Ryou shivered as he heard the front door slam. He turned the Tv off-though he had barely been watching- and clasped his hands together, waiting.
Bakura was home.
The first thing that hit the Brit's ears was an angry curse. Then a shout of, "Ryou! Where's dinner?"
"W-we ran out of steak, Bakura-sama," Ryou whimpered. Then said it again, loud enough for his lover to hear.
There was silence. Then there was the eerie sound of footsteps coming to the door. When they stopped, Ryou swallowed hard. He could feel Bakura's chocolate stare burning holes into him.
"How?" He asked calmly.
Ryou looked at him. Bakura didn't look very angry today, but rather tired and worn-out. "I'm s-sorry. I meant to get more, but there were t-too many-" He swallowed again, his throat tight with anxiety. "-spots for me to buy anything without being asked questions..."
Spots was Bakura and Ryou's code word for bruises. Ryou had made the mistake of making Bakura furious by claiming that he needed to try and eat some vegetables for a stable diet. It had resulted in Bakura's temper flaring, asking if Ryou had a problem with his diet. Ryou had stupidly said yes, and so Bakura taught him a lesson about speaking out against him.
Bakura's eyes hardened. "Yeah right. I made sure I hit you where nobody would see. Is this about last night? Are you trying to spite me?"
Ryou shook with fear. "N-no, Bakura-sama!" He cried. "I c-can't w-walk right, a-and my arm aches, I c-couldn't have been able to c-carry all the meat you wa-"
Ryou screamed as Bakura rushed up to him and smacked him down onto the floor. He felt Bakura's fingers grip his hair painfully hard and force him back up to his feet. Ryou's eyes shut tight with pain, but Bakura didn't relent.
"I don't give a shit how you walk," he said, voice barely a growl. "Now I'm going to go hungry tonight because you're too much of a bitch to buy my groceries."
"N-no, Bakura-sama," Ryou choked out. "I w-was trying to protect you, I d-didn't w-want people to suspect you w-were hitting m-me, especially after th-the black eye, I swear I'm n-not trying to get reven-"
Bakura threw him back down onto the ground. "Protect me? Protect me how? Everyone at that grocery store knows you go there every Teusday to pick up my steak. You say they suspect me of hitting you, and now you don't show up on schedule-" He gave him a rough kick in the ribs, causing the small Brit to gasp and curl up, tears slipping down his cheeks."-making me look even-"Kick."More,"Kneel."Suspicious!" Punched in the face. Ryou sobbed openly now, hating himself for being so weak.
"Oh, now you want to cry," Bakura snarled. "You didn't cry last night when I tore your behind apart. Because you like that. Well, what's the difference here?" He landed a blow on Ryou's groin, and the Brit choked out a sob. 'It's the same pain, just in the front, eh?"
Ryou disagreed. When Bakura made love to him, it was a wonderful feeling, almost as Bakura forgave him for all his mistakes. He was gentle, kind and sweet. But later on, he always degraded that special feeling with horrid terms and innuendos.
"Pl-please-" Ryou whimpered. "I'll-I'll get your steak. J-just don't hurt me-"
"Just don't hurt me," Bakura mimicked vicously. 'It's a bit bloody late for that, wouldn't you say?"
Ryou sobbed. "O-of course. I-I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking..."
"Of course you weren't, dumb bitch." Bakura muttered, but he didn't hit him.
Silence, besides Ryou's heaving sobs.
"Stop," Bakura commanded. Ryou shut up as best as he could, but the pain in his ribs kept him from being silent, forcing out whimpers of pain as he breathed.
Ryou flinched as Bakura stroked the spot where his foot had nearly broken Ryou's rib bone. "Ryou,"he whispered, his voice soft. 'You have to understand, these bruises..."
Ryou risked a glance at Bakura. Bruises. Bakura never said the word that confirmed his violent acts of fury. His face was tired again, eyes darker and almost...sad?
"They mark a new lesson you've learned." Bakura continued. "One day, you'll do fine, and you won't need to learn lessons."
Ryou nodded. He couldn't disagree. It wasn't allowed in Bakura's house.
"You may not feel it at all," Bakura whispered. "But I love you Ryou...I want the best for you, and for you to be the best. I'm sure you wish that you could fight back, but that's not how it works." He kissed Ryou's cheek. "You listen to me, do as I say, and we'll be together forever. It'll be like the times I make you feel good, the times when you can finally say my name with joy and pleasure. All you have to do is follow my directions."
Ryou whimpered. That was Bakura's sadistic logic. To be happy, he had to bend to Bakura's every whim, follow orders like a dog, never speak out.
But it will be worth it for a happy ending, a sweet kiss, a loving hand from Bakura.
Ryou smiled weakly at him. "Promise?"
Bakura nodded, smiling gently. "Do as I say, and you'll do fine. Agree?"
Ryou shut his eyes, filling up with warmth as Bakura wrapped his arms around him. "Yes, Bakura-sama."
I don't own YuGiOh. I don't condone violence in a relationship. I'm not encouraging it or any of that! My first angst fic, flames will be disregarded. This was a gift for YGOfangirl4ever! Hope you like c: