that you're starving. Now eat."
They sat like that for a few minutes before Ryou began to speak. "Joey.I.my.I'm." he stammered, tears welling in his eyes. He was so close to blurting out the whole miserable story of his abusive Millennium Ring, but then he realized that his Yami could hear the whole thing.
"What is it, Ryou?" Joey asked, concerned.
"I.I.never mind," the small boy said in a voice below a whisper. "It's nothing."
But somehow, Joey didn't believe that. Not for a minute.
After school, Ryou had to hurry right home. He wanted to get away before Yami Bakura had the chance to do something to his friends. He raced along the sidewalks, panting from weariness and overexertion. He was so tired, in fact, that he forgot to watch where he was going.
He ran right into a strolling pedestrian, toppling them both to the ground.
"I'm sorry!" he cried out, his eyes wet with tears. "I'm very sorry!"
"Kid, it's okay," the girl he'd bumped into said, picking herself up. "But what are you in such a hurry about?"
"I'm.I'm.I have to go!" Ryou stammered, but before he said anything else he bolted like a frightened deer, taking off for home.
The girl stared after him, confused. With a sigh, she picked up her purse and continued on her way.
~*~
Joey left school right on time (an unusual feat for him; he usually stayed after to hang out with Yugi and the others) and began walking towards KaibaCorp. The Ryou matter was troubling him so much that he almost walked right past the tall skyscraper, but managed to catch himself before he did.
He entered the silvery building, checking in at the front desk and stepping into one of the high-speed elevators. Within seconds he was on the fiftieth floor.
Walking down the hall, he tapped on a beautifully finished walnut door. "Enter," came the voice from inside.
Joey walked into the office. "Hi, Yami."
Yami Moto turned. "Joey!" he exclaimed, setting down a deck of Duel Monsters cards. He rose and walked over to his friend. "C'mon in, sit down, and tell me what the heck you're doing here. Did something happen to Yugi?" he asked worriedly. "Why didn't I feel it? Is he hurt?"
Joey couldn't help but laugh at the Pharaoh's concern. "No, no, and no. Yugi's fine. How's business?"
Yami scowled. "Tell that to Kaiba. He's been negotiating all day, and from the thuds and yells I've been hearing from upstairs, I take it it's not going well."
Joey chuckled. "Negotiating what?"
Yami rolled his eyes. "Another buy-out, what else. Some corporation in France. Kaiba's thinking of releasing Duel Monsters there. This place would not only distribute the cards, but offer free lessons on how to duel and tournaments for the skilled players."
"Interesting. And you?"
"Fine. Just paging through some new cards when you showed up, actually. For example, this Golden Serpent card," he added, holding up the card, "is much too powerful to be distributed in every pack. It's got almost the same power as your Red Eyes. So that means I get to keep it, and we look for new ideas."
"Free Duel Monsters cards?" Joey's ears perked up. "Think I could get a job here?"
Yami snickered. "If I know Kaiba, he'd hire you-as a janitor!"
"Listen, Yami, I have to talk to you. Serious talk, I mean."
Yami groaned. "For the last time, Joey, no, I will not talk Kaiba out of dating your sister! I don't care how much you pay me or whine about it, the answer is still no!"
Joey grimaced. "You had to remind me, didn't you? But no, that's not what I came here for." He took a deep breath. "I think something's wrong with Ryou."
"Ryou?" Yami repeated, puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"Well.he fell asleep at school today. Twice. Then I found out he'd forgotten his lunch. And Yami, he was positively starving. I shared my pizza with him, and he ate the entire thing, plus two cookies. And he looked like he was still hungry after that."
"That doesn't sound like the Ryou I know."
"Me neither. Plus, when he was sleeping, he murmured something that sounded like, 'Don't hurt me, I'm sorry, please'. You know how I feel about him, Yami. He's like a younger brother to me. I don't like seeing him this way."
"Yami?" another, softer voice said.
Yami and Joey whirled. A smirk of recognition appeared on Yami's face as he saw who it was, but Joey just looked puzzled.
"Did I come at a bad time?" the owner of the voice said, looking worried.
"Not at all," Yami said, taking her hand and leading her inside. "Joey, this is my girlfriend, Jamie. Jamie, this is my good friend Joey."
"Pleased to meet you, Joey," Jamie said with a smile.
"Hi," Joey replied, awestruck. He turned to Yami. "Man, how is it that you always luck out? Jeez! Honestly, that ain't right."
Jamie looked confused. "That's Joey's way of saying you're very beautiful," Yami supplied, snaking an arm around her waist. "So, what's up?"
"I was out shopping and I thought I'd stop by," Jamie explained. "You know, something strange happened on the way over here."
"Strange?" Yami inquired, his eyes narrowing. "What kind of strange? Did some idiot say something to you?"
Jamie giggled. "You don't have to be so protective, Yami. Actually, I was walking through the park, taking a shortcut here when this kid just rammed straight into me. It knocked me down, but I was okay. I tried to ask him what was wrong, why he was in such a big hurry, but he just burst into tears and ran away. He looked about our age, maybe a little younger."
"Huh," Joey said. "Wonder if I know him?"
Jamie shrugged. "Not a clue. I didn't know him. But he had the strangest color of hair I'd ever seen. Pure, snowy white, and it hung down to his waist."
Yami shot a glance at Joey. "That sounds like-"
"Ryou," Joey finished. "I don't know anyone else with hair like that. Had to have been him."
"He looked really broken up," Jamie continued. "He was panting hard and running like the hounds of heck were on his tail. I kind of felt sorry for the poor kid."
"Something is seriously wrong, Yami," Joey said.
"Yes.and I get the feeling we'd better find out what it is. And fast." Yami's eyes closed in thought. "Joey, why don't you go to his house and see if he's there. I think I might know what's going on, but I have to be sure. Bring Ryou here." He checked his watch. "I'll be here another three hours or so."
"Right," Joey agreed, heading out the door. "Nice to meet you, Jamie!"
Quickly, he rode the elevator to the main floor. He had to get to Ryou-and fast.
~*~
SMACK! "How dare you! Insolent dog!"
Ryou cringed as blood poured from his nose. But he managed to keep his mouth shut and didn't reply.
"I told you, NEVER let anyone know about these scars. How dare you show weakness in front of others!" Yami Bakura growled, grabbing his arm and twisting it harshly.
Ryou couldn't help but scream at the agony. A cruel grin crept over Yami Bakura's face. "Well, so the little runt can speak after all, eh? Let's hear that again," he said evilly, twisting his arm even harder.
"Stop!" Ryou cried, tears streaming from his eyes. "Please, stop!"
"Pathetic nothing!" Yami Bakura barked at his other. He pressed his face close to the trembling boy's. "Do not defy me!"
"Why are you doing this?" the small boy sobbed. "Why are you hurting me?"
A boot came up and kicked him hard in the ribs. "Because it's fun," the dark one replied demonically. "And because it's so easy."
He began twisting Ryou's arm again, but just as it felt that it was about to break, there was a tap on the door. "Ryou?" a voice called. "Are you in there?"
Yami Bakura's eyes narrowed. "Who is that?" he demanded of Ryou. "Why are they here?"
"I-It's Joey," Ryou whimpered. "I-I don't know w-why. I d-didn't invite h- him."
"Get rid of him," Yami Bakura ordered, disappearing into the Ring.
Ryou literally crawled to the door and pulled it open. "J-Joey," he said weakly.
Joey was horrified. "Ryou! What happened to you?"
Then Ryou realized his nose was still bleeding and his clothes were tattered. "Um.I.hit my head.on the kitchen counter.there was some water on the floor.I slipped." he lied.
"Right. You slipped," Joey replied suspiciously. "Anyway, come on."
"W-Where? I mean, I-I can't leave. At all. I, um, have to take care of the house. For my dad. He's away on business."
"I don't care," Joey said, grabbing his arm. Ryou screamed in agony at the touch to his painful arm, and Joey jumped back, startled.
"Ryou."
"Joey, listen to me," Ryou whispered frantically. "You have to go away, now! Please, don't ever come here again! I don't want you to get hurt."
"Hurt? Ryou!" Joey demanded. "What is going on?"
"I-I can't-please, just leave!"
"No. I'm not leaving unless you come with me."
Ryou tried to make contact with his Yami.
/ Yami? /
// What do you want, runt?! //
/ Joey won't leave. He says I have to go with him. /
// Slam the door in his face. //
/ But Yami.then he'll know something is wrong. /
// If you can't handle yourself, weakling, then I'm coming out and putting an end to the problem! //
/ No! Don't hurt Joey! I'll get rid of him, I promise! /
// Good. Now don't talk to me again! //
Ryou glanced at Joey with watery eyes. "I can't go with you, Joey," he whispered.
"Ryou, you have to. Please, I want to help you!"
"Joey." Ryou bit his lip. He tried to steady his breathing and his voice. "I hit my head on the kitchen counter. I can't leave because my father is depending on me to watch the house. So I'm sorry, but I can't go with you. Now, if you don't mind, I have to go clean up that water. Excuse me," he said, beginning to shut the door.
"Wait!" Joey said, blocking the way with his foot and keeping the door open. "I'll help you."
By now Ryou was very scared and Yami Bakura was getting very impatient. In an instant he had switched places with Ryou, forcing his other into the Ring. "You must be denser than I thought," the dark one hissed. "So I'll make it simple. Get out. And don't come back." And then he slammed the door shut.
Joey was taken aback. Ryou's personality had just changed so suddenly.he never acted that way in school! What could be going on? So sweet and innocent one minute, and the next so harsh and cruel.
Sighing deeply, he turned away from the door and trudged down the sidewalk.
"Why don't you get it, Ryou?" he wondered aloud. "Why don't you understand that I just want to help?"
Biting down a sigh, Joey continued on his way, not really knowing where he was headed, but just wanting to get there.
Back inside the Bakura household, Ryou was afraid to speak. He crept into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, sliding out a jar of tomato sauce. A quick trip to a cupboard resulted in various herbs and spices. Quickly he started some pasta boiling, and began work on the sauce.
Ryou somehow managed to bring the sauce to perfection. A professional Italian chef couldn't have done better. By then the pasta was bubbling nicely, and he strained out the water, emptying the soft noodles into a bowl. He topped it off with the sauce and carried the steaming dish to the table.
/ Yami? /
// Why are you talking to me, runt?! //
/ I-I'm sorry.I-I fixed you s-something to eat. /
// Pathetic nothing! Haven't you figured out by now that I don't need to eat? //
/ Yes.but I.just thought. /
Suddenly Yami Bakura appeared out of the Ring with a flash of light. "But what?" he growled, snatching Ryou up by the collar and pressing his face close.
"I-I just wanted t-to do something n-nice for y-you." Ryou whimpered.
The backhanded slap sent him flying halfway across the room. "Nice?! Aren't you weak enough already?! Why are you degrading yourself even further?!"
Ryou bit his lower lip and said nothing, tears welling in his huge brown eyes.
"Worthless nobody!" Yami Bakura yelled, grabbing him and throwing him into the kitchen. A wicked smile crossed his face as he picked up the boy and threw him onto the still-hot burner.
Ryou screamed in agony. But Yami Bakura was holding him down, and he couldn't move. The heat seared his back and the pain was so intense, it was like nothing Ryou had ever felt before.
"Yami! Please! I'm sorry, just let me go!" Ryou shrieked.
Yami Bakura's eyes narrowed. "Am I supposed to pity you? You expect me to feel sorry for you?"
"PLEASE, YAMI, LET ME GO!" Ryou sobbed, terrified beyond rational thought.
The tears running off his face hissed and steamed on the searing burner. Yami Bakura watched this sight with a touch of amusement.
'The boy has had about all he can take. Is this what you want? To kill him?'
That nagging voice in his mind had bubbled up again. Enraged, he threw Ryou off the burner and into the sink, where he turned on the water icy-cold. Then, while Ryou yelped from the abrupt change in temperature, he went to the refrigerator, taking out four trays of ice cubes and dumping them all on Ryou.
"I'm tired of you," he spat before disappearing into the Ring once again.
Shivering and crying his eyes out, Ryou tumbled out of the sink and landed on the floor, dead to the world.
The next day at school, Joey noticed Ryou wasn't there. Concerned, he skipped lunch and fourth period to go to his house.
The day was warm, with pure blue skies and little puffs of clouds scattered all over like cotton candy. Joey walked quickly, the whole time wondering what would keep Ryou away from school. Second only to Yugi, Ryou was a straight-A student and one of the teacher's favorites. He had a record for perfect attendance. To not show up meant something was seriously wrong.
As he walked up the sidewalk, Joey immediately got a feeling of dread. He tapped on the door. "Ryou? Are you in here?"
All he heard was a very faint groan.
Joey rushed forward, slamming against the door. "Ryou!"
This time, however, there was no reply. Joey shoved against the door, surprised to find it unlocked. "Ryou!" he yelled one more time. "Where are you, Ryou? Are you okay?"
He raced in the door, finding himself in the front hall. He paused, listening for the slightest sound. What seemed to be a low whimper was coming from the kitchen. Quickly, he found his way to the gleaming room.
Joey was horrified by what he saw. The stove was still on; the sink was still running, overflowing onto the floor. The refrigerator was hanging open, spoiling all the food and whatnot inside.
But what scared him the most was the sight of Ryou, lying unconscious in the middle of the floor. His lips were blue from the cold air of the refrigerator and the ice cubes that had fallen still surrounding him.
"Oh, no," Joey whispered, repulsed at what he saw. Cuts and burns covered the small boy's arms, the back of his shirt was ripped in several places, and his normally white hair had been stained with blood. His big brown eyes were closed, but Joey could see that, even unconscious, Ryou was in great pain.
"Ryou," he said in a shaky voice. "What happened to you, kid? Who did this to you?"
Carefully, he hefted Ryou into his arms and tore off down the street, heading for KaibaCorp. Calm, logical plans were completely gone. He could have called for help; he could have gotten an ambulance. But he just ran.
Meanwhile.
Seto Kaiba headed down into Yami's office. "Hey, Yami."
Yami didn't bother to turn. "Can I help you, Master CEO?"
"Just wondering where the card catalogue is."
Yami snickered. "Why don't you try your local library?"
Kaiba groaned. "That. Was. So. Not. Funny."
"Sorry. Actually, it's right here. I just finished the work on it," Yami explained.
Kaiba flipped through the packet offhandedly, but his eyes widened when he saw notes written in bright orange pen on the "To-Do" list stapled to the cover. "Yami." he said threateningly.
"Yes, Kaiba?" Yami replied innocently.
"Did you write "give Yami Moto three Blue Eyes White Dragons" on the To-Do list?"
"Me? Why ever would I do a thing like that?" he said with a pout almost as cute as Yugi's.
"Yami, I'm not stupid. There's only three Blue Eyes White Dragons in the world. There are only going to be three Blue Eyes White Dragons in the world. I have them all. And I am not giving them away."
"Rats," Yami muttered jokingly. "And I would have gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for you meddling corporate executives."
"Ha. Ha. And also, ha. Very funny."
"It was, wasn't it?" Yami said sweetly. "I'm glad I lightened up your torturous day."
"So anyway, what cards did you-"
Kaiba was cut off by the entrance of Joey, who was panting and sweating from carrying Ryou.
"Yami!" he gasped out, falling to his knees but still not letting go of the unconscious boy. "Help!"
~*~
Yami: sniffle Ryou torture? Meanie!
Seto: May the wrath of the raging hordes of fangirls be upon you!
Me: No! I promise it gets better, really! There is a happy ending!
Seto: suspicious look You promise?
Me: Honest! Just don't tar and feather me! It will be all right in the end!
Yami: How come Yami Bakura is evil? Why'd you make him evil?
Me: Look, you're just going to have to wait until I write the rest of the story to find out.
Yami: Dang.
Seto: Dang.
Anyway, please read and review! Your input means a lot to me. And do not be alarmed, fangirls of Ryou. Our adorable little bishounen will not be harmed. Besides, I've done worse in "Shattered", and there was still a happy ending, right? Have faith! It will get good! Joey the Flame Swordsman is being especially protective of Ryou, so flames will definitely not be tolerated. PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!